Brian Bettis is not a career bureaucrat or politician, or your average candidate running for Sheriff of Spotsylvania County in the 2027 election.  Brian has not spent his last 33 years in an office behind a desk, or answering phones and telling people what they want to hear. He has dedicated 33 years to public service spanning across many diverse stages of state, local, and federal law enforcement. At times in his career, Brian's service has expanded to international platforms, justifying law enforcement matters and sensitive controversial topics to senior officials and the public.  He has extensive and proven experience in the federal government; managing agency-wide programs and serving as a senior advisor by providing authoritative advice to law enforcement and intelligence-based audiences. 

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Brian began his law enforcement career with Spotsylvania County Sheriff’s Office in 1993 under Sheriff Waddy, and continuing under Sheriff Knight. During his tenure with the Spotsylvania County Sheriff’s Office, he served in multiple capacities including but not limited to a plain-clothes narcotics’ investigator, an assistant SWAT Team Commander, bicycle patrol unit, and a uniformed patrol unit.

 

In late 1996, Brian left the county Sheriff’s Office to pursue career opportunities with the Fredericksburg City Police Department. During his time with the city, he began on the Special Detail Unit which was bicycle patrol focusing primarily on street level narcotics interdiction. Brian then transferred over to the K9 division, while serving as the “shield man” for the department’s Special Equipment Tactical Team.

 

Brian left the City of Fredericksburg in 2006 to pursue a career with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).  From 2006 to 2008 he worked as a desk officer at the DHS Nebraska Avenue Complex National Operations Center.  Here, he helped to coordinate incidents of significance related to the national security of our country, and our country’s assets and interests. 

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Brian left this position in 2008 and started one with the DHS Office of Counternarcotics Enforcement. During his time here, he was assigned to work with the DHS ICE Office of International Affairs and the ICE Contraband Smuggling Unit, DHS CBPs Border Patrol and Office of Field Operations, and the United States Coast Guard focusing primarily on illicit drug trafficking and its nexus to terrorist organizations. While working in the Office of Counternarcotics Enforcement Brian also had the distinct privilege of being assigned to the FBIs National Joint Terrorism Task Force for 18 months.  In addition, Brian created a Counternarcotics course which he taught in Fort Benning, GA. at the Army’s Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation.  This course was taught to Law Enforcement Officials from Central and South America, starting at the rank of Captain and above. 

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In 2012 Brian left the Office of Counternarcotics Enforcement and began working for the DHS United States Citizenship & Immigration Services, Fraud Detection and National Security Directorate (FDNS), National Security and Public Safety Division. Here, he worked on developing, enhancing, implementing, and overseeing policies and programs addressing national security, egregious public safety, and immigration fraud cases.

 

Currently, Brian oversees the development and operations of immigration software systems in the FDNS Systems Integration Division, optimizing software development team performance and prioritizing contract deliverables.  Brian has also had the privilege to serve as one of the USCIS Head Quarters Emergency Management Coordinators, under the USCIS Office of Security and Integrity Emergency Management and Safety Branch, managing the Occupant Emergency Plans for eight USCIS facilities in the National Capital Region.  He has also assisted in developing and enhancing the agency’s Continuity of Operations Program, ensuring USCIS is able to continue operations of their essential functions under a broad range of circumstances, including those falling under national security emergencies. 

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Brian’s extremely diverse background and 33-years in law enforcement, intelligence, emergency management, and program management is incomparable and experience and makes him the BETTER CHOICE for Sheriff and the one the citizens of Spotsylvania deserve.