Undersheriff

Undersheriff Brett A. Nelson is a 30 year Law Enforcement veteran who retired from the Santa Ana Police Department in 2020.  Undersheriff Nelson was first hired by the Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office in June of 2020 as a Deputy Sheriff assigned to the Jail before transferring to Patrol.   In October of 2021, he was selected by Sheriff Bob Norris to be the next Undersheriff.  Undersheriff Nelson was promoted to Captain in January of 2022 overseeing Field Operations before officially being sworn in as Undersheriff in May.   

Undersheriff Nelson comes from a family of public servants.  His wife Michele retired from the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department as a Detective after 22 years of service and both his father and uncle retired respectively after 30 year law enforcement careers.  Together, Michele and Brett are the proud parents of two daughters and a son.   Undersheriff Nelson is proud to serve the men and women of the Sheriff’s Office and the citizens of Kootenai County.