Four aspiring candidates have filed for Wood County Sheriff in the upcoming Republican primary March 3. Incumbent Tom Castloo will be challenged by Kelly Cole, Callie Lawrence and James Schaffner. Candidates drew for their spot on the ballot Dec. 19. Kelly Cole will be first on the ballot, James Schaffner second, Tom Castloo third and Callie Lawrence fourth.

Incumbent Tom Castloo has been serving as Wood County Sheriff since 2016. He has been married to his high school sweetheart, Janna, for 43 years and they have one son.

Castloo was raised in Wood County and graduated from Mineola ISD in 1976. After graduation, he joined the Navy, but was medically discharged after being crushed by falling machinery while on a submarine tender.

In 1988, Castloo began his career in the U.S. Border Patrol (USBP) in Alpine. During his 10 years serving in Alpine, Castloo was president of the National Border Patrol Council Local 2509 in Marfa and was the drug demand reduction education coordinator for Marfa Sector USBP.

In 1997, Castloo was transferred to Comstock and promoted to senior patrol agent. He was extensively trained in narcotics interdiction and cross designated with Customs, ATF and DEA authority. He was certified in marine small craft law enforcement and was an airboat instructor.

While in Alpine and Comstock, Castloo was a certified canine team handler and responsible for numerous seizures.

After five years in Comstock, Castloo transferred to Montana and was promoted to supervisory border patrol status.

Castloo’s last transfer with Border Patrol was to Del Rio where he was promoted to field operations supervisor. In 2011, after 23 years with the USBP, Castloo retired and returned home to Wood County with his family.

He then spent three years as chief deputy of the Wood County Sheriff’s Office (WCSO) before resigning and subsequently being elected sheriff in 2016. Castloo is a certified firearms instructor and certified as a contracting officer technical representative. He is also trained in alternative dispute resolution and interest based bargaining. 

Kelly Cole has lived in Wood County since he was 14-years old. He graduated from Alba-Golden High School in 1982. Cole is married to Toni Cole and is a father, stepfather and a grandfather. The Coles are members of First Baptist Church in Quitman. He is a member and past president of Quitman-Lake Fork Kiwanis.

Cole has been in law enforcement in Wood County working for three departments over the years. Beginning his police work at the age of 19, Cole has spent his entire 36 year law enforcement career in Wood County. Cole has worked at Alba Police Dept., WCSO and Quitman Police Dept. 

At WCSO, Cole was a deputy, a shift supervisor, an investigator and a captain. He also oversaw dispatch and the jail. 

He has a Master Peace Officer license and is a graduate of the East Texas Police Academy (ETPA). For 10 years, he has been an instructor with the ETPA program. Cole was instrumental in bringing a branch of ETPA to the Quitman campus which is housed at the QPD facility. Cole oversees the local program for the academy.

He is a past president and chief operating officer of Northeast Texas Child Advocacy Center which serves nine counties. He has served as the president of Wood County Peace Officers Association.

He is the chief of police in Quitman where he has served for 11 years since 2008. 

Callie Carrell Lawrence was born in Fort Worth and adopted by Wally and Leah Carrell. The family moved to Wood County in 1994.

Lawrence graduated from Quitman High School and received her associate of science degree from Paris Junior College. She attended Southeastern Oklahoma State University where she earned her bachelor’s in communications.

While in college, Lawrence was a Savage Storm Leader to welcome and prepare new students to the Southeastern campus. She was involved with Green Dot - Violence Prevention Organization to educate and raise awareness on sexual assault, domestic violence and stalking. She also worked her way through college as an assistant manager for Cato Fashions.

After college, she returned to Texas to work for the Department of Family and Protective Services as an investigator. She worked closely with law enforcement in criminal cases and assisted special investigators in child death cases. 

She worked as an independent contractor for Covenant Kids Family Assessment to assure children’s safety while in CPS custody. During this time, she also began her career in education at Winnsboro ISD, teaching professional communication and journalism. 

Lawrence works for Henderson High School as the UIL coordinator and as the speech, debate and journalism coach. 

Lawrence has been married since 2016 and has two children.

James Schaffner has been in Wood County since 2015 and has served in Texas law enforcement for over 20 years. 

He grew up in Sealy, where he graduated high school. After graduation, he worked as a trucker and in the oil field. Twelve years after high school graduation, he attended Wharton County Junior College and graduated from the Law Enforcement Academy in 1983.

After academy, he worked for the city of Sugarland and then worked patrol in Harris County where he wrote and implemented a field training officer program. For a short time, he served as acting chief of police in Kendleton. 

For two and a half years, he served as chief of police in Holiday Lakes before moving to Burnet County Sheriff’s Office as sergeant for five years. 

In 2014, Schaffner retired as deputy sheriff from San Jacinto County Sheriff’s Office.

Schaffner has received his Masters Peace Officer certification, Advanced Texas Jailer certification, several certificates for specialized training, and is certified to fly armed by the FAA.

He has experience and training in police budgeting, emergency management, hazardous material operations for first responders, basic hostage negotiations, mounted police, criminal environmental protection, felony highway interdiction, criminal street gang recognition and psychology of violent behavior. He has also earned a Texas Senate Commendation.

He has been married for six years, and he and his wife have six grown children between them. All six have been involved with the military with four still actively serving. 

Schaffner is working for Van Zandt County as a deputy in the fugitive transport division.