John M. Helenberg serves as the Special Operations Lieutenant for the Milam County Sheriff’s Office. In this role he supervises the School Resource, Civil, Mental Health, Reserve, Traffic, and Narcotic Units. John previously served as the Director for Agency Operations at the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement, Program Director for the Texas School Marshal Program, and Executive Director for the State Veterinary Board. During his law enforcement career, John graduated from the 245th session of the FBI National Academy and served in several special assignments, such as Police K-9 Handler, Special Deputy U.S. Marshal and deployed overseas as a police advisor for the U.S. State Department at the U.S. Embassy in Morocco, Africa.
John began his public service career with the Clear Creek Independent School District in Clear Lake Texas as a teacher’s aide and progressed to a teacher position at Seabrook Intermediate. John has worked with curriculum and has experience teaching for The Leadership Executive Management Institute of Texas at Sam Houston State University, The Justice Court Training Center and ALERRT Training Center at Texas State University, The Sheriff’s Association of Texas and The Texas Commission on Law Enforcement.. John served 25 years with the Texas Military Forces, promoting to the rank of Chief Warrant Officer 5 and served as an military instructor for Defensive Tactics, Physical Security, Investigations, Firearms, Use of Force, and other related topics. John holds a Master Peace Officer License and Advanced Instructor Certificate from the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement and is a professional member of the National Guard Association of Texas and the Sheriff’s Association of Texas.
