DAVENPORT, IOWA (April 4, 2022) — On Wednesday, April 6, 2022 at 0900, the Scott County Sheriff's Office will hold a Promotional Ceremony at the Sheriff's Office Headquarters at 3206 South 16th Avenue in Eldridge. Sergeant Tom Leonard and Deputy Eric Burton will be promoted.
Thomas Leonard is originally from Clinton County and graduated from East Central in 2001. He attended the University of Northern Iowa; where, he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminology in 2004. Leonard started his career in law enforcement in 2002 with the Sabula Police Department and graduated from the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy in July of 2005. In 2005, he was hired as a Police Office for the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls, Iowa. During this time, he worked in patrol, bike patrol, and was a Field Training Officer (FTO). In February 2008, he was hired by the Scott County Sheriff’s Office. Thomas was assigned to patrol for his first five years before becoming a detective in the Criminal Investigations Division. As a detective, he was assigned to supervise the known registered sex-offenders in Scott County along with dealing with crimes against children. Leonard led multiple successful sex-offender sweeps during this time and was also the lead investigator in a major multi-state sex-assault case, which led to multiple arrests in 2014. In 2015, he was assigned to administration as a subject matter expert/technology coordinator for the Sheriff’s Office. During this time, he worked on a number of technology projects and advancements that would assist the Sheriff’s Office. In 2017 he was promoted to the rank of Sergeant, where he was assigned to oversee the Civil Division where a number of positive changes have been made. During his time with the Sheriff’s Office, Leonard has been a Field Training Officer and was a member of the Emergency Service Team, stepping down in 2017. He is also a certified instructor for standardized field-sobriety testing, radar/lidar, general studies (Reserve Deputies), and a number of other computer programs that are used within the Sheriff’s Office. Leonard currently resides in Eldridge with his wife and three children.
Eric Burton was born in Rock Island, Illinois, and raised in Davenport, Iowa. He graduated from Davenport North High School and then St Ambrose University, where he earned a Bachelor’s Degree and majored in Criminal Justice. While at St Ambrose, Burton was a four-year letter winner on the soccer team. Deputy Burton’s law-enforcement career began in 2005 with the Erie, Illinois Police Department in Whiteside County. After two years there, he worked briefly for the East Moline, Illinois Police Department before being hired by the Scott County Sheriff’s Office in 2007. In 2009, he was assigned as a narcotics agent with the Quad City Metropolitan Enforcement Group (Quad City MEG) for 3½ years, where he spent time as a certified K-9 handler with his canine partner, Guinness. Burton has spent the last five years as a detective with the Scott County Special Operations Unit Task Force investigating narcotic offenses. During Burton 's time with the Sheriff's Office, he was a certified Special Response Team operator for eleven years, and represented the Deputy Sheriff's Association on the project team during building negotiations for the current patrol headquarters. Deputy Burton is currently a certified Field Training Officer and a certified instructor for drug trends. Burton currently resides in Davenport with his wife and two children.
