Tony Harvilla spent his adult life in law enforcement, specifically as a federal probation officer and then head of his region before his mandatory retirement last year.

He will continue in law enforcement as he was sworn in Monday as Carbon County's new sheriff.Harvilla began his four-year term during swearing-in ceremonies in courtroom one of the county courthouse in Jim Thorpe.He succeeds Dwight Nothstein, who was sheriff for five terms and before that spent nine years as a deputy sheriff. Nothstein did not seek re-election last year. Harvilla, a Democrat, defeated Republican Richard Bekesy in last November's election. Harvilla was sworn in by his longtime friend, U.S. Magistrate Judge Malachy E. Mannion.Harvilla started his law enforcement career in 1977 as the first work release coordinator at the county prison. In 1980 he was appointed a probation officer in the county's adult probation department and five months later was promoted to chief adult probation officer.In 1989 Harvilla accepted a position with the U.S. courts as a federal probation officer and in 2010 he was promoted to chief U.S. probation officer in the Middle District of Pennsylvania.Harvilla oversaw a staff of 57 employees in four divisional offices. The agency provided services to 17 federal judges, and he oversaw an annual budget of nearly $5 million.Harvilla, after his mandatory retirement from his federal position, was appointed a special county deputy sheriff last year.Harvilla is a lifelong resident of Carbon County and resides in Tresckow, Banks Township. He earned his bachelor's degree in law enforcement and corrections from Penn State University and a master's degree in public administration from Marywood College in Scranton.He is married to his wife of 34 years, Cheryl, and has two daughters, Lauren and Lindsey.