Those missing years?

When incumbent Sheriff Nygren was interviewed at the Northwest Herald by the editorial board, he told the board (and the video camera) that he had been "a law enforcement officer for over 42 years" and that he started in DeKalb County in 1971.

He was not employed by the DeKalb County Sheriff's Office, although he "may have been designated a Special Deputy." According to the Dekalb County Sheriff's Office, Nygren was a probation officer for the Judiciary and Court Services "during the time period in question", which in my request was 1967-1971.

Questions of the day: Is a parole officer a "law enforcement officer"? Does a parole officer have arrest powers? Could a parole officer be armed "during the time period in question"? What were the duties, authority and powers of a Special Deputy at that time?

I'm sure there is more to come.