Shorty has worked in Chatham County his entire law enforcement career. He started his law enforcement career in 1994 with the Chatham County Sheriff's Office. He worked as a Patrol Deputy and a Detective for the department. In 2003, he went to work for the Siler City Police Department where he held several positions before coming to the Pittsboro Police Department in 2015. Shorty graduated from Appalachian State University in 1994 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice and is currently in his last semester at Methodist University in order to obtain a Master's Degree in Justice Administration. Shorty has his Advanced Law Enforcement Certification, completed the Criminal Investigators Certificate Program and graduated from the Piedmont Leadership Academy.