Platform Tenets
Leadership
The current sheriff must be removed from office. All of you deserve a law enforcement leader who is courageous and committed to the safety of our community. Leadership is the first tenet I must address with you, the residents of Highlands County because it is the most important. It is paramount that we remove the incumbent sheriff from office through the democratic process. The incumbent sheriff has had almost two full terms seven (7) years to prove himself worthy as the public administrator of public safety and law enforcement. During his tenure, ask yourselves if you have observed our community getting safer. Have you observed or heard of a decline in drug and property-related crime? Have traffic crashes and traffic fatalities declined? Have you noticed a decline in issues that stem from drug addiction, mental illness, and homelessness? Has your sheriff's office been run more efficiently from both a service and financial perspective? Has the sheriff been able to retain the talented and experienced deputies your tax dollars were used to train and equip? The answer to each of these questions is a resounding "NO". The illegal drug trade and property-related crime continue to flourish, mental health issues and homelessness are growing, traffic enforcement is sporadic, and as I author this tenet, the starting pay for a Highlands County Deputy Sheriff is lower than a Hardee County Deputy Sheriff.
During his campaign, the incumbent will undoubtedly make claims of experience, cite statistics, and present a list of things he claims are achievements he has accomplished for the community and his employees during his tenure. The incumbent entered the race for sheriff, in mid-July 2023 and you will see him become more visible in the public since he has competition. Besides the occasional photo opportunity, where is he? Where has he been? Where was the incumbent's participation in the local May 2023, law enforcement memorial service as we honored our fallen? As my campaign rolls forward, I will address the inadequacies of each claim made by the incumbent.
Drug and Property Crime
As your sheriff, I will develop and implement public policy at the local level that attacks all aspects and business concepts of the illegal drug trade in Highlands County. I am the candidate with proven
excellence in combating the drug trade in our county having worked closely with other local, state
(FDLE) and federal (DEA) law enforcement agencies. I am the candidate who has led the Highlands County Sheriff's Office drug unit in high-level drug investigations and initiated pharmaceutical drug diversion investigations that resulted in federal funding to assist in furthering those investigations.
As your sheriff, I will develop policy at the local level that identifies property crime trends and aggressively works to deter and investigate property crime. My policy will engage in intergovernmental cooperation with agencies such as The Department of Children and Families and Veteran Affairs so our citizens who need services get the assistance they need from entities with those resources. My policy will also include the identification and cooperation with non-governmental community entities such as churches and other charitable organizations to help those in need. Remember, I am a product of this village, and it takes a village to solve our problems. Elevating the status of our citizens who are in need will minimize their necessity to commit property-related crimes. Investigating property-related crime has a direct impact on the Highlands County Sheriff's Office budget since property crime is a prevalent issue we face.
Mental Illness and Homelessness
As a local public safety policy maker and your sheriff, I intend to address the issues of the mentally ill and homeless with our local and state government officials. I will work to develop a policy that garners assistance, involvement, and partnerships with the relevant government entities, our local medical community, private businesses, and you the citizens. Law enforcement cannot be the only element of our community to carry this burden. Just the expenses related to transporting the mentally ill for an evaluation have a huge impact on the annual budget of the Highlands County Sheriff’s Office.
Traffic Enforcement
Upon being elected your sheriff, I will institute a policy that increases traffic enforcement in our county. I will work to make our roadways safer by finding creative ways to conduct a greatly increased level of enforcement and visibility with the goal of lowering the number of traffic crashes. Greater enforcement efforts and visibility will lead to deterring traffic violations. The use of current technology such as license plate readers (LPR cameras) will increase traffic enforcement opportunities by providing patrol deputies with real-time violation information, that is not slowed by being funneled through the dispatch center. Keep in mind an increase in traffic enforcement will lead to an increase in citations and an increase in traffic citations can lead to revenue for law enforcement training.
Deputy Retention
When elected as your sheriff, I am committed to educating, highly training, and maintaining your deputy sheriffs by working with them and their collective bargaining agent. In partnership with the deputies and their collective bargaining agent, I aim to provide a solid contract that contains competitive pay, other employment benefits, and the best possible working conditions so they can thrive in a non-toxic work environment translating to more productive deputy sheriffs. In August 2022, the incumbent sheriff was at an official impasse with your deputy sheriffs regarding their pay after failed contract negotiations. The health insurance premiums a deputy pays for family coverage can be as much as $800.00 a month.
Transparency
The concept of transparency has not reached its full potential at The Highlands County Sheriff’s Office, but there are many ways in which the sheriff’s office operates transparently. Public records are released promptly, social media and the website are used to keep the public informed, and technology such as in-car cameras are used to capture some segments of the deputy's actions in the field. Improvement is always possible and there are advancements in technology that can provide more access to information the public may want. Technological advancements can also assist deputies operate in the field more efficiently when gathering evidence and statements, thus, saving time and money. As your sheriff, I will tap the best resources and technology available to ensure you the citizens receive appropriate information in a transparent and timely manner.
Fiscal Responsibility
The ability to recognize crime trends and the ability to fluidly adapt to those trends are mandatory to prevent wasteful spending. Transparency regarding the spending of your tax dollars as those trends change will gain and maintain your confidence. As sheriff of Highlands County, I will safeguard your tax dollars by finding creative ways to reallocate those funds and provide more efficient and better law enforcement services. I will partner with community leaders, in both the public and private sectors, to ensure your tax dollars are wisely spent on community public safety and criminal justice trends as those trends change. I will work in conjunction with the members of the sheriff's office to find cost-effective ways to provide benefits, such as health insurance, with the goal of providing savings to taxpayers and retaining sheriff's office members.