04/02/22
As our county grows, so does the stress on our emergency services. That is why we must be efficient in our operations. As your Sheriff, I will ensure the proper use of your taxpayer money. I will be forever mindful that the money I get to run our great Sheriff’s Office comes from the pockets of our citizens.
To ensure an efficient and effective operation, I will first reorganize the agency to ensure we are not too top heavy and the chain of command is not needlessly cumbersome. I will hold my staff responsible for the performance of their duties. If they are in a supervisory position they will also be responsible for those who report to them. I will look at the budget line items for the Agency and ensure that we are operating within that budget.
Unlike what one of my opponents has said, I will not just add personnel and units and then when I run out of money, “just go to the county commissioners and get more.” That type of thinking shows a severe lack of knowledge on how the local government runs. Even if that was possible, it would take months and then what do we do in the meantime?
I will spend your money like it was coming out of my own pocket.
02/24/22
When a new administrator is elected to lead any organization, it is typical that they bring in their own team of trusted advisers and subject matter experts to lead the various departments. They do this in an effort to further their agenda and to ensure their proposals and plans are instituted without delay. This also frequently happens with those who are elected Sheriff.
While I may agree somewhat with that philosophy, I do not agree to use it in this case. As a new leader to an organization, especially one that has had the same leadership for the majority of it’s employees careers, I feel that would be counterproductive and seriously undermine my efforts at improving the agency.
Right now, barring any unforeseen information, my pick for the position of Chief Deputy will be announced within a day or two of my election. That pick will be from the staff currently working within the Sheriff’s Office. All of my leadership team will be from within. I have quietly been researching those I have an idea I would like. Not all of them are supporting me in my election. What matters is the proper leadership, not the support in the election. (The only caveat on the position of Chief Deputy would be the discovery of any catastrophic information in regards to my choice of Chief Deputy.)
It is only through expeditious decisions on leadership that the process will be accomplished prior to the swearing in on December 1st. Not waiting until the last minute is what leaders do. I want a proactive approach to all I do within the Sheriff’s Office.
02/23/22
As your Sheriff, once the election is over, I will immediately begin the process of planning the reorganization of the Macon County Sheriff’s Office. This will streamline the agency and make a more efficient use of your tax dollars. I will begin this early and in conjunction with my choice for Chief Deputy so when I am sworn in on December 1st, it will be a relatively seamless transition. I will also finalize the process of reviewing our policies and procedures to bring them more In line with the accepted practices held across the state of North Carolina.
0/27/21
This week I want to talk about my initial actions upon being elected your Sheriff.
The primary is in March 2022. Once the dust settles from that election and there are no more challengers (or run offs), I intend to immediately begin the process of planning my administration. This will be the time to begin to bring the Sheriff’s Office together after a very divisive election. There are at least three different groups of supporters within the Macon County Sheriff’s Office. This comes in part from those on active duty running to replace the retiring Sheriff. This is the time to reassure those who supported any other candidate that their jobs are safe from retribution for petty politics. Waiting until I am sworn in to initiate any planning will put us behind and slow our ability to ensure the transparency and efficiency I pledge.
After the election is announced, the very first thing that will begin is the interview process for the position of Chief Deputy. This will be the single most important appointment within the Sheriff’s Office. I will need to appoint someone who shares my vision of changes and leadership philosophy. Once this appointment is decided, we will be discussing the remaining positions of leadership and who is best suited to fill those positions.
If possible I would like to tour the various facilities that will be within my area of responsibility. Those will include the jail and the courthouse. I would like to hear the perspectives of those who work there as to what changes need to be made.
Next, I would like to set up meetings with the Chiefs of Police in Franklin and Highlands as well as the Chief Judge and Magistrates. Again, I will want to hear any concerns they may have with an incoming administration.
Finally, I would like to begin to work on my plan to reorganize the Sheriff’s Office. This will require my potential Chief Deputy and I to work closely together to ensure we can have no degradation of services once I am sworn into office.
To accomplish any of this I will not interfere with the current Administration’s operations. I will if at all possible conduct any meetings with future staff in an off duty status. I will at all times respect the current Sheriff and his staff and their methods of running the department. I will not undermine one thing that is currently being accomplished by anyone on the staff.
There is only one Sheriff at a time and until December 1, 2022, that is Sheriff Holland. I know that I can count on the professionalism of the current administration to ensure a smooth transition to the new administration. I know Sheriff Holland loves this organization and will want the best for it going forward.
11/20/21
Once elected, I intend to review every policy, procedure and process the Sheriff’s Office currently utilizes. I will contact the North Carolina Law Enforcement Accreditation department to begin the process of updating our policies and procedures to reflect a more standardized process that also reflects the uniqueness of Macon County. Our new policies will include areas that are currently not covered. If we are able to eventually obtain state accreditation, it will ensure our department policies are in line with time and trial tested policies for Agencies like ours. This ensure we are less likely to be the subject of a lawsuit. Additionally this accomplishment will make us a more transparent and responsive agency for the citizens of Macon County.
11/06/21
Once elected I will immediately begin the process of planning the reorganization of the Macon County Sheriff’s Office. This will save precious taxpayer money. I will ensure that we have no more employees than is necessary to complete our tasks.
10/18/21
This week I want to talk about my initial actions upon being elected your Sheriff.
The primary is in March 2022. Once the dust settles from that election and there are no more challengers (or run offs), I intend to immediately begin the process of planning my administration. This will be the time to begin to bring the Sheriff’s Office together after a very divisive election. There are at least three different groups of supporters within the Macon County Sheriff’s Office. This comes in part from those on active duty running to replace the retiring Sheriff. This is the time to reassure those who supported any other candidate that their jobs are safe from retribution for petty politics. Waiting until I am sworn in to initiate any planning will put us behind and slow our ability to ensure the transparency and efficiency I pledge.
After the election is announced, the very first thing that will begin is the interview process for the position of Chief Deputy. This will be the single most important appointment within the Sheriff’s Office. I will need to appoint someone who shares my vision of changes and leadership philosophy. Once this appointment is decided, we will be discussing the remaining positions of leadership and who is best suited to fill those positions. As the leadership team is developed, they will also be included in organizational discussions.
If possible I would like to tour the various facilities that will be within my area of responsibility. Those will include the jail and the courthouse. I would like to hear the perspectives of those who work there as to what changes need to be made.
Next, I will set up meetings with the Chiefs of Police in Franklin and Highlands as well as the Chief Judge and Magistrates. I will also meet with the heads of the EMS. Again, I will want to hear any concerns they may have with an incoming administration.
Finally, I will begin to work on my plan to reorganize the Sheriff’s Office. This will require my potential Chief Deputy and I to work closely together to ensure we can have no degradation of services once I am sworn into office.
To accomplish any of this I will not interfere with the current Administration’s operations. I will if at all possible conduct any meetings with future staff in an off duty status. I will at all times respect the current Sheriff and his staff and their methods of running the department. I will not undermine one thing that is currently being accomplished by anyone on the staff.
There is only one Sheriff at a time and until December 1, 2022, that is Sheriff Holland. I know that I can count on the professionalism of the current administration to ensure a smooth transition to the new administration. I know Sheriff Holland loves this organization and will want the best for it going forward.
09/27/21
In the coming weeks I would like to go into a little more detail regarding my various proposals for the administration of the Sheriff’s Office when I am elected.
Transparency is a condition that builds trust with the community as well as within an agency. Yes, transparency within an agency and it’s members is just as important as transparency with the citizens they serve. If your members feel you are hiding something, not working in their best interest or changing the rules as you go along, then your agency will begin to fall apart. Members will depart your agency for other agencies. Even though they may be paid less.
I have spoken many times on the issue of transparency. I believe you should be able to trust your Sheriff’s Office to keep you informed as well as tell you the truth, good or bad. To that end, I pledge to make your Sheriff’s Office more transparent than any you have dealt with before. Here is how I plan to accomplish that:
To my customers….you, the citizens of Macon County:
I will respond to your questions and concerns. You will hear from either me or a member of my staff.
I will set a drug hot line that will take drug complaints within the county. This will be dedicated to that purpose only. All complaints will be logged in and investigated. Once a complaint is closed, the complainant will be notified if they desire. These calls can be anonymous.
The drug hot line will be in addition to the crime stoppers tip line already in use, which is (828) 349-2600. I will also make sure the crime stoppers hot line for all other crimes is in use.
If there is an investigation that is of particular interest to the public, you, the public, will be given status reports as the law allows until it’s completion.
If you are the victim of a crime, you will know your rights. You will be advised as to your case status and the decisions made.
If you are a victim of a crime, it will be investigated.
I will set up Sheriff’s advisory committees in each area of the county. I will hold periodic meetings with them to discuss what issues those areas are having. (I have spoke about these before.) I will initially look at the areas coinciding with the voting precincts. They may change as we see how productive they are.
I will be approachable and a Sheriff you can trust!
To my Deputies and Staff:
I will always be clear as to my expectations and directions.
You will always know where you stand. I will not use demotion or terminations as a threat. You will know what the standards are and you will be held to them, same as I.
You will have the authority and responsibility to perform your job at every level of the Office.
You will know what is required to promote to the next level.
You will be treated with respect by myself and your supervisors. Never chastised in public.
Above all, I will fight for you to the best of my ability. You will always be my top priority. I will make your work environment secure and as safe as possible.
Of course these are not all inclusive. There will be more on this subject as we approach the election.
It is ideas such as these that prove I am the best candidate to lead the great organization of the Macon County Sheriff’s Office! I will always let you know what is happening in the Macon County Sheriff’s Office. I will never forget you are the customer. This is what being leadership tested and experience proven is about.
06/07/21
If elected one of my top priorities will be to reorganize the Sheriff’s department to afford more efficient processes. A police department is a paramilitary organization and as such it depends on a chain of command that is responsive to the people it serves as well as those who work within it. Currently, and for quite some time, the second in command of the Sheriff’s Department has been a part time position once the Major retired. This vacancy leaves a gap of an essential individual in that chain of command. I intend to fill that position with the best person I can find, within the Sheriff’s Office. That would ensure any knowledge deficiencies of the organization I may have going into it are covered. Additionally, one of the purposes for a chain of command is to train those below you to take on further responsibility. I intend to train each person in leadership to be ready for their next step.
On the subject of training, my understanding is they do participate in training opportunities that are presented in other training sites around the state. One of the things I have seen over the past two and a half years is the Macon County Sheriff’s Office RARELY participates in training offered by one of the finest training academies in the state. That is the one right here in our own back yard. This training is usually provided at no charge to the officers. Utilization of this site whenever possible would be a cost savings to the department (and therefore to the citizens of Macon County) in the way of tuition and travel funds (if they even get that). The Public Safety Training Center just this week has training in active shooter response and the department did not send a single officer to participate even though it was free and scheduled at a time to accommodate the School Resource Officers schedule. I see this as a lost opportunity to improve our officers ability to respond. Additionally it is indicative of the need for new leadership.
And finally, recruiting. This department is down several officers. That deficit can equate to slower response times and officers not having backup when it is needed. Over the past two plus years, the Macon County Sheriff’s office has rarely recruited out of the graduating recruits. They should be there to meet each and every class to discuss the potential for them to work for us. I realize they do regularly sponsor individual officers, but that does not always result in new employees. That needs to change and will change if I am elected. Of course, in order to attract new and talented recruits, we must be able to offer them a reason to want to work for us. That equates to pay and benefits. That will be a subject for another musing.
05/24/21
Today’s issue will address the efficiency of the department. I believe that if the department runs with the highest efficiency possible, it will show the citizens of Macon County that we are good stewards of their money. This one could take a number of different Monday Musings. We will start with patrol coverage.
I have studied this particular issue. It is one of the most important issues that affects us as citizens of Macon County. We all pay for coverage and the simple fact is we don’t all get it. The primary reason given is the deficit of manpower within the Sheriff’s Office. There have been a number of Deputies who have resigned and moved to other departments for higher pay and some have moved just because of management style by the leadership within the department, still others have chosen to retire because they have had enough of the daily stress that comes with the job.
There are portions of this county that see very little patrol activity. Nantahala is one of those areas. I have heard Nantahala described in a number of ways from the “Wild West” of Macon County to just plain remote. The patrol activities in that particular area of the county tend to be reactive instead of proactive. That needs to change. Will it be 100% around the clock? I would have to look at the calls for service. I believe if we can get an Officer out there at least during average peak times it will improve the responses to that area dramatically. My understanding is the County Commissioners at one time funded positions with the intent of manning the Nantahala area around the clock. That appears to have been put on a back burner. I will work with the County Commissioners to bring those positions back.
Do you know that as citizens of Macon County, we pay three deputies to perform SRO duties inside the city limits of Franklin? Franklin PD has a minimal manpower deficit and they enjoy a higher rate of pay. That being said, I will work with Chief Harrell of the Franklin PD to transfer the duties of those SROs to his department which in turn will add three Deputies for the road. I have been told that one reason they are supplying the SROs for those schools within Franklin city limits may be because they are county owned buildings. I have also been told by some within the department that “that is the way we have always done it.” That is not an answer, just an excuse. After looking at other city police departments, it appears there are a number of city Police Departments who supply SROs which negates that argument. Those three deputies would go a long way in providing some coverage in areas like Nantahala.
The purpose of providing these musings are to make sure all know what I stand for. I do not believe in complaining without providing at least an idea of a solution. A reorganization would increase the efficiency of this department which makes better use of those scarce tax dollars the citizens of Macon County provide. Ensuring the department is efficient and solutions are given, reassures the great citizens of this county that a vote for me gives them someone who is leadership tested and experience proven!
07/29/21
Two part Question for all of the Sheriff candidates!
Part 1: It appears to me, that anytime there is an officer involved incident, we often get more details from surrounding news outlets than we do locally and very little to no information locally about any followup status. (My opinion)
And I understand you have no control over the news outlets.
How will you keep the community informed about the good and the bad?
Part 2: I believe their was a report published a couple of years ago about someone who was found deceased and in my opinion, the things that were said about that person was very degrading and I also believe that story was edited as the people expressed outrage about how that person and their past was described.
How would you notify the public about a deceased individual who was found, without degrading them, bashing them or mudslinging, if you find they didn't have a picture perfect life style?
Answer:
