The incumbent Sheriff in my county has decided not to run for re-election.
At the moment, there are no declared candidates for the job that I know of.
I'm considering throwing my hat in the ring.
I'm qualified, legally speaking. I'm not a sworn LEO, nor do I have to be in order to be elected Sheriff.
I have no criminal history.
I don't have any grandiose plans of transforming the Sheriff's Department. I'd keep things almost status quo because the department runs efficiently and scandal and upsets concerning the department are few and far between.
I would only make a few changes. They would all be aimed at increasing public trust in the deputies. Roving road blocks (They call them safety checks, which are legal, but are really roving DUI roundups, which are NOT legal in Florida) would be ended. Victimless crimes would become absolutely the last crimes that would be investigated. That specifically relates to prostitution and activities within topless bars. Though prostitutes would be run off from certain areas if they were a persistent nuisance, I really don't CARE if you want to trade money for a little lovin'. Your butt is your own business, and the deputies can certainly find some REAL criminals to pursue instead. Nor do I care if some girl in a topless bar is allowing some customer to grab a little more than the law strictly allows. If it's OK with her and the customer, why should I care?
The dress code would be modified a little bit. For one, I'd expect my deputies to grow some hair, if they're capable of doing so. The bald look makes them look too much like skinheads or thugs in the eyes of the public. I want to see clean cut, military spec haircuts.
Nor would I want my deputies to look like JBGT's or commandos. Only the SWAT team gets to dress like the SWAT team.
Patrols in drug blighted areas would be stepped up to the maximum available. I'd like to drive the drug dealers absolutely insane from not being able to make a deal in peace.
When people with a substantial criminal history get apprehended, it would be policy to push for maximum charges and longest sentences. If you're a multi-time loser, you need to be taken out of society for a while to think about the direction your life is going.
First offenders, particularly non-violent ones, would normally be released with a warning (A file will be kept on it) and spend not one moment in even a holding cell. A warning to the wise is truly sufficent, or so I believe.
By policy, if a person is found to be innocent of a crime after going through the court system, all items that were seized from him would be returned to him, save only items that are illegal for him to own. (True contraband, not what some jackass says is contraband.) This policy would hold true for firearms as well as anything else.
Items would be returned immediately upon presentation of proof of the dismissal or closure of the case, without a guilty verdict.
Policy on LEO signoffs for curio, relic, SBR, and class III firearms:
Bring me all completed forms and documents, in person, including proof of an FBI background check (as required by the BATF) with no red flags, (and this will be verified), and I will sign them without question or hesitation. I have no problem with legal ownership of any type of firearm.
Pursuit policy: Not in populated areas unless the fleeing suspect continues to flee at high speed when not being pursued. Public safety is the first concern. This does not apply to cases where a violent crime, or crime committed with a weapon, has just occurred. All available resources will be dedicated to bringing such dangerous criminals in.
Harassment: No deputy may engage in ANY form of intimidation or harassment of the public, even if the subject is a criminal suspect. All civil rights will be protected with the greatest vigilance, and any deputy that violates this policy will be dealt with severely.
Among other things, it will be forbidden for a deputy to threaten to arrest someone unless there is actual grounds for a valid arrest. No "I'll think of something to charge you with" scenarios would be tolerated in the slightest.
If the ACLU forgets this county even exists, then we're doing things right.
Radio/scanner policy: The law allows citizens to scan police activities, with some restrictions on mobile use of scanners that do not apply to licensed radio operators. (Amateur radio, and other services)
The department would be officially "scanner friendly".
So what do you think? Should I run?
CJ