Platform
I believe we can do better, we need to do better and I’m the person to ensure that change can happen.
Recruitment, Hiring and Retention
Sheriff’s Department 23/24 Budget shows the department will be understaffed because of hiring difficulties. This means:
- Overtime, this is not a solution.
- Tired officers are an overall safety concern to the men and women in uniform and the community at large.
- Being under staffed in the field makes response times significantly higher. Patrol areas will be limited.
I am skilled in Human Resources. I understand the uniqueness of these times of being down deputies, correction officers and civilians; However, we are not retaining the employees we have and we are not being aggressive enough in our efforts to recruit and hire. I have strategies I’d like to deploy.
Pima County Detention Center
This should be the safest place in Pima County because the facility has medical, security, and provides food and shelter to its inmates. Unfortunately:
- Medical is lacking
- The facility is in great need of repairs and maintenance.
- There continues to be a shortage (going back to hiring) of correctional officers which is causing long periods of time where inmates are locked down which creates unintentional mental health and wellbeing issues.
I have the knowledge and skills to correct concerns surrounding the Pima County Detention Center.
School Safety
With the rise in school violence and threats to the safety of our students, staff and administration, a presence in our schools and in collaboration with our schools is necessary. The proposed initiative to park School Resource Officers in the school parking lot is not aggressive enough for our times. I believe what is needed is:
- Relationships built with school leadership, staff, students and families. This is important and it begins by building trust in the school not in a parking lot.
- It begins with training and education and open communication with school personnel and SROs.
- Bring in modern technology through grants to support the safety of the school community.
- Finally, working together with all on building a culture of: See something - Say something! Know something - Do something!
I have the knowledge and skills to work to ensure school safety is a top priority.
Creating a Safer Community
Creating a safer community for the future of our kids and the public as a whole isn’t just a pipe dream. We can be a five-star department by fostering a sense of safety and security for all. We can retain the men and women who do the important work they do for the community. We can do this by putting things in place that support their work like:
- Transparency
- Two-way communication avenues opened to and for all.
- Respect for the men and women wearing the badge.
Owning the mistakes, fixing the mistakes, getting the right people to the table and not blaming others.
