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SCOTT WALTON |
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Rogers County is growing. There's no denying it, there's no ignoring it. Consistently, Rogers County has remained in first place as the fastest growing county in Oklahoma and as far as anyone can tell, the population trend is going to continue. It's also unavoidable that as the population increases, so will the need for the county sheriff's service. Unfortunately, crime accompanies population growth as well. A county sheriff shoulders a tremendous amount of responsibility. The publicly visible responsibilities include operating the county jail, patrolling the unincorporated areas of the county, investigating crimes, apprehending criminal offenders, ensuring the safety and security of the county courthouse, and serving civil process. A few of the not so visible responsibilities include recruiting qualified employees, training the sheriff's office staff, operating and maintaining a fleet of patrol cars, providing deputies with the equipment they need to perform their jobs, working within the confines of a strict budget, coordinating with all of the other law enforcement agencies in and around the county and doing all of this while simultaneously safeguarding the often delicate network relationships with other elected officials and civic leaders that have their own needs and responsibilities.
A few of the issues and programs Scott would like to mention are realistic, attainable goals that he has for his administration. These include: Business Relationships: Through his experience in the Crime Stoppers program, Walton has learned a valuable lesson in law enforcement. Walton has learned that the business community is a powerful asset to any law enforcement organization. When local businesses share in the community responsibility to fight crime, everyone benefits. It is this understanding that helped make our area's Crime Stoppers program the best in the United States and it is the same unique understanding and techniques that Scott learned and used as the Crime Commission's Coordinator that can increase the strength and abilities of the Rogers County Sheriff's Office. (top)
Scott saw that the school resource officer program had a positive impact and cultivated great relationships between school kids and law enforcement. “This ranges anywhere from having a deputy on rotation through rural Rogers County schools to a deputy involved in the educational process. It’s important to have someone there on a regular basis,” he says. Not only was the program beneficial in building the bridges with young people but it also served as a powerful deterrent to criminals. Because deputies are in the schools, teachers have trained observers to help them identify child abuse. With a deputy being involved in the process of identifying abuse, one link of the chain is removed and the process to ensure a child's safety is streamlined. It also places one more barricade between drug dealers and school kids. (top) Reserve Deputy Program: A reserve deputy program goes to the heart of modern law enforcement principles by affirming that "...the police are the public and the public are the police..." Scott is eager to build a well-trained, quality reserve deputy program of committed deputies. “The residents of Rogers County repeatedly say that response time is critical to them. We can improve response time through the expansion of resources such as an efficient reserve deputy program,” Walton says. A well managed reserve program can supplement the sheriff's office in countless ways. "A lot of people have the heart to be peace officers but because of circumstances like running a business or family obligations, they can't make a full time commitment," says Walton. "There's a place for them in law enforcement and I want to make the Rogers County Sheriff's Reserve Program one of the best programs in the area." "It's no secret that the Rogers County Sheriff's Office has a staffing shortage and because of that, I think the sheriff's office can really benefit from a strong reserve program." Walton says that when he is sheriff he will utilize reserve deputies and incorporate them into the operations of the sheriff's office, easing some of the burden the sheriff's office faces because of manpower shortages. (top) Staff Recruitment and Education: To provide the best service, it takes the best people. The Rogers County Sheriff's Office already has some of the best in the business but inevitably a future need will arise when vacated positions and newly created positions will need to be filled. Walton will incorporate the techniques necessary to retain the employees currently serving and ensure candidates for vacant and created positions are not just qualified, but the best pick for Rogers County. Once hired, Walton wants to make sure they remain the best by supporting an education and training atmosphere that provides Rogers County with the most skilled, best equipped, professional public servants possible. (top)
The Crime Stoppers program creates a triad of partnerships between the citizens, law enforcement and the business community. “Any law enforcement agency that serves the people needs to have partnerships with them,” he says. “There must be a close relationship triangle between police, citizens and businesses.” Walton says that when he is sheriff of Rogers County he feels it is among the top priorities to establish a Crime Stoppers program that will cover the needs of Rogers County. Walton says a Rogers County Crime Stoppers program will not just benefit the sheriff's office but would also benefit every law enforcement agency within Rogers County as well. “The key here is that law enforcement agencies are united with each other, with the public and with the businesses that make the program possible,” Walton says. (top) Staffing Levels: It is no secret there exists a staffing shortage within the sheriff's office. The population surge in Rogers County has created several areas of concern for county officials. Through these growing pains, public safety remains a top priority of every official in Rogers County and those officials are working diligently to address the issue. This problem has distressed county leaders for some time now and continues to be a concern. Scott is dedicated to working closely with other officials to improve the situation as soon as possible. (top)
By working closely with prosecutors, Scott Walton wants to initiate a program that concentrates on lowering crime rates by focusing on repeat offenders, violent criminals and areas where problems emerge. "People who justify their existence by committing crime will earn our attention and we'll do what it takes to successfully prosecute these people to get them off the street and remove them from our community," Walton says. Walton will use techniques such as directed patrols for areas where the community need us and focus resources to stop repeat offenders by dedicating investigatory efforts to present prosecutors with stronger cases. "When you've got one person out there burglarizing houses to support a drug habit, the efforts of law enforcement has to be concentrated on catching that person and getting them off the streets." (top) Continuing Progress: The role of a county sheriff is an ever changing one and because of that, the sheriff must be able to adapt to changing crime trends and the issues that effect the people. As societies change, so do the methods employed to protect that society. Sheriff Jerry Prather made a lot of strides during his service to Rogers County and now that the torch is being passed, Scott Walton will continue on the path of progress that Sheriff Prather began. In that tradition, Scott Walton will continue improving the agency to keep the Rogers County Sheriff's Office a department the citizens can be proud of, criminals fear, and the law enforcement community respects. (top)
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