Safety:  As your Sheriff I will progress towards creating better and safer communities for all citizens, businesses, and my own family as well.

Unity:  We need stronger unity in the county among public servants and the citizens they serve.
 
Efficiency:  It is time to implement practices that are cost effective, time efficient and community driven.
 
 
I have lived and worked in the Ypsilanti area nearly half my life. My father's family has resided in Washtenaw County for decades. As you see I have a vested interest in Washtenaw County. I pledge to give you, the citizens of Washtenaw County my full commitment and nothing less. I believe this is what the citizens both require and deserve from a public servant. I am prepared from the first day in office to begin a full and complete analysis of the department's operations to improve both the working conditions of the hard working team members, and to assure that the citizens are being served in the manner they require. If this means working long hours in the office and on road patrol with my deputies, then that is what I will do. This is the level of dedication and sense of civic responsibility that I have for the citizens of this county. I know from experience that the best way to lead is by example, and that a good leader must be a great servant. Together we can make the future of Washtenaw County a bright and shining one where we and our families can be safer and more secure.
 
My primary goal is to improve the overall quality of life for all citizens living within Washtenaw County, and for those who visit our great county. One of the best ways to accomplish this will be with a great deal of communication with the residents and business leaders. I will have an open door policy to meet with community and business leaders to assure that we have an open dialogue to understand the many concerns of the citizens and tax payers. Working with the communities in this joint effort to solve those problems and issues will create a safer environment for us all to live and work. One of the first and most important goals of my administration will be to address the problems with the youths of our communities. By not focusing in this highly influential area of out community, we assure a continued problem for the future that will escalate every year. Further more, I will restart the sheriff's cadet program, which was disbanded years ago. This program gives the youths of our communities and excellent mentoring program which will help build and strengthen relationships amongst the communities, youths and the sheriff's department.
 
I truly believe that every citizen should be treated with respect, courtesy, dignity and the utmost professionalism at all times, anything less is unacceptable. The citizens of Washtenaw County deserve nothing less than highly professional public servants. Due to many negative situations, past and present, a degree of mistrust and animosity between the public and law enforcement has been created and continues to worsen. How are we to ever improve the overall quality of life and reduce or eliminate criminal activity if the relationship between the citizens and law enforcement is weak and continues to grow weaker? We cannot be effective when we are divided. We must begin to rebuild and strengthen this relationship if we want to truly change our communities and make them safer in the future, and that is why I have taken the steps required to serve this community I so dearly love.
 
I believe that good community relations are crucial to the success and effectiveness of any law enforcement agency. The efforts to build and maintain a strong relationship between law enforcement and the communities must begin with the administration and continue down to the officers on patrol. When I speak of good community relations, I mean a close relationship which is built on trust and with a great deal of communication, efforts being made by both parties to maintain that communication and build greater trust. More over a higher level of accountability and professionalism from the law enforcement staff, where all citizens are treated with respect, courtesy and dignity at all times. In law enforcement there is a very small margin for error, and I feel that the same must be said for building and maintaining a strong relationship with the community. I feel that one of the best resources to help assure that good community relations are improved and maintained is the philosophy of community oriented policing. I will make certain that it becomes a more integral part of the way that the sheriff's department conducts it's operations and protects and serves it's citizens.