Patterson On The Issues

Patterson on Sheriff Department Personnel

The personnel working in the sheriff's office will be assumed to be working "a day's work for a day's pay." It is the sheriff's responsibility to review the performance of these people and assess their compensation package. The Sheriff is an elected official serving the people. Those who work for the Sheriff also serve. I will consider it part of my job to insure that those people who have served you well will have a salary sufficient to support themselves and their families. I expect to work for my pay as Okaloosa County Sheriff and will expect nothing less from those who work for me. All personnel in the office will be subject to annual review and performance assessment. I will use this process to encourage personal professional development goals together with training and education plans to help insure a positive professional attitude among the staff and deputies that serve you. Any discussion of future budget must be conducted in an environment of full and honest disclosure together with a definitive plan to move into the future based on knowledge of current capability. This is a major priority when I take office as the "New Sheriff In Town."

Okaloosa County is changing. The Sheriff's office will have to adapt. The county is about to accommodate the decisions of the Base Realignment Committee [BRAC] which will bring a large number of new families to our neighborhood.

Support is our road to success. The supporting petition signatures that have put me on the ballot came from a very diverse cross section of the population of Okaloosa County who have decided that they wanted me to run for sheriff. I welcome your input, questions, and concerns. I welcome your contributions to our success.