My pledge to Gwinnett County residents as your next elected Sheriff is a manageable six-tiered program to address the issues within the Sheriff’s Office, manage the budget to reduce your ever-increasing taxes, protect all family members from the increasing threat of Domestic Violence, and community engagement focusing on Gwinnett’s youth. I believe we can provide them greater opportunities for success in life, a strong foundation of support, and a reduced desire to engage in criminal activity. Maintaining the Gwinnett Standard of excellence is crucial, and restoring integrity and engaging with the community, especially the youth, are significant steps toward achieving these goals.
1. Rein in the Explosive Budget for the Sheriff's Office: 46% Budget increase from 98 million to 143 million in 3 years!
- Conduct a comprehensive financial audit to identify areas of overspending or inefficiency.
- Prioritize spending on critical functions like detainee care and Deputy safety.
- Seek Federal grants and partnerships with other agencies to supplement the budget.
- Implement cost-saving measures like energy efficiency and resource optimization.
2. Increase Employee Retention and Recruitment: Understaffed and Record levels of personnel quitting.
- Offer competitive salaries and benefits to attract and retain qualified personnel.
- Create a positive work environment with opportunities for professional development.
- Establish community engagement programs to improve morale and job satisfaction.
- Collaborate with local colleges and universities for recruitment pipelines.
- Implement Cross-trained deputies for Courts, Detention, and Field Operations
3. Protect Families Through Domestic Violence Services: Leading cause of death and homelessness in Georgia for women & children
- Develop a specialized unit within the Sheriff's office to handle domestic violence cases.
- Establish partnerships with local shelters and support organizations.
- Educate officers on handling domestic violence situations with sensitivity and professionalism.
- Promote community awareness and outreach to encourage reporting and support for victims.
4. Improve the Medical and Mental Health care for Detention Center Detainees: Multiple deaths in jail from Fentanyl, several medical deaths & suicides. Active lawsuits.
- Mental Health Services: Enhance mental health screening during intake and ensure access to counselors and therapists. Implement programs for anger management, addiction recovery, and therapy.
- Medical Checkups: Provide regular medical checkups and ensure timely treatment for chronic conditions and acute illnesses. This reduces the risk of spreading diseases.
- Preventive Care: Encourage healthy habits, like exercise and nutrition, to prevent health issues. Offer educational programs on topics such as substance abuse and infectious diseases.
- Specialized Units: Establish units for inmates with severe mental health issues to provide specialized care and supervision.
- Training for Staff: Train Deputies to recognize signs of mental distress and respond appropriately. Promote empathy and understanding.
- Reentry Programs: Prepare inmates for reintegration into society by offering job training and educational opportunities, reducing the likelihood of reoffending.
- Collaboration: Work with community mental health organizations and medical providers to ensure a seamless transition of care upon release.
5. Extensive Community Engagement with Youth Mentoring Programs: Reduce the enticement of criminal activity through economic and academic exposure.
- Establish dedicated community liaison officers to foster relationships with local residents.
- Develop youth mentoring programs in collaboration with schools and community organizations.
- Organize regular town hall meetings and community events to interact with residents.
- Encourage officers to participate in volunteer opportunities and mentorship activities.
- Create platforms for open communication and feedback between the sheriff's office and the community.
6. Restoring Integrity to the Sheriff’s Office and the Gwinnett Standard of Excellence:
Regain the community trust and provide exceptional public service.
- Conduct a thorough internal review to identify areas where integrity may be compromised.
- Implement strict ethical guidelines and professional conduct standards for all personnel.
- Establish an anonymous reporting system for whistleblowers to report misconduct.
- Provide ongoing ethics training for all staff to reinforce the importance of integrity.
- Foster transparency and accountability through regular audits and external oversight.
Maintaining the Gwinnett Standard of excellence is crucial, and restoring integrity and engaging with the community, especially the youth, are significant steps toward achieving this goal.
By focusing on Gwinnett’s youth, we can provide them greater opportunities for success in life, a strong foundation of support, and a reduced desire to engage in criminal activity.
By focusing on these aspects, we can create a safer and more rehabilitative environment within the county jail.
The success or failure of any organization is directly connected to the authentic integrity, both personally and professionally, of the organization’s leadership. No leader is perfect, but leadership should always be held to a higher standard to set the expectations for the organization. Just as competent professionalism and authenticity can set the organizational standard, so can ineptitude and prideful immorality.
-LinkedIn Leadership Community – Curtis Clemons, MA Ret. Asst. Chief of Gwinnett County Police