Bob Kindler, Guest Column

Many months ago it was obvious within the Freeborn County Sheriff’s Office that our patrol presence in rural areas and communities had diminished to the point that we were much more reactive than proactive. It was obvious from comments made by the public, and it was obvious in our reports. Self-initiated activity, including traffic enforcement, was way down and the vast majority of our time was spent responding to a crime or crash that had already happened rather than concentrating our efforts on preventing them.

Little has changed from several months ago and I am reminded of that fact almost daily. We need to fix this problem, and we need to get back to providing the services that a law enforcement agency was created for. But how do we fix something that has been broken for so long without throwing more money at?

The answer is quite simple: We need a new leader.

We need a leader that has the education, experience and management skills that can address this problem and many others and find solutions that not only solve the problems but do so in a cost-effective way. In these tough economic times we simply can’t afford to waste more tax dollars. We must look within our own organization and find creative ways to become much more efficient and effective.

One of the easiest solutions we have to becoming more proactive and having a greater patrol presence is to do some minor reorganization or restructuring within the Sheriff’s Office. Converting one of our detective supervisor positions (the position I currently hold) into two patrol supervisor positions will not only provide for additional manpower where we need it most but it also has a cost savings of about $20,000 per year. An added benefit is that experienced patrol supervisors, working directly with the patrol staff, can give guidance and direction right at the time when it is needed most, making the entire Sheriff’s Office much more efficient and responsive to citizen’s needs.

But the lack of patrol presence and lack of proactive law enforcement aren’t the only challenges that we must overcome. The lack of training, low morale, preferential treatment for certain people and wasted spending are all issues that must be dealt with and soon. Again, we need new leadership.

To correct those problems, I have developed a plan that eliminates the wasted spending and reallocates that money to acquire necessary training and equipment. The plan restores professionalism and morale by treating everyone fairly and equitably. More importantly, it provides the law enforcement services you demand from your hard-earned tax dollar.

On Nov. 2, you have a choice. You can choose to continue to support wasted spending and poor service or you can choose a new sheriff with a plan that will improve services and eliminate waste.

I am confident you will select new leadership. I ask for your vote and look forward to serving you as the next sheriff of Freeborn County.

Bob Kindler is a candidate for Freeborn County sheriff and the detective supervisor at the Freeborn County Sheriff’s Office.