The Opioid Epidemic

The Opioid problem is one that hits close to home for me, and it's the reason I became a Police Officer. In late 2022 I was sitting in my local pub, visiting with a former friend and colleague. Our conversation was light, until my phone rang. It was my father, calling to tell me my oldest brother Scott had died- we subsequently found out he had overdosed on fentanyl after having been clear and sober for nearly 10 years.

This was the moment I had to make a decision, continue to watch drugs destroy my community or start to make a difference. 

I chose to make a difference. 

At the time I was operating my family business, and in consultation with my family I decided to take a step back and go down a different path- Law Enforcement. Over the course of the next year I trained my body and my mind to become the best Officer I could be. Over the last two years I have worked endlessly through targeted interdiction efforts to quell the influx of narcotics into my community. 

In my efforts to change my community I learned something; punishing the user for their sickness only exacerbates the issue. Addiction is a disease period. It's time Law Enforcement start working to treat the disease, and not punish the low level users. As Sheriff my plan is to work closely with Restorative Justice to create a community of accountability for these low level users. Through our community we can get the support they need. 

That being said every Deputy in the Sheriff’s department will receive mandatory training in narcotics investigations in order to shut down the flow of illegal drugs into our most vulnerable rural communities. 

This is a multi faceted issue, and I have a real plan to make an impact in Windsor County. My plan starts with your vote.