On Day One
On Day One I will take action on everything listed below (see ON DAY ONE video).
Expedite a FULL AUDIT
This will include operations, financials, and a contract review of the entire organization. For transparency’s sake, this audit will be published to the public. Action plans regarding the results of the audit will be published as well. The current sheriff has increased the budget FIFTY percent and is squandering taxpayer dollars. His own current and former deputies have leveled several serious allegations that merit investigation. His failed policies have destroyed morale.
Deputy and inmate injury rates within the jail have skyrocketed. Inmate death rates are at an all-time high. All of this and more is kept hidden from the public and must be investigated to rebuild trust with the public.
The current sheriff created a top-heavy command infrastructure. Senior staff receive salaries three times that of the average deputy. I will trim back the command billets and reprioritized those resources to hire the optimal number of deputies and jailers needed to excel in all our mission areas.
Abide by State Laws
Unlike Sheriff Keybo Taylor and Sheriff John Williams (in the Laken Riley case), I will obey Georgia Laws designed to safeguard our citizens. Both Sheriff Taylor and Sheriff Williams pledged not to comply with Georgia Law that requires sheriffs to determine the nationality and immigration status during the booking process and report their findings to ICE. At the press conference following his swearing in, Sheriff Taylor stated, “What we will not be doing is notifying ICE of anybody’s immigration status in the jail or any of our facilities.” His commitment to lawlessness continues to put Gwinnett County at risk.
The Rapid Response Team is the team that responds immediately to threatening situations within the jail. At the press conference following his swearing in, Sheriff Taylor immediately dismantled the RRT. His “promise kept” is largely responsible for the skyrocketing injury rates amongst the inmates, deputies, and jailers. It is also a major reason why hundreds of jailers and deputies have resigned from the Gwinnett Sheriff’s Office.
The current sheriff rules by fear and intimidation. His leadership style has created a hostile work environment, and he is incapable of change. I will earn the respect of those for whom I am responsible, and I will lead by example, just as I did for 35 years while serving in the Navy.
I build award winning organizations where people love to work and perform. I set and maintain high standards and hold everyone to the same standard. I will create an environment where people are valued, listened to, supported, and challenged. Everyone will be expected to be sustained superior performers. We will support one another and be laser focused on accomplishing our mission with skill and professionalism. Law enforcement, in every capacity, is demanding work. Deputies and jailers should be well compensated for the jobs they perform. I will ensure that the Gwinnett Sheriff’s Office has a pay and bonus structure that is extremely competitive and will attract the best and brightest to our ranks.
Mandate Federal & State Constitution Education and Application for All Deputies
We all swear an oath to support the Constitution of the United States and of the state of Georgia. To fulfill these oaths, every deputy and jailor must understand how their oaths apply to their daily work. The current sheriff does not adhere to, provide, or require this type of Constitutional Training. I will mandate Constitutional training for all personnel employed by the Sheriff’s Office, so everyone is well versed on how to fully obey the law of the land, as is required by their oaths.
Reinstate the Highly Successful Jail Dogs Program (see video on the home page)
The current sheriff has dismantled the Jail Dogs Program. The Jail Dogs Program is quite possibly the most popular program that has ever existed at the Gwinnett County Jail. At zero cost to the taxpayers, it benefits the mental health and morale of the jailers, deputies, inmates, and the public. This program gave inmates ways to make a positive impact while working through a difficult time in their lives. It further saved the lives of thousands of animals that otherwise would have been euthanized, and provided Gwinnett families with well trained pets. I will immediately reinstate this program!
One of Sheriff “Ego” Taylor’s first acts after being sworn in was to squander taxpayer dollars by painting his name on every vehicle operated by the Sheriff’s Office. Once I am elected Sheriff, Ego’s name will be blacked out and our vehicles will be restored to their original paint scheme. I will never break trust with the taxpayers and squander their hard-earned dollars.
Remove the Sheriff Taylor’s Name from all County Vehicles
I am a good shot, and I love to drive. Even if neither of those were the case, I would never waste taxpayer
funds on frivolous and lavish expenditures by assigning myself a bodyguard or personal driver. I will do away with those positions and reassign those personnel to productive positions.
ALWAYS Put the Safety of Gwinnett Citizens First
As Sheriff, the safety of Gwinnett County Citizens will be at the forefront of every decision that I make.
The Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Office will ensure that the Constitutional Rights of our citizens are
always protected. Unlike sheriff Taylor, I will comply with all laws designed to protect the citizens of
Gwinnett County.
Give City and County Police the Authority Needed to do Their Jobs More Effectively
Sheriff Taylor goes to great lengths to prevent the public from finding out the truth about of the
disastrous state of the Sheriff’s Office. I will not hide facts and figures from taxpayers. They have the
right to know how their tax dollars are being spent and the true state of the “health” of the Sheriff’s
Office . They should not have to fill out “Freedom of Information Act” requests and pay large sums of
money while waiting to find out that information. I will conduct regular briefings with the public and
intend to make important information about the Sheriff’s Office public facing. This initiative will go a
long way to rebuilding the trust with the public that has been lost in recent years.
Reinstate the Reserve Deputy Program
This is yet another invaluable program that Sheriff Taylor has dismantled. Reserve Deputies are utilized to supplement and support full time deputies. Reserve deputies are professionally trained and duly sworn law enforcement personnel (while on-duty). In most cases they perform the same duties full-time deputies. Reserve deputies have a wealth of experience to bring to the table and provide invaluable flexibility to the Sheriff. Furthermore, Reserve deputies are non-paid and volunteer their time to protect and serve so their invaluable service is “Free of charge” to the taxpayer.
Begin Utilizing the Georgia State Defense Force (highly trained retired citizens normally utilized in emergencies/community threats)
The Georgia State Defense Force provides an organized, trained, disciplined, rapid response volunteer force to assist state and local government agencies, and civil relief organizations in impending or actual emergencies to assure the welfare and safety of the citizens of Georgia. I intend to sign a Memorandum of Understanding so that we can call on these highly trained professionals when circumstances warrant (eg. searching for missing persons). Again, these professionals bring a wealth of experience and manpower at no-cost to the taxpayers.
