Pubdate: Mon, 28 Oct 2002
Source: Beaufort Gazette, The (SC)
Copyright: 2002 The Beaufort Gazette
Contact:  http://www.beaufortgazette.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1806
Author: Chris Bender, Gazette staff writer

OFFICER TURNOVER HOT TOPIC IN SHERIFF'S RACE

Reducing Drug Crime And Keeping Experienced Officers On The Force Are Two 
Of The Issues Candidates For Beaufort County Sheriff Are Focusing On For 
The Nov. 5 Election.

Sheriff P.J. Tanner, a Republican, is running on his record, claiming 
several of the goals he set out in his 1998 campaign have been met. He said 
the Sheriff's Office has greatly reduced turnover and increased the amount 
it gets each year from grants.

"We've reduced the turnover rate by 40 percent," Tanner said. "We've 
offered them a roadmap for their career."

Tanner said there still is room to improve, but he thinks the changes he's 
made in the pay structure have helped cut down on the number of officers 
leaving the department.

Challenger Democrat N.M. "Butch" Polk, said the Sheriff's Office hasn't 
improved turnover enough. He also said there's a place for retired officers.

"I think it's still too high," Polk said. "If you hired retired police 
officers, you could get them to come back for much less."

Polk said one of the biggest problems the county faces is illicit drugs. 
He'd like to see more done to put dealers behind bars.

"It looks to me like they are just going after the street dealers," Polk 
said. "We need to go after them at all levels."

While Polk realizes there is a Drug Enforcement Agency office in Beaufort, 
he said more should be done by local authorities, with the help of some 
state agencies like the State Law Enforcement Division.

Tanner said he's done a lot to speed the process of getting drug dealers 
behind bars. He said one of the problems in the past was the wait for 
forensic evidence from SLED's drug lab.

"Until this year, we had a three-year backlog on drug cases," Tanner said. 
"Now we don't have any. We're caught up."

Getting the drug lab was something Tanner pushed for during the past two years.

Tanner said securing grants was part of his campaign in 1998. He said the 
Sheriff's Office had not been aggressive in getting equipment and training 
through grants and he thought that was a missed opportunity.

"We've sought grants that will not only benefit law enforcement, but also 
the county as a whole," Tanner said. "We've gotten more than $1 million in 
grants in collaboration with William Winn (director of Beaufort County 
Emergency Management)."

Polk said he thinks there should be more deputies on the road. He sees the 
current structure as top-heavy, with too many in the command staff. He also 
thinks the Sheriff's Office should recruit people from the community where 
they serve.

"I believe you can find someone in the area who wants to be a deputy," Polk 
said. "A lot of these people won't trust someone who isn't from around here."

By getting locals on the job, Polk thinks deputies would have an easier 
time getting information from people in the community. Tanner said his 
office has worked to get officers from the community, but he also wants 
officers with experience.

"We want to get the most qualified officer for the job," Tanner said. "We 
do encourage people from the community to send us applications."

Tanner said his office advertises for jobs through the local media and in 
county offices. He said the biggest recruiting problem is being competitive 
with the local job market.

"A lot of these people can make a lot more working at Home Depot or Lowe's, 
and that's because of the base salary," Tanner said. "It's hard to convince 
people to take a job where they are in harm's way when they can make more 
money doing something else."
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MAP posted-by: Jo-D