Weekly Article, “The Sheriff’s View” (#193)

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Farwell to the Sheriff’s Office

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It hardly seems possibly that I am writing my last Sheriff’s View newsletter as your Pulaski County Sheriff. At the stroke of midnight on December 31st, I will be passing the torch to Sheriff-Elect Jimmy Bench, who will become your new commander of the Pulaski County Sheriff’sDepartment. The past four years have streaked by and I can hardly believe that I am at the end of my tenure.

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When speaking with those senior to me, I have heard many times about the analogy of aging; the older one gets the quicker time passes. Never before has this seemed truer than while serving as your Sheriff.

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I look in retrospect at the events that have passed since taking my initial oath 4 years ago and I begin to understand why time has passed so quickly. From crime and Mother-Nature, to budgets and jail overcrowding, challenges have been nonstop. I can truly say that I have been honored to work with a team of professional deputies, civilian employees and county officials who have helped deal with these challenges to make Pulaski County a safer place to live, attend school and work.

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In addition, it has been my pleasure and honor to work with all of the business and government leaders, along with community organizations who have propelled Pulaski County into being one of the most progressive communities in the state of Missouri. I have been very fortunate to have made many new friends and professional acquaintances who have been supportive of my endeavors and assisted in the many accomplishments of this office.

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Most of all, I feel very honored to have commanded the employees of the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Department. This group of fine men and women have been responsible for dramatically reducing the felony crime rate in your county, cutting our overall operating expenses, implementing jail and area-wide drug related programs, along with becoming more of a community-involved organization. Resulting from these efforts, the citizens of Pulaski County overwhelmingly supported and passed a law enforcement sales tax in August, in which the citizens voted for a new jail and law enforcement center, more deputies and better benefits for these fine employees, along with additional monies for the prosecutor’s office.

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In parting, I ask that the citizens of Pulaski County continue the support of this Sheriff’s Department, along with your ongoing involvement and backing of their endeavors. My words of appreciation also go out to our professional media sources that have so generously helped this agency to convey our efforts to the community.

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Upon concluding, once again I wish to thank the citizens of this community for your support of this organization and myself over the past 4 years, and I pray that it continues! I will certainly miss being your Sheriff and the memorable experiences that I have had the opportunity to be involved in – it has truly been an honor!

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And as always, stay safe and do something positive for your community.

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Sheriff Ronald Long