Sheriff Randy Krukow
has been in law enforcement for 29 years and when he was first elected in
2001, he became the 25th Sheriff of Clay County since 1859. With
only eight deputies, he and his fellow officers patrol 576 square miles
24/7. Other contemporary law enforcement professionals might find this task
overwhelming, but our Sheriff puts an emphasis on
prevention through community involvement and other service-oriented
activities in addition to traditional enforcement of local and State laws.
He knows that “99% of the people out there care” what happens in their
community.
It was this sense of caring that prompted Connie
Baschke, owner of Connie’s Bed & Breakfast in Fostoria, to work with other
concerned citizens and ask Sheriff Krukow to speak with residents of
Fostoria on various law enforcement issues.
The large turn-out at Fostoria’s City
Hall and the high degree of citizen support shown for Krukow is a testament
to the dedicated men and women who work day in and day out to establish
relationships with residents in Clay County communities. Krukow says, it is
these type of “supportative relationships between citizens and the Sheriff’s
Department” that make it possible for officers and community residents to
work together to promote community safety."
Perhaps the most widely recognized program that
Krukow has to offer rural communities is Neighborhood Watch. Krukow says
that “small towns are unique in that they already tend to look out for
neighbors.” So the Neighborhood Watch program is a perfect fit for our Clay
County towns. Peterson and Royal have already worked with Krukow to set-up
effective Neighborhood Watch programs.
According to Krukow, the actual cost of a deputy,
after calculating all the factors that must be considered, is $26 per hour.
Fact: law enforcement is expensive. This is where a citizen-based program
like Neighborhood Watch can play a supportive role in a community’s struggle
to keep public safety a priority.
Clay County is faced with a “scurge of drugs” and
according to Krukow, the Sheriff’s Department is “taking an aggressive
approach.” All Fostoria residents listened intently as Krukow gave a
graphic and disturbing description of how Meth is created with a variety of
toxic chemicals easily found around most homes. Again, a Neighborhood Watch
program was referred to as one way a community can become informed and
actively assist in the local war on drugs.
According to Krukow, “the number one reason that
officers don’t get things [crimes] solved is because people don’t call” when
they feel a suspicious act is occurring or if they are eye-witnesses to an
actual crime in progress. If we want our communities to remain safe havens
for ourselves and our children, we must take an active role in reporting
suspicious behavior or crimes we believe to be taking place around us.
On the topic of curfews, I’m afraid I must agree
with the Sheriff when he says, “curfews only work as good as the parents”
who ultimately bare the responsibility of enforcing them. It is up to us,
as parents, to monitor our children and place real consequences upon them
when they break curfew ordinances and rules.
Because of a recent local ordeal with a
potentially dangerous skunk in town, the subject of who to call with wild
life issues arouse. Krukow says, “that DNR is responsible for wild life”
and should be called in most cases, however, when a citizen’s life may be in
danger the Sheriff’s Department might be the most sensible call to make.
Audience member, Mark Baschke, pointed out that a local “Critter-Getter” may
also be an option to consider when faced with a non-critical wild life
situation.
If you are concerned about the quality of life
and safety in your community, join Sheriff Krukow and become a part of the
solution – as you can tell from this article, he has made a believer out of
me. Sheriff Krukow can be reached at (712) 262-3221.
Date of
Publication: September 26, 3003 *650 Words *View
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