A Democrat who is challenging incumbent Summit County Sheriff Dave Edmunds claimed the Sheriff’s Office has not been proactive enough in building relationships with homeowners and business people in the community.
Edmunds has moved the department away from community oriented policing since he was elected in 2002, according to Francis Democrat Dax Shane, who is slated to face off against Edmunds on Election Day.
“Ultimately, my job is to listen to the people here in Summit County, protect them and provide a sense of security,” Shane said. “I feel the Sheriff’s Office has not been aggressive enough in meeting the needs of the community, and this is where I plan to take action.”
Deputies need to interact more with people living in the neighborhoods they serve, Shane said.
“People in my community who I know, and people I have talked to who are business owners, a lot of them don’t know who their deputies are,” Shane said in a telephone interview Monday. “You’ve got to be accessible to the public.”
Shane is a police officer in Salt Lake City. He said he has been involved in community oriented policing in the past.
“It’s just a way for the county to get to know the department and I have seen firsthand how effective it can be,” Shane said. “You’ve got to have the department get out and knock on doors and meet these people. That’s what I would like to implement in Summit County.”
His goal is to transition to a more “community-oriented police force” by developing stronger ties with businesses, Shane said.
“By improving communication we basically prevent crimes,” he added.
However, Edmunds, a Republican, countered that the relationship the Summit County Sheriff’s Office has with the community has never been better.
“You will search in vain for a law enforcement agency more committed to the tenets of community-based policing than the Summit County Sheriff’s Office,” Edmunds said. “If community interaction and the establishment of partnerships is the basis for community-based policing and I believe it is then our efforts in this field are as unambiguous as they are unmatched.”
The Sheriff’s Office Citizen Advisory Board advises the sheriff about everything from perception issues to policy changes, Edmunds said.
A bicycle patrol unit in the warmer months operates in high-pedestrian areas like Tanger Outlet Center and Redstone Towne Center and deputies working under his Watching Our Neighborhood and Neighborhood Watch programs contact residents to discuss ways to prevent crimes in their communities, Edmunds said.
Officers notify parents in Summit County when drivers are stopped who are under the age of 21, he said.