One of the things I have enjoyed most since becoming sheriff is being out in the community with people and listening to comments, suggestions, cares and concerns. I do my best to be responsive to your needs.

The vast majority of people that I encounter express to me their appreciation for the job we are doing at the BCSO to fight crime and make our community safe. They appreciate the increased patrols, the reductions in thefts and burglaries, the quick emergency response times, the crime clearance rate being 15 percent above the national average, community events such as Family Day and the overall well managed and streamlined BCSO operation. That saves taxpayer money.

Many have expressed their appreciation for our efforts that bring into the county over $4 million a year for sheriff’s fees, such as housing state and federal inmates and the fact that the BCSO has returned approximately $600,000 in unspent budgeted funds to the county coffers since I took office by more effectively managing our resources. People are appreciative of the reduced traffic crashes, the excellent audits, the excellent state and federal inspections and the workhouse program we have instituted that puts inmates to work helping our community and saving tax dollars.

People tell me how pleased they are that they have a sheriff who expresses trust in them and is willing to communicate with them. Many convey appreciation that a public official will stand up for their rights to keep and bear arms, their right to self defense, their right to free speech, their right to be secure in their homes and persons, and their right to assemble without undue threat of harm.

Many express gratitude that the BCSO makes the protection of the citizenry in a growing community our number one priority. They are proud of the fact that I support and fight for fair and decent wages and safe, reliable patrol vehicles for working men and women who regularly risk their lives in service to others. Our deputies who are out in the community everyday also tell me of the many citizens they encounter who regularly express positive sentiments about the job being done. I know this is greatly appreciated by all BCSO employees.

The future of Bradley County is bright and I thank you for giving me the opportunity to serve. It is in this light that I want to mention three local stories this past week that I found noteworthy. One was the story of the Bradley County ambulance crews being stationed at two Cleveland Fire Department locations. I commend Bradley County Emergency Medical Services Director Danny Lawson and Cleveland Fire Chief Chuck Atchley for their cooperative efforts on behalf of citizens in both the city and the county.

The other was the story of the City of Cleveland’s plans to annex land out Highway 64 and around Exit 20. This underscores the fact that our population is growing rapidly, and will be further impacted by the new Volkswagen plant opening in Chattanooga and the likely support industries that will follow.

And the third story was of City Councilman Richard Banks’ suggestion that it might be time to revisit the idea of combining the city and county school systems. Obviously, as our population grows, the need for new schools will grow; and I, too, believe it is time to consider the idea.

The common thread that runs through each of these reports, of course, is the fact that more and more people are coming into our county and we either anticipate and plan for that influx or at some point down the road we will find our schools, services and infrastructure overwhelmed and ill-equipped to handle the challenge. It is not wise to ignore the challenges of a growing community until they become problems ~ especially, in this case where we can clearly gauge population trends and still have plenty of time to develop workable strategies to help us meet increased population demands.

As I read each of these stories, I am reminded of the “Local Government Consolidation Study” from 2004, which took a thoughtful, in-depth look at the feasibility of combining certain city and county services in order to cut wasteful spending, improve efficiency and eliminate duplication of services. This study was done by a non-partisan committee and included the input of many local business people, public officials, civic leaders and ordinary citizens. It is the only resource of its kind we have available that offers an honest, objective analysis on how best to meet the challenges of a growing community in a way that will offer real solutions and benefits.

The three stories I mentioned add validity to the concept of the city and county joining forces as partners in progress, instead of operating as two separate entities that sometimes duplicate services and add unnecessary bureaucracy for many licensing and regulation requirements.

During my career, I have served in city, county and federal government. I have seen first-hand how money can be saved by eliminating duplication by combining some services and departments where possible. It is a practical idea that will eventually result in a tremendous savings to taxpayers in both the city and the county and no one has to initially lose their job. Any reduction would take place via normal attrition over time. I have always been against government using tax increases as a “be-all” solution to money needs within a growing community. It is time to fundamentally rethink the way government does business by eliminating waste and combining services that are needlessly duplicated.

For your convenience, the entire Consolidation Study can be viewed or downloaded by CLICKING HERE . I encourage everyone to read the study and make up your own mind as to the merits of combining services. I believe that, in the long run, the financial benefits of eliminating waste and duplication of services will serve this community  much better than the continued tax increases needed to fund two separate local governments.

For more information about the Bradley County Sheriff’s Office and our various programs, events and activities, visit our web site often If you would like to reach our administrative office, call (423) 728-7300. You can also write to us here at the Justice Center, or visit in person. We are located at 2290 Blythe Avenue, Cleveland, TN 37311. If you would like to reach me directly, email me: comments@bradleysheriff.com.