Seeking out integrity, creating new leaders

During the month of December, we have conducted several interviews for internal job openings that include jail administrator, detective, patrol sergeant, and drug task force agent for the Community Narcotics Enforcement Team.

We have also conducted a couple of interviews for detention officers. Each time we schedule a testing date, we re-evaluate our interview process and see if there is any way we can improve it.

The process currently for new employees consists of an application for employment, a written test, a physical test, a formal interview before a board of three members of the Sheriff's Office, a background investigation, and then a final interview with me.

This process normally takes about three to four weeks from start to finish.

For internal openings, such as a supervisor position, the process consists of a short application from a current employee who meets the qualifications, a review of the employee's file, job performance, and overall conduct within the Sheriff's Office, and one interview with me and two of the administrative staff.

Although we have added many questions to the interview process that help identify personalities, strengths and weaknesses, and other aspects of a potential applicant, we have recently added a series of questions geared at identifying someone's understanding of integrity, code of ethics, and attitude towards the people they will be serving in our community.

Some of the positions we will be filling this month will be supervisors who will lead new employees and represent me, as they work for the citizens. The process is now completed, and I can say I was very impressed with the current employees who wish to take on that leadership role.

In the words of Dwight D. Eisenhower, "The supreme quality for leadership is unquestionably integrity. Without it, no real success is possible, no matter whether it is on a section gang, a football field, in an army, or in an office."

Integrity is the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles; moral uprightness. I want people in this office who will do what they know is right, even when the right thing is hard to do.

Some of the questions asked of the potential supervisors included questions like: What should you do if you pull someone over for D.W.I. and another co-worker calls you and tells you they know that person and will "take care of it" if you will just let them go?

Or, what should you do when told by a supervisor to do something that is un-ethical, like not doing a report on a certain call, or looking the other way when a policy is being violated?

Although this is not a problem with our current staff, I feel this is a trait we should seek out more than all others when promoting people within the Sheriff's Office to leadership positions. We must always set goals that will keep us from being idle, and encourage us to be something greater than what we are.