Sheriff-elect Knight has a mandate for reform

[News Flash]

SARASOTA COUNTY - Sarasota County residents chose Republican Tom Knight, by a huge margin, to be the next sheriff.

Knight will replace incumbent Bill Balkwill, who didn't seek re-election after holding the office for eight years. Knight's status as an outsider and the intense budget pressures facing local agencies ensure there will be change at the Sheriff's Office.

How much changes, and whether it will be positive, remains uncertain.

But two things are clear: Knight has a mandate to alter the direction of the office, and he has the administrative experience to initiate needed reforms.

Knight won the general election with 65 percent of the vote. Just as important, he earned 61 percent of the votes in the Republican primary against two opponents -- including Balkwill's former chief deputy.

Knight, a former Florida Highway Patrol commander, was the last candidate to join the sheriff's race -- a decision that came with some personal risk: He quit his job at the FHP, gave up part of his pension and began to campaign full time. He ran an exceptional campaign.

"I think the thing that did it was going door to door," Knight told us after his election. "Talking to people, getting out there with the public ... I had to show them who I am, and what I have to offer."

Among the things he offered were:

A pledge to bring fiscal sanity to the Sheriff's Office budget -- in part through the creation of a citizens review panel.

A commitment to enhanced cooperation with local governments and law enforcement agencies, with a focus on saving money through multi-agency programs and shared resources.

A plan for improving management, including promotions and communication.

Knight told us that his immediate plan is to "take a deep breath" and then prepare to bring in a staff-inspection team to review the Sheriff's Office from top to bottom. The team will identify strengths and weaknesses, and search for efficiencies. Good idea, especially if the team is qualified and provides independent analysis.

A major concern, shared by all of the candidates for sheriff, is low morale in the department.

When we asked Knight what his employees should expect from him, we were encouraged by his response:

"People in the Sheriff's Office have families, children, careers. I get that. Those doing their jobs -- representing the Sheriff's Office the way it should be -- have nothing to be concerned about. I'll set standards for integrity and ethical values. People will understand what's expected and then be given an opportunity to perform to those standards. If you take care of fairness and equality, morale will take care of itself."

Well said, sheriff-elect.

Source

I like it. Everyone who does their job has nothing to worry about, which means most of us!

I also like what I hear. Prior to meeting Tom Knight, I heard a lot of negative stuff that was obviously generated from "politics." :roll: However, I went out of my way to go and meet personally him, just to see for myself. He is very pleasant, informal and appears to be a down-to-earth "people person." That's the best way to describe him. Did he snow me? I dunno. We'll have to wait and see. Trust is earned. However, I've given him the benefit. I actually have no doubt in my mind. I hope I don't have to eat my words in the future!!! I like what I see, so far...

I'm sure that Tom Knight has his own plans, but he might want to consider informally x56ing with Balkwill to tell him to tell Stinger and Carney to leave before he is sworn in. However, Balkwill is such a buffoon that he probably thinks that things are hunky dorey and he things that Stinger and Carney should be here for years to come. Once Balkwill, Stinger and Carney are retired (aka gone), then Tom Knight can start appointing competent people (who care) to run this place.

I'm sure that Tom Knight has his own plans, but he might want to consider informally x56ing with Balkwill to tell him to tell Stinger and Carney to leave before he is sworn in. However, Balkwill is such a buffoon that he probably thinks that things are hunky dorey and he things that Stinger and Carney should be here for years to come. Once Balkwill, Stinger and Carney are retired (aka gone), then Tom Knight can start appointing competent people (who care) to run this place.

You're right: if Balkwill is smart, then he'll call his buddies into his office and will tactfully tell them that it would be wise to leave before Sheriff-elect Knight takes over. However, has Balkwill ever done anything smart in the past??? Nope! And that's because he's listened to people like Stinger and Carney. Sooooo what we have here is the dog chasing its tail. I predict that Stinger and Carney won't get the message ----- and they'll be here when Tom Knight gets sworn in ---- and then ??????????