Questions for Cokonougher
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  1. #1
    Junior Member LEO Affairs Rookie
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    Feb 2016
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    Questions for Cokonougher

    I am fully aware of the risk law enforcement officers take every day of their career on the street, but I am also concerned about a threat that occurs every 4 years. Deputies are commonly concerned with being seen speaking to or openly supporting anyone who opposes the sitting Sheriff for fear of being targeted in the aftermath.

    For this reason, I am offering a secure way that the law enforcement community can ask questions without fear of being identified. LEO Affairs has a long-standing reputation for ensuring members, and non-members alike have their identities protected if they so choose. LEO Affairs has defeated court action initiated by a sitting Sheriff, twice in Florida Courts after refusing to turn over IP addresses or any other material that could be used to identify those who use their forums. It is time for the Deputies voices to be heard.

    I have active social media on Facebook, and Twitter. I have a website and email where you can contact me, but this is by far the most anonymous I can make it. I want to offer the opportunity to the officers in the field to question me directly because they have daily contact with the citizens of the county and have direct knowledge what they need to serve the community effectively.

    I am beginning a thread on LEO Affairs for Deputies and others who fear reprisal to ask questions directly to me. I will address platform, policy, budget, and rumors.


    If you can not or don’t feel comfortable contacting me on any of my other platforms, please contact me here.

  2. #2
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    OCSO seems to have a poor relationship with the municipalities in the county, as Sheriff, what will you do to improve those relationships?

  3. #3
    Junior Member LEO Affairs Rookie
    Join Date
    Feb 2016
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    10

    Interagency Cooperation

    Relationships between agencies can be easy to maintain with good communication, but a tremendous challenge to fix once they are damaged. Fortunately, for the line officers the difference in uniform color or badge shape means very little when it comes to in the field cooperation, as officers depend on each other for safety and backup. Of course, there has always been some competition between agency personnel, as there is on any “team” setting. Everyone wants to believe his or her team is better than the other, however in the last few years it appears the cooperation level is not at the level it has been previously. I believe this is a ‘trickle down effect” caused by the failure of the current sheriff’s administration to maintain a good relationship with the city administrations.

    In an effort to repair relationships between the Sheriff’s Office and the City Police Departments, I have already begun formulating a plan, to correct what I see is a communication and cooperation breakdown. Much of this separation started when it became apparent the sheriff’s administration was not only interested in but encouraging the consolidation of city agencies into the sheriff’s command. Regardless of one’s stance on this matter, it set the stage for what has become a tarnished relationship as each city agency’s administration became fearful of their sustainability as they saw the Sheriff trying to increase his power and undercut the current city budget requirements, even though many citizens prefer having their own municipal agency serving them. Of course, my plans will have to wait until after the election results, as I have no authority at present to rebuild these relationships.

    My first step in repairing these relationships must be open communication. I have already reached out to some of the Police Chiefs, and will be reaching out to all of them as my campaign moves forward, to discuss their needs, concerns, and the establishment of a genuine partnership.

    Second, I have a plan to bring back permanent interagency task forces responsible not only for narcotics, but gangs, violent crime, and other significant operations. Sharing of assets and information benefit all agencies and the communities they serve while wreaking havoc on the criminal element.

    Third, I will seek to establish joint training opportunities coordinated throughout the region. Each agency has a specialist on one topic or another and sharing that information not only makes fiscal sense but makes better law enforcement officers.

    Finally, I would propose a quarterly meeting hosted by the Sheriff’s Office inviting all local agency administrators, to include our neighboring counties to discuss, enhance, and correct any deficiencies that may arise when it comes to cooperation and intelligence sharing in an effort to better detect and apprehend the criminal element in our communities.

    All Law Enforcement agencies have the same objectives "Safer Streets and Stronger Communities". We must function as a team.
    Last edited by bcokonougher; 02-22-2016 at 08:48 PM.

  4. #4
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    Question about cooperation

    I am interested in what you have to say and was concerned that there is a possibility that the Sheriff's Dept and cities didn't work together well. I got some information from various sources that I wonder if you can confirm.

    Does the Sheriff's department still send people to most of the city council meetings?

    Was there recently a very successful joint street crimes operation that included all the affected agencies, i think it was "wolf hunter?"

    I remember seeing something on the facebook page that the Sheriff officers worked side by side with Police officers at the Billy Bowlegs events, is that still going on?

    Thank you for talking to people like this and good luck with your campaign.

  5. #5
    Junior Member LEO Affairs Rookie
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    Feb 2016
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    Joint Operations

    Thank you for the questions. Just so I can make sure I address everything I will answer them one at a time.

    Does the Sheriff's department still send people to most of the city council meetings?

    The Sheriff’s Office does attend some city council meetings, specifically Destin because they hold a contract for policing services. Cities with their own police departments rarely see Sheriff’s Office representation on official business as their Police Chief is the law enforcement representative within their jurisdiction.

    Was there recently a very successful joint street crimes operation that included all the affected agencies, i think it was "wolf hunter?"

    “Wolf Hunter” was the cyber sex sting operation which was coordinated with the many agencies, but the closest local agency was the Walton County Sheriff’s office. No Okaloosa County city agencies were referenced in the news release dated 10/27/2015. (http://www.sheriff-okaloosa.org/news...ts-16-arrests/)
    The Sheriff’s Office once worked together year round with local and state agencies under a Drug Task Force, which was hugely successful. It has now been replaced by the Sheriff’s Narcotics Unit, no longer having members from the municipalities.
    I am hoping our local Police Chiefs will partner with me to reestablish joint task forces to answer county wide crime issues. I plan to then supplement task force work with a layered law enforcement response using community partners.

    I remember seeing something on the facebook page that the Sheriff Officers worked side by side with Police officers at the Billy Bowlegs events, is that still going on?

    The Sheriff’s officers you saw working Billy Bowlegs were likely volunteer members of the Sheriff’s Posse who man the county portion of Eglin Parkway during parades. The Sheriff’s Posse volunteers thousands of hours each year to help the community. These dedicated individuals are a valuable part of the Sheriff’s Office and provide services that the Sheriff’s Office is often too busy to handle.
    The Posse also assists Fish and Wildlife Commission during the Bowlegs boat parade. The Sheriff’s Office usually provides 2 boats on the water and a booking officer at the BUI post. The SO has also assisted with Bowlegs fireworks with 1 or 2 boats to keep the fireworks platform secure and citizens clear when deployment occurs.

    As I have stated before, all law enforcement agencies have the same objectives "Safer Streets and Stronger Communities". To combat our increasing violence and unacceptable property crime levels, we must come together as a community.

  6. #6
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    Morale and Turnover

    When I started the SO we had more than enough applicants and it was one of the best agencies in the panhandle. Today we can’t seem to fill our spots on the street or stop them from leaving for other area agencies. What do you plan on doing about low morale and high turnover?

  7. #7
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    Brian,

    It is no secret here at the Sheriff's Office morale is quite low and seems to be getting lower. My concern is two fold; for both the officers on the road and the community they serve. We seem to be running the department as a business rather than a law enforcement agency which obviously has an effect on the community. I have always prided myself in trying to maintain a postive attitude when dealing with the public, but we are finding it hard to do so these days. With this in mind, what are your beliefs on the improvement of morale, as it relates to both the deputy and community? I believe if morale could improve you would see better service to Okaloosa County citizens and strengthen the sheriff's office as an organization.

    Thank you for your time and good luck!

  8. #8
    Junior Member LEO Affairs Rookie
    Join Date
    Feb 2016
    Posts
    10

    Reducing Turnover and Improving Morale

    Law enforcement is constantly changing and in turn, the agency must be willing to change and adapt to the latest conditions. Long gone are the days of accepting the idea that “this is the way we have always done it” and expect that argument to suffice.

    Turnover is here to stay, the best we can hope to do is limit it. The new generation of the officer is likely to move to multiple agencies throughout their career, and while this is not always easy, it does provide an opportunity to bring in ideas from outside areas to be used in Okaloosa.

    Limiting the turnover is going to involve several steps:
    1. Training: We have to offer it, it has to be relevant, we have to have it well planned and organized, and we have to send our officers to it on duty. I don’t want them going on duty to cut overtime pay; I want them going on duty because they need to be off with their family when it is time to be off. All officers want to know their Sheriff is willing to invest in them. I plan on working towards regional training so we can save money on training locations, equipment, and instructor costs while bringing in top quality courses. Commitment to proper training makes better officers and improves our work in the community.

    2. Job Satisfaction: Law enforcement is full of highs and lows, but I believe job satisfaction is tied to several things, pay, autonomy, organizational stress.

    · There is only so much money I can pay based on total budget and capital outlay requirements, but I am already looking at cutting middle management positions so we can put more officers on the road. It is time for line officers to have less interference when trying to communicate with the command staff of the agency.

    · Autonomy gives deputies ownership of their work product, and I believe that officers should be able to not only address immediate crime issues but long-term community problems. The policy should be that we do good in our work. If good requires someone to go to jail, then I expect them to be arrested without hesitation, but if good requires us to coordinate with another social service organization to help a community, then I expect officers to take the initiative to help.

    · Finally organizational stress, not occupational stress is the number one concern of law enforcement officers across the country. None of us go to work stressed out that today we may get into a car chase and catch a bank robber. We live for that kind of day. However, we do go to work concerned about what new policy or procedure has been added without line level input to the long list of things we already have to do. We must have policy, but it must reflect ideas that work on the streets and, therefore, should be vetted by those on the streets.

    3. Loyalty: Loyalty is a two-way street, so if an officer gives me three good years of work from which we can judge your work ethic, ability, and commitment, I will personally call the Chief, Sheriff, or another Commanding Officer of the agency you want to work with and provide a recommendation. I know this seems to be counterproductive, but I have accepted that turnover is the reality of law enforcement, and while I may lose an officer helping them live out their dreams, I hope they go on to their new agency and tell them that Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office will take care of good officers. I want Deputies to stay, and I want the agency to be once again a family, but if you want to go, I will not hold you back. Living in fear that someone might find out and sneaking around when you apply for a job is unacceptable.

    As for morale, I have seen administrations that believe that morale is not their problem, but that is not the case. Morale is a direct reflection on the administration and high morale is the result of a the work environment. High morale produces better service to the community and therefore should be the administrations concern. All you need to do is look at some of the other regional agencies, and you can see this to be fact. The benefit of my turnover reduction plan is morale will improve because the agency will be meeting the basic needs of the Deputies and their family so the Deputies can focus on Safer Streets and Stronger Communities.

  9. #9
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    Joint ops, other agency relationships, and morale

    The OCSO and numerous municipalities participated in Operation Overwatch a few months ago. This joint operation was extremely successful and all involved agencies worked together flawlessly arresting multiple suspects on drug, gun, and numerous other charges all over the county.

    The majority of local LEO's from the different agencies get along just fine, and often back each other on calls for service and traffic stops. They spend time with each other off duty, and several of our kids play together. While some of the leaders don't see eye-to-eye, it doesn't trickle down into the rank and file very much. While there will always be folks that just don't get along with others, they're the minority.

    As far as morale, I think it's better now than it has been in several years. Sure, you'll always have folks that like to complain and won't ever be happy no matter what's going on. It's impossible to please everyone, and the small majority of people that make the most noise are usually the ones with disciplinary issues, or slackers that fuss because their supervisors make them work. They're all responsible for their unhappiness, and it's those organizational terrorists that cause 95% of your morale issues.

  10. #10
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    Guest

    Military Reservists

    I have heard of several Members whom also serve in the Reserve/Guard receiving negative feedback from supervision and administration for this kind of service due to time it takes away from work. What is your plan to support reservists ?

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