In Newton County, public safety comprises of the Newton County Sheriff Department, the Newton County Fire Department, the Emergency Medical Transport services contracted though Newton Piedmont Hospital and the Covington-Newton County 911 Center. I believe that the key to strengthening public safety in a community is not just ensuring adequate funding for these departments. It is the duty of the governing body to ensure that the funds provided to public safety departments are being used in a manner that have direct correlation to improved outcomes and community safety.
As a member of the Board of Commissioners, I am eager to work closely with fellow board members to establish and implement a policy that enforces rigorous oversight and accountability measures. This policy must include a demand for clear objectives and performance indicators for public safety initiatives to help track the effectiveness and impact on how funds are spent. To this end, as a member of the Board of Commissioners I am committed to ensuring that every dollar budgeted for public safety is spent wisely and effectively. By instituting a framework as I have described, we can significantly enhance the efficacy of our public safety departments. This approach not only optimizes resource utilization but also fosters a safer more secure Newton County. Our community deserves a public safety system that is not only well-funded but also intelligently managed and constantly evolving to meet the ever-changing needs of our residents.
Additionally, if we overlook the issue of competitive compensation, we risk undermining the effectiveness of our public safety services. It is essential to focus on evaluating the current salaries for law enforcement and firefighting personnel. The time and resources we invest in training these professionals can be lost if their salaries aren’t competitive enough to keep them from leaving for better-paying jobs elsewhere. To attract and retain highly skilled officers and firefighters, Newton County must offer pay that is at least equal to, if not better than, what similar communities offer. Therefore, working closely with the Sheriff’s Office and Fire Department to ensure that these critical roles are compensated fairly and competitively is of utmost importance.
