Incumbent Sheriff Greg Jenkins is excited to be running for the sheriff's office again. Running as a Democrat, Jenkins is pleased with the job that he's done during the last four years.
A veteran of the department - the only one he's worked for in more than a 25-year-career - Jenkins has a lot of interest in staying in office. He and his family live in the county and are active in the community. He's worked under two sheriffs and loves what he does for the community.
He sees the county as his family. And while he's seen a lot of things over the years, the most important things to him are not necessarily the biggest changes.
"The first thing I want to do is thank the citizens of Jasper County for electing me as their sheriff in 2008," Jenkins said. "They didn't just give me a job, they gave me a home, the responsibility of watching over our homes, our families. For that I'm very grateful."
Jenkins said since the election, he and his staff have been working daily to bring positive change to the department and to the county. He feels that because the community has given him that trust, and that responsibility, he has an obligation to return it with safety for them and a sense of trust in the department itself.
While he was reluctant to go into too many details about his future plans for the department, he says that he's brought together resources to make changes during the last four years and is working on funding and resources for the future.
"They're not just limited to the sheriff's office," he said.
The recent spotlight on the department brought about by candidate Charles Mitchell has raised questions that have been answered - decisively. Jenkins has no qualms about the programs that have been instituted within the department or the changes that have been made.
"We do weekly safety tips, through the (Jasper County) Sun," Jenkins said. "We do talks with the community, through the churches and the schools, and that's all important. The job that the citizens gave me, when they hired me for this job, it's not one person making a difference, it's an entire department."
Jenkins compliments his staff, saying that it's all of them that make the difference within the department, understanding the vision of the needs of the people. He says that if your vision is not conducive to the needs of the people, it won't work. It has to comply with a need.
He would like to see some changes made for the benefit of the officers and the community, but says that it has to be related to the needs of the county as a whole. He is reluctant to elaborate on it at this point, other than saying that talking to both the residents of Jasper County and the officers in the sheriff's office is important - and has been an ongoing process.
Jenkins understands that the sheriff's office is a 24-hour agency, and knows that his officers are working hard to reach everyone.
"Both sides want to be heard," Jenkins said. "We have some great plans, and we've accomplished some great things. I'm very happy with that, and with the resources they've been accomplished with. They've allowed us to do things like the School Resource Officers, and they've made a huge difference in our schools.
"I can't just pull one thing that I'm proudest of, because there are actually two. The first is reaching out to our seniors. Going out to the churches, going out to the senior centers about things that concern them, especially with the scams that are going on not only here, but in surrounding counties. It's making a difference in their lives, and that's important to all of us."
Jenkins is glad to have the cooperation of the surrounding counties in programs like this, being able to reach out whenever something happens, like the recent letter scam, and connecting with our elder citizens to let them know what is happening and how to stop it.
"The second one is the officers in our schools, which is through a grant. The School Resource Officers, a C.O.P.S. grant that many agencies are able to take advantage of. This allows us to place officers in the schools.
"It's made a huge difference. It's a prevention program. It's been awesome for our kids," he said.
Jenkins also notes that it makes it easier for the community's youths to not only be more comfortable going to an officer if trouble occurs, but it also makes it easier for those same youngsters to make different choices in their lives, knowing that officers are there to help if they need it.
"It's a relationship. It's not just a job," he said. "People know that they can come and talk to you, and that you're not just there for a limited amount of time. They know you live in the area, that your family is here, and that you're available. It makes a huge difference. That's one of the ways of solving crime - being able to work together is the key."
"You always have that chalkboard, looking at changes, getting information from other areas and adding it to what you already know," Jenkins said. "The biggest thing that I enjoy is the change that you can bring. I want this to be the last place that our residents come - when they come to us, it's usually because there's a problem that everyone has to solve.
"We want the same things in 2012. It's personal - but it concerns the entire community and my staff. I just want to continue to serve Jasper County, and continue to be there for our residents," he said. "I'm committed because the citizens have committed themselves to me. Your heart has to be in what you want to do. I'm in this, heart and soul. The word is commitment, for me. I've always cherished my time here, and hope to continue that."