Sheriff Marty Boyd to file for re-election

Craighead County Sheriff Marty Boyd officially announced recently he would be seeking re-election to the office of Sheriff of Craighead County.

Marty Boyd

Boyd, a lifelong resident of Craighead County, has spent almost 25 years with the Sheriff's office, the last two as sheriff. He will be running for his second term as the county's top law enforcement officer.

"I cannot express my gratitude to the people of Craighead County for the confidence they have placed in me, and I pray that I have repaid that confidence with the type of leadership and vision for this department that we promised when we first asked for the job. I have an incredible team of very talented law enforcement officers and support staff, and we are eager to continue our service to the people of Craighead County," Boyd said.

During his initial campaign in 2012, Boyd committed to increased transparency, better efficiency, more education and fiscal responsibility. Boyd says he and his staff have worked very hard to deliver on those commitments.

"The past two years have been extremely busy," Boyd said. "Since we took office, we have implemented several practices and policies to affect the changes we promised during the campaign.

"Early on, we restructured the department to allow more resources to be put into increased patrols throughout the county. This was a critical platform in our campaign and one of our highest priorities. We secured additional GIF grants to purchase equipment that the department needed, and it allowed us to make those purchases without placing additional burden on the county's budget.

"Safety has always been a concern anytime that an inmate leaves the grounds of the Detention Center. That is why we implemented video court sessions originating from the Detention Center, not only making for better security, but also decreasing transportation costs to and from the Courthouse. We also increased security at the Courthouse by utilizing off-duty detention officers and deputies.

"Sometimes circumstances and bad choices can lead to what seems to be a never-ending cycle. Our goal is to help people in trouble, who desire to do so, move past their previous mistakes and go on to lead productive lives. That's why we started a work release program that allows non-violent offenders to retain their job if they have gainful employment while still serving their jail time. For those who qualify and are willing, this makes a tremendous difference in how they recover from their circumstances."

Boyd, a long-time proponent of DARE, is also proud of new continuing education efforts geared toward the youth of Craighead County. "We started 'Smart Choices' in our DARE schools; 'Smart Choices' is a continuing drug and alcohol awareness and education program geared toward 7th graders," Boyd said.

In addition, Boyd pointed out that his office has started generating a new monthly reporting mechanism to the Quorum Court and the media to increase transparency about the department's practices, activities and services. "Information and communication are critical components of a successful organization," Boyd said. "For that reason, we are in the process of building and launching a new web page with information important to the general public, and it will have a feature where citizens can sign up to receive alerts and updates via their smart phone or email."

Boyd also said that the department is in the process of working with other agencies to allow fines to be paid at the Detention Center so that multiple stops are not necessary for people needing to pay fines and get back to their personal business. "We're trying to make things more efficient," Boyd said. "If we can streamline the payment process, it's better on the individual paying and the agency receiving the money."

"We've accomplished a lot, but we have a lot left we'd like to do," Boyd said. "Unfortunately we have a job that seemingly will never end, but that doesn't mean we don't work with the kind of tenacity and determination it will take to eradicate crime if we could.

"I have never been more excited about being a part of Craighead County law enforcement than I am right now. The technology available to us, the level of experience and education we have in the department, and the support of the citizens that we currently enjoy has created an environment where we can accomplish a lot for the people we serve. I hope and trust they are going to give me an opportunity to continue to do just that."