Nora O'NeillGainesville Sun
Chad Scott is running for Alachua County sheriff and will face two challengers in the Aug. 20 Democratic primary.
Q&A
Q: How would your background in law enforcement influence your decisions as Alachua County sheriff? What have you learned and how will you use it?
A: From my early days as a patrol officer to my tenure as Chief of Police of Alachua, my career in law enforcement has been deeply rewarding and diverse. I've served in nearly every capacity in law enforcement available — on the midnight shift, in narcotics, as a school resource officer, Chief in Alachua, and eventually in leadership roles within the Sheriff's Office. These experiences have endowed me with a comprehensive understanding of both the operational and administrative aspects of law enforcement.
I’m the only candidate who has worked their way up through the ranks to Chief. I am the only candidate who has run their own police department. I helped create the criminal justice program at Newberry High School and I am the only candidate who taught high school criminal justice. Each of these experiences has made me better prepared and able to serve as your next Sheriff.
This varied background has taught me the importance of proactive community policing, robust officer training, and the crucial integration of mental health resources. As Sheriff, I’ll leverage this knowledge to enhance our department’s effectiveness and nurture stronger, more resilient community relations, ensuring that our approaches are not only responsive but deeply connected to the needs of the community we serve. I believe we need empathy and caring to do this job.
Q: What is your plan for dealing with homelessness in the area? What do you believe the sheriff's office’s role should be when it comes to homelessness?
A: I've seen firsthand how community issues like homelessness can deeply affect public safety, however, it is a complex issue that transcends the capabilities of law enforcement alone; it requires a compassionate, multifaceted approach in cooperation with all other stakeholders in the county. We cannot talk about homelessness without talking about the mental health crisis. We have to work to find resources outside of the justice system because jail is not a solution for mental illness..
As Sheriff, I plan to collaborate with local government agencies, non-profit organizations, mental health providers, and housing services to address the underlying causes. But we have to go further. One of the most important things we can do is work with the county on implementing a robust re-entry program that will provide support such as job training, mental health treatment, and stable housing options. This is one of my top priorities. These programs are designed not only to reduce recidivism — which keeps the public safe — but assists in the successful reintegration of individuals into society. If an individual can find housing when they are released from jail, their chances of recidivism drastically decrease, along with their chances of ending up homelessness.
A lot of attention has been paid to the free jail phone calls, however, maintaining relationships with family and loved ones outside the jail is one of the key indicators in recidivism. We have to recognize that reducing recidivism also reduces homelessness.
Q: What would you do differently than the current Alachua County sheriff?
A: I have known Emery Gainey for years and have served with him in several different capacities. I campaigned for him when he ran against Sadie Darnell and helped him knock doors. But I also know he went to Tallahassee and served Attorney General Ashley Moody while she carried out the most extreme Republican agenda that this state has ever seen, including attacks on women’s rights and voting rights. I do not know what kind of leader he will be if we remove the ‘Interim’ off his name and make his status permanent.
Here is what I plan to do if I am elected:
- I aim to bring a new level of transparency and community involvement to the Sheriff’s Office.
- I plan to introduce comprehensive officer training programs focused on de-escalation and mental health so that we can expand our mental health officers into a full unit.
- Additionally, I will shift our recruitment and retention strategies. Instead of relying on large, temporary signing bonuses that can impact morale, I will focus on enhancing job satisfaction, leadership, and competitive salaries for our proven, existing employees.
- I want to bring more diversity to the Sheriff’s office, so I would keep signing bonuses for women and other under-represented demographics.
- I want to cooperate with the county as they implement a robust re-entry program.
- I want to create a stronger coalition to deal with our gun violence to focus on early intervention.
Q: How will you deal with problems at the jail? What would be your approach to solving the staffing issues at the jail?
A: The challenges at the jail, particularly regarding safety and staffing, are of utmost concern as we have not made progress in this area since the COVID pandemic. Interim Sheriff Gainey has been unable to stabilize jail staffing levels and is still relying on overtime scheduling and overworked employees. His solution has been heavy-handed recruitment bonuses, which often leads to resentment among the employees because new hires are ending up with larger paychecks than experienced employees. This tactic has resulted in high staff turnover, which has exacerbated other issues.
To address staffing issues, I would prioritize retention over recruitment by revising the deputy salary plan to ensure fairness and motivation among our staff.By creating a more equitable system where salary increases reflect experience and service length, we aim to boost morale and encourage long-term careers at the Sheriff's Office. We have to reverse the wage compression. We need to keep and maintain trained staff. These changes will not only make our staff feel valued and fairly compensated but will also improve the overall service delivery and safety at our facilities.
