Cass County Sheriff Choose 1
Sheriffs have the authority to enforce laws in cities, towns, and rural areas. Some of their duties include making arrests, enforcing all state and local laws, attending district court, maintaining jail facilities, and serving legal papers.
Biographical Information
Website
http://www.jahner4sheriff.com
Campaign Email
jahner4sheriff@gmail.com
Campaign Phone Number
7012000305
What are your top priorities?
My top priority as Cass County Sheriff will always be public safety. Our community continues to grow rapidly, and with that growth comes an increased risk of criminal activity. As Sheriff I want to ensure that our community will remain a safe place to raise a family. Narcotics trafficking and mental health are also major priorities. A large percentage of those who are housed at the Cass County Jail are dealing with addiction and mental health related issues. These must remain top priorities.
What is the biggest issue facing the sheriff’s department right now?
Recruitment and retention of correctional officers at the Cass County Jail remains one of the most significant challenges facing our office. The jail is the backbone of the criminal justice system. If the jail is not staffed appropriately it impacts the entire public safety system. Like many agencies we are competing for a smaller pool of applicants. The demanding and dangerous nature of the work and accompanying responsibilities as it relates to compensation contribute to hiring challenges.
What is your assessment of the department’s budget, and is there any room for improvement?
My approach to budgeting starts with communication with our communities and residents. Listening to their concerns about crime and quality of life shapes my priorities. From their I make sure that we have the right staffing, equipment and resources to address those needs. I believe that our budget is currently sufficient but with a statewide 3% tax cap moving forward and with the rapid growth of our communities strategic planning and fiscal responsibility will have to remain at the forefront.
How would you describe your leadership style, and how does that qualify you for the position of sheriff?
I would describe my leadership style as experienced, hands-on, and leading from the front. I’ve been fortunate throughout my career to work in nearly every area of law enforcement—corrections, patrol, investigations, narcotics, gang enforcement, SWAT, and training. I’ve also led and managed resources during critical incidents. That experience has provided me with the understanding of the challenges facing law enforcement and has help prepare me to make sound decisions related to public safety.
What would you do to maintain trust between law enforcement and county residents?
Trust starts with accountability and transparency. When mistakes happen, we don’t hide from them—we address them directly and we hold our people accountable. That’s critical to maintaining credibility with the public. The second piece is building relationships & collaboration with our community. One of the ways we’ve done that is through our Adopt-a-Community program. This strategy pairs deputies with our rural cities so we can increase communication and come up with crime prevention strategies.