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Sheriff Alexander talks about last year in office
ASHLEY C. HEENEY
Legal News Reporter
Published: December 9, 2011
Summit County Sheriff Drew Alexander doesn’t think his Nov. 28 announcement to not run after serving three terms is that big of a deal, but what happens in the next year could mean a sea of change for the county.
Alexander told the Legal News he has spent his 12 years as sheriff making programming stronger, creating a top of the line command staff, and that his goals for the office in his last 12 months of the job is to continue that.
A new sheriff, he said, could potentially do a clean sweep and start over.
Alexander, 66, originally said he would run for a fourth term, but changed his mind after considering the facts at hand and consulting with close friends.
“I don’t want to be in my 70s sitting in this chair,” he said from his office desk in the Summit County Safety Building in downtown Akron.
“You know, I’ve never had opposition before and when (Frank) Martucci and (Steve) Barry announced they would run, I was disappointed in both of them. My mind felt neither one were the right fit for this office.”
However Alexander said he would endorse his former chief.
“I wasn’t going to do any endorsements, but the way things came out with (Alex) Arshinkoff, I decided I would,” Alexander, a Republican, said about the GOP chairman asking him to step down to put up someone new as sheriff.
“When I talked to (Garry) Moneypenny about running, he said, ‘yes I would be interested in that.’”
As of the 4 p.m. deadline at the Summit County Board of Elections, for the 2012 primary election, Moneypenny, a Democrat and veteran cop who won an elected seat to Akron City Council in November, did not file to run. Randy Rivers, a Republican, filed to contest Martucci and Barry in the primary.
Alexander said he put a lot of thought into not seeking a fourth term.
“I met with friends, and (Larry) Givens said, ‘you’ve paid your dues.’
“When we first started this journey, Givens and I talked about it, because the sheriff’s office at that time was a mess. I thought about it and said I’d just do one term. Here I am – finishing my third term.”
On midnight Dec. 31, 2012, a new sheriff will take over, Alexander said.
For the next 12 months, the sheriff said he has solid goals.
“The people we wanted in our command positions are there, the people we have in place – it’s the best I’ve ever had. Unless the county gives me more money and I can get their salaries up and hire more people, that’s the best I can do.”
“My upper management, command staff level people are as good as they get. I would match my command staff with any in the state of Ohio. The last group of captains we promoted are destined to be great commanders.
“This is the best management team I’ve had with (Bill) Holland, (Brad) Whitfield, Gary James. The only downfall we’ve had is we’ve not been able to pay employees what they’re worth.”
“This next year I’ll work to get more money for my civilian employees,” Alexander said, adding that employees are leaving to take jobs elsewhere that pay more money.
Another goal is to continue to address the mental health issues at the jail.
“I want to work real hard to get that corrected, DOJ (Department of Justice) representatives are coming in to study mental health program and evaluate them for three days. We’re giving her cart blanche mental health access to the jail.
“I’ve made it a goal of getting local ministers involved and have educated them on mental health issues. So we’re getting word out that this is barbaric treatment, when you don’t have money. If you have money, you get good mental health treatment. If you don’t you go to jail. Especially the minority groups, they’re taking it back to their congregation. It’s inhumane how they treat these people.
“The tendency of some of the media is to look at the negative side. People just know somebody died and ask how was he treated (by deputies),” Alexander said. “We still have a black eye from (the death of mentally ill inmate Mark) McCullough because some people will never believe he died from a heart attack.
“All of these causes – he’s going to have to pick up this flag and carry it for me,” he said of a new sheriff.
Alexander said with his staff, the sheriff’s office is short 30 sworn personnel and short about 15 civilian positions.
On a positive note, Alexander said a recent success is the Sheriff’s Citizens Academy one night a week at the sheriff’s training center in Green, where people can learn what the office is all about. “Most people are pretty impressed with the sheriff’s office.”
Within the coming year, a handful of staff will also be retiring, including Director of Administration Bud Darrah, Alexander’s longtime administrative assistant Bev Dial, former APD Sergeant Tom Hooper, who is in the sheriff’s patrol division, and others.
“I’ve been offered several jobs while I’ve been sheriff, one was in Chicago,” Alexander said. “I don’t plan to relocate, but you never say never. Right now I have no plans on working.
“It’s never been a job to me. I’ve always just loved being a cop. I’d love to start all over again.”
*This story was updated on the web Dec. 8.