Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Martin discusses crime

The jail is at the top of the issues facing the Nevada County Sheriffs Office.

Thats the word from sheriffs candidate Danny Martin.

We all know that eventually the jail will be condemned, Martin said.

Martin said he doesnt believe new construction to be an option but said the county missed the opportunity to solve the problem by failing to attract the attention of the state for the construction of a regional prison locally.

Im hoping in the near future the state will build a new prison, Martin said.

He said that if he is sheriff, hell work toward gaining that for the county so that county prisoners can be housed without the expense of housing in another county jail or constructing a new facility.

Another major issue, according to Martin, is the security of the current jail. Martin cited recent incidents involving escapes. While he said the cameras and other efforts recently taken are positive, he said Theres no replacement for monitoring.

Martin cited the fact that the front door of the jail is often open while employees stand outside and that provides easy access in or out.

Aside from the jail, Martin said a lack of compassion is the biggest issue facing the sheriffs office.

What people are telling me is that compassion for the people of Nevada County should be put back into the sheriffs office, Martin said.

He said that doesnt mean that people are excused for violations, but that officer attitudes arent always in line with the situation. Martin said that there are times when a person who has been stopped exhibits an attitude and that officers sometimes have to be firm in order to control that situation, but that a traffic stop doesnt warrant a rude attitude from officers.

Martin said he doesnt believe there should be personnel changes to address this but that departmental changes will be sufficient.

Officer presence is another issue, according to Martin. He said that though gas is expensive, police presence in the more populated rural areas is a must.

The crime doesnt stop at the end of the blacktop, Martin said. People want to see the deputies on the country roads.

On the subject of drugs, Martin said the county has not recently discovered any meth labs and that he believes those operations exist.

I know there are people in the county talking labs, he said.

The answer on this front is to listen to those who are making those reports, according to Martin.

Martin is a graduate of Cale, completed training at the Arkansas Law Enforcement Training Academy in 1998 and has an array of training certificates, including drug intervention and civil process. He is currently seeking his third level of law enforcement training and said he believes training should be an ongoing action.

Martin said campaigning is going well.

Vote for me because Ill bring compassion back to the Nevada County Sheriffs Department, Martin said, adding that compassion has to be united with enforcement. I truly desire to do that. I want to see everyone who lives in Nevada County safe. With the peoples help, Ill be the best that I can be.