Log In


Reset Password
Opinion Editorial Cartoons Op-Ed Editorials Letters to the Editor

Schirard is a proven leader who cares

I am proud to have served as your undersheriff for the last four years. I have 33 years of law-enforcement experience, the last 27 of those years at the La Plata County Sheriff’s Office. When Duke ran in 1994, I certainly had my reservations. I did not really know Duke personally, but I knew he was gruff around the edges and very opinionated.

Duke was the Bayfield marshal at that time, I was a sergeant for LPCSO and we had crossed paths on a professional working level. When Duke defeated Bill Gardner, who was then sheriff and whom I had worked for since 1987, I was nervous and uncertain of my future with LPCSO. Unlike a lot of the employees who resigned before Duke took over, I decided to stick around and see who this person was, now my new boss, and chief law-enforcement officer in La Plata County.

Twenty years later, I am very glad I stuck around and got to know Duke better as a person but, more importantly, as a leader and sheriff. Duke has taught me a lot about managing a sheriff’s office and working with the community. While, yes, he still comes across as gruff at times, he very much cares about this community.

He expects his deputies to treat everyone with professionalism and respect. One of Duke’s most important leadership lessons he has taught me is to surround yourself with very capable and professional leaders, department members and to include civilian staff. Take a look at the deputies who protect our courthouse, our detention facility, our investigations units and our streets.

This is an area of expertise and leadership where Duke has been very successful. Duke has proven his locality and commitment to the residents of this county, regardless of where they live. I am proud to have served under his leadership and for this community. I hope you will join me in supporting him for another four years.

David Griggs

Bayfield



Reader Comments