Tom commands attention when he walks into a room, but more importantly, he has earned the respect he is given. Two months before Election Day 2013, I joined the Dougherty for Sheriff campaign.
I wasted no time revamping the website and wrote every word of copy that went to press. The race was tight. Emotions ran high. The community was divided between keeping the old guard or bringing in the new.
Spoiler alert. He won.
And, he’s still the sheriff.
The Candidate
The Final Word
The following op-ed, written by yours truly, was printed in the Livingston County News on 11/01/2013, four days before the election. Our opponent didn’t break up his content with headers like we did. I’d like to think that’s why we won. (Let a girl dream).
New Sheriff in Town
After Tom was sworn into office, I wrote some short copy for the Sheriff’s Department webpage.
Law enforcement must respect the people that we serve. When we work together and keep the lines of communication open, we can achieve our primary common goal: public safety. As your Sheriff, I am fully committed to running this office with fairness and serving all of you equally with dignity, as I have since the first day I was sworn in as a police officer.
Thomas J. Dougherty, Sheriff of Livingston County
Livingston County Website
We represent the highest order of law enforcement in Livingston County and answer directly to the people. We are, therefore, subject to the highest standards of communication, fiscal responsibility, and moral codes. We are honored to uphold the values that each community member holds near and dear to their hearts. We are oriented to the community that we serve to provide the best in public safety. We believe strongly in open communication and transparency.
Thomas J. Dougherty, Sheriff of Livingston County
Livingston County Website, Sheriff’s Department page