Wednesday, November 25, 2015

Moving Right Along

The Missouri Justice Project is still several months ahead of the original schedule I had set up. And yet, I feel like I should be moving faster. 

I was blessed to get to sit down with one of Holt County's retired sheriffs on November 16, and it was a terrific interview. He had to weather three major environmental disasters in his first two years in office. No sooner had the county began to recover from one than it seemed another was flowing over the horizon or raining from the skies. The transcription is nearly completed on this interview. I will be sending it back for final review before printing the copy to be donated. 

Last night, I was able to sit down with one of Nodaway County's retired sheriffs, one of the very few, if not the only one, to have served more than three terms. I am eager to begin transcribing that interview and making it a part of the Nodaway County archives. 


I stand amazed at the large-scale issues these men have had to deal with in their terms as office, and how they have handled themselves with such courage and professionalism in the midst of such challenges. Each of them credits the men and women who have served as their deputies, dispatchers, and administrative staff. They all felt a strong sense of "family" to the people in the department, and took their responsibilities to their counties very seriously. 
A common thread through all the interviews so far is the sheriffs' fondness for working for and with people, even when their decisions are unpopular. Dealing with people daily is the one aspect of the job they miss the most.