Fielding questions from the fair

I love the fair!  My wife Rosie knows that when its fair week, I’ll be gone from open to close.  It’s something I’ve always loved working.   
I had many questions asked of me this past week:
• Why aren’t you standing in your booth?
• Why are you here day and night – you’re the boss?
• Why are you wearing a brown shirt and not white? 
First, I’ll answer the question about the booth.  I think it’s important for our office to have deputies working the booth that have very good people skills, especially with children. The two deputies that we had working the booth this year (School Resource Deputy Dave Skadson and Investigator Bob Morris) are excellent with kids – the best.  They are our best public relations deputies we have when it comes to kids and families.  I hear nothing but compliments from the public when they are working.  While I do pretty well with the public, I would much rather be mobile throughout the fairgrounds, visiting with people and responding to calls throughout the fairgrounds to help people.  I can’t sit still very long – just not my personality, especially at the fair.
Second question – Why are you hear day and night.  While I spent five days and nights here at the fair this year, it certainly wasn’t because our deputies needed me there. We have deputies that have just as much if not more experience than I have working the fair.  I do it because I really enjoy the fair!  Our deputies that work the fair also do it because they really enjoy it.  As sheriff, I spend a great deal of time in the office and at meetings.  Fair week gives me the chance to get out and visit with the public – see old friends, make new ones, and spend hours visiting with the people we serve.  It also gives me a great opportunity to get feedback from the community on how we are doing, what the public likes, what they don’t like, areas of concern, etc.  Rosie will tell you that for me the fair is also a big social event, a reunion of friends that I look forward to every summer – plus a chance for me to hang out with our great patrol staff.   
The last question – Why are you wearing a brown shirt and not white?  Typically, law enforcement administration in Minnesota wears white shirts.  The white shirt signifies rank, typically captains and higher.  I recognize there is a level of expectation for my position when it comes to certain meetings, formal events, funerals, court, etc.  Our chief deputy wears white because he spends a great deal of time in court.  My neighboring sheriff’s all wear white and I have the utmost respect for them – but with all due respect to the position and office I hold, I’m really not a fan of the white shirt.  I don’t like the perception of separation between patrol and administration.  
White shirts versus brown shirts.  We’re all on the same team with the same goal.  If I’m out in the public working with the deputies, whether it’s on patrol or at an event, I don’t need people to know I’m any different than the rest of the men and women working the event.  We all take the same risks when we put on the vest and badge.  I often use Sgt. Karlen as an example when talking about supervisors.  I worked on his night shift for many years.  He was a sergeant who never needed to remind anyone on his shift that he was the supervisor – he always led by example and was always there to help and advise.  He was always the first one out the door to help with calls, regardless of the type of call or situation.  He was always the first one to offer to help if you needed it.  Whether it was something at work or at home, you knew you could always count on him for help.  When you asked him a question he couldn’t answer, he’d admit it and find the answer for you.  The point is, Sgt. Karlen was one of those leaders who never needed to wear chevrons on his shirt or collar to remind everyone of his rank – everyone knew he was the supervisor and they all respected him.  He earned that respect by his actions. 
My goal is to lead by example, as Sgt. Karlen has always done as a sergeant here.  When I go out to help with patrol or help at the fair or other events, I’m there to help.  I’m not out there as the sheriff, I’m out there as another deputy serving our communities.  I’m the extra deputy to help where needed.  I love the opportunity to go out and help our men and women patrolling our communities.  I don’t need a white shirt to show everyone I’m the sheriff.  This also gives me the opportunity to observe firsthand how the sergeants are handling their crew and how they are supervising – also how our patrol staff is interacting with the public.  It gives me the chance to see firsthand how our patrol staff is working.  It also gives me a chance to see if there are areas we can improve on, whether it’s equipment issues or training issues.  I can’t be a good leader for this office if I don’t know what our deputies are dealing with on the streets. 
For those that know me, you know I’m not a formal guy. When I’m in the office and not scheduled for meetings that day, you’ll likely find me in a soft uniform – khaki pants and a sheriff’s office polo or button down shirt, a soft uniform that I think makes me more approachable with the visiting public.
Our responsibility as administration is to help train and build up our younger staff so they are ready to take over and run the office after we are gone – to help build tomorrow’s leaders.  If we don’t lead by example, we’ll fail to set them up for success in the future.    
Thanks to all who stopped by and greeted us during the fair and the dozens of people who stopped to shake our deputies hands and thank them for their service.   We appreciate the trust you’ve placed in us to keep your communities safe and will continue to do our very best to exceed your expectations. 
 
Your Sheriff,
Scott     
 
Scott Rose has been sheriff since 2015. His column appears in this newspaper frequently and is also available on the sheriff’s website in the sheriff’s blog section.