Piscataquis Sheriff’s office operating at full strength
PISCATAQUIS COUNTY– At a time when so many law enforcement agencies are struggling to fill their ranks, there’s one organization that continues to operate at full strength.
Piscataquis County is one of the places where deputies enjoy a close relationship with the people they serve.
The sheriff thinks that’s one of the reasons people still want to serve their communities.
” We have great people in this county and that’s what I credit us with being able to fill our positions,” said Sheriff Robert Young, Piscataquis County.
Young first came to the area in 1984 to pastor a church in Garland. He ended up getting hired by the Sheriff’s Department and has been working here ever since. He believes it’s the support the department receives from the people of the county that makes the job so rewarding.
“I can say literally every week I’ll be stopped in the grocery store or post office and people say I want you to know we appreciate what you’re doing. We have your back. I know if I get into a tussle on the street today there wouldn’t be people standing around with cameras and cheering the other guy on. I would have folks stepping in to give me a hand,” said Young.
He says that support has surprised his deputies that come from other areas. He has about 50 employees between the sheriff’s department and jail. Sheriff Young says some employees choose to work here because they also enjoy the rural setting and recreational opportunities, all while serving their neighbors.
The Sheriff also says “There was a time when public service was honorable and considered a valuable way to spend your life. Serving the town, city or county you’re in and I think we’ve kinda lost that. I think that’s one thing that still works in our county and is still in play.”
“If the dream comes true, they’ll blow out that wall over there?”
“Yes, that wall will come out and there will be another wall built here”
The Department continues to modernize. The county has approved plans to move the dispatch center from the jail to the former sheriff’s home next door. The problem is all the bids came out much higher than was budgeted for the project. They’re reworking the plan and hope to put it back out to bid in the fall.
“So, we have, they told me the only dispatch center, 911 call center that’s in a secure jail. That’s an odd place to be,” said Young.
In the meantime, the sheriff and his staff will continue to be there for the local residents and fighting the drug problem that can be linked to many other crimes. He says it will take a change in our values as a culture to stop the drug epidemic and a lot of other crimes that stem from addiction.
“ Until we figure out why as a culture we want to inject ourselves with poison, we’re not going to solve it,” says the Sheriff.
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