In law enforcement, there's a tendency to view the public with a “Us vs. Them” mentality. In fact, the police serve the communities in which they work. Fifty years ago, the job was all about locking up bad guys, but now we have to take a broader perspective. Officers have to be involved in the community; they have to be problem-solvers not just ticket-writers. Make no mistake, I’m going to enforce the law and lock up the bad guys, but I’m also going to do more. I’m going to form strong partnerships with private sector entities as well as vital governmental institutions, like the Department of Social Services, Older Adult Services and Friends of Youth. Together, we’re going to see that citizens get the very best service Dare County has to offer.

Balance also means bringing a more proactive approach toward law enforcement. Right now, police work is mostly reactive. We get a 911 call, we respond. A home gets broken into, we take a report. A citizen complains about suspicious activity, we investigate. There will always be a reactive component to police work, but I think we can do better in detecting and deterring problems.

I love Dare County. We have a community here that is rare and precious, and I am committed to protecting that. We've already lost a lot of ground. Gone are the days you could leave your doors unlocked and your keys in the car. What I want to prevent is getting to the point where we're putting bars on windows and metal detectors in the schools. I’m proud to send my own children through Dare County schools, which are some of the best in the state. I’m proud of the generosity of our citizens when it comes to raising money for worthy causes. I’m proud of our clean beaches and the fact that even in a down economy, we remain a favorite destination for folks from all over the world.

I'm committed to keeping Dare County a place where people want to raise families, where they feel safe and where they want to return to visit year after year.