BENTONVILLE — The chaos was mostly controlled at the Benton County Sheriff ’s Office on Tuesday as Sheriff Kelley Cradduck took his oath of office just after midnight and began implementing his vision for the department’s future.
Cradduck and some others took their oaths from County Judge Bob Clinard. Circuit Judge Doug Schrantz held swearing-in ceremonies for other Sheriff ’s Office employees at 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. Tuesday. Schrantz encouraged the deputies and other employees to keep a positive outlook in their work and their dealings with the public.
At A Glance
New Sheriff
Benton County Sheriff Kelley Cradduck said he wants a commitment to service to form the foundation for his office and its employees:
Purpose Statement:
The Benton County Sheriff's Office exists to keep people safe from crime and ensure peace of mind. We serve as humble guardians of our communities, protecting the sacred trust placed in us by those we serve.
Core Values
• People - We believe all people should be valued as fellow employees or inmates.
• Relationships - We believe teamwork is vital and best accomplished through building strong, trust-based relationships throughout our organization and across the community.
• Leadership - We believe that great things can only be achieved by people who are willing to take the lead and influence others toward worthy goals.
• Competence - We believe every member of the BCSO should be working toward world-class performance in their particular role.
• Courage - We believe in facing each day with bravery and compassion, willingly sacrificing our comfort and even our lives to protect those we serve.
SOURCE: Benton County Sheriff's Office
“You are given a fairly awesome responsibility, you are charged with enforcing our laws,” Schrantz said. “But you are also charged with serving the people of Benton County. That is the most important thing. That great responsibility comes with the ideal of service.”
Schrantz offered the deputies one bit of advice based on his experience as a judge.
“It’s been my experience that the officers who met the public with a smile and a kind word I saw less frequently in my court,” he said. “So I challenge you to keep that in mind as you meet the public.”
Cradduck moved into his new office Tuesday and many other employees shifted into new responsibilities, all while ensuring the daily routine of the Sherift ’s Office went undisturbed. Cradduck said he’s met with most of the department’s employees, has set most of his top administrators and will be meeting with those administrators and others in the department over the next few weeks and months to develop the priorities for the new administration.
“The captains and majors and I have been speaking about this and we’ve developed a list of projects and changes we’d like to implement,” Cradduck said. “We’ll have a staff meeting Thursday and we are going to prioritize these projects.”
Cradduck said he plans to form a gang suppression unit. He also said he will ask the Benton County Quorum Court to support his idea for school resource officers. He said he’s already put into motion the formation of an employee’s committee to involve people from all parts of the Sheriff ’s Office.
“We are putting together a committee that will include a member from every section and division of the Sheriff ’s Office, including civilians,” Cradduck said. “What I want is for the committee to be a ‘sounding board’ for the sheriff on decisions that directly effect the employees. Things like uniforms, shift changes and policy changes. There are some decisions you have to make yourself, those are always going to be there, but for a lot of things it will be easier if you can get input from the people involved.”
Cradduck said he plans to ask the Quorum Court to approve his planned changes in the department command structure. He said he plans to eliminate the position of chief deputy and instead have two majors reporting to the sheriff. One of these administrators, Maj. Shawn Holloway, will oversee the patrol division, the criminal investigation division and the special operations unit. The second administrator, Maj. Rob Holley, will oversee the jail and administration.
Cradduck said he’s also planning to switch to 12-hour shifts, which will reduce the number of supervisors needed and give employees more regular and consecutive days off . He said he hopes to implement those changes in February and review them after six months. He said the 12-hour shifts would be one change he would submit to the employee’s committee for their recommendation.
"I think he's going to be very proactive. We're going to take this county and make it a better place. I can feel it. This morning, for the first time in a long time, I put on my uniform and was excited about coming to work."
Addie Coggin
Deputy
“The reorganization will be a process,” Cradduck said. “It will take time, but I believe it will make things more efficient up and down the chain of command.”
Deputy Addie Coggin has worked in the Benton County Jail for five years. She said Tuesday the rank and file employees are looking forward to watching the department move forward. She said the transition period between Cradduck winning the election in May and his actually taking office was difficult.
“I can’t tell you how excited I am about this,” she said. “All of the employees can take a deep breath and relax now, knowing we’re going to be taken care of and everything is going to be OK.”
Coggin said she is impressed with Cradduck’s energy and positive ideas.
“I think he’s going to be very proactive,” she said. “We’re going to take this county and make it a better place. I can feel it. This morning, for the fi rst time in a long time, I put on my uniform and was excited about coming to work.”
Deputy Robert Crowe has 12 years experience with the Benton County Sheriff ’s Office, having started working for former Sheriff Andy Lee. Crowe said he’s also looking forward to change in the department. He said he’s working on getting the employee’s committee together and believes the new sheriff will accept comments and criticism from within the department.
“I think this is going to be a great year, with new ideas,” Crowe said. “The sheriff has said he wants the deputies to be proud to work here, and I’m looking forward. I’m looking forward to being a part of everything.”