On a crisp January morning, scores of Clay County residents, politicians, business leaders and well-wishers crowded into the small historic courthouse to witness a process laden with tradition and significance. Huddled in the vintage courtroom with a panoramic view of the canopy of oaks outside, the crowd stands respectfully as the Pledge of Allegiance is spoken and an invocation is given. On this day, Clay County Sheriff Michelle Cook, dressed smartly in her Class A uniform, places one hand on the family Bible held by husband Don as he looks at her with unmasked pride. With the Sheriff’s right hand raised in a pledge, Clay County Circuit Judge Steven Whittington administers the oath of office and Michelle Cook officially enters her second term as the Sheriff of Clay County.
As the Sheriff posed for photos and accepted the congratulations of many, we took the opportunity to speak to some of the crowd about their expectations of the re-elected sheriff. One guest expressed appreciation for Sheriff Cook’s dedication to the people of Clay County. “She’s everywhere,” shared the young lady. “If you need her to visit your HOA to talk about making your neighborhood safer, she’ll find a way to do it. If you need help making your church safer, she has a team for that. Worried about safety at your child’s school? She steps up and addresses your concerns. Our county is growing very quickly and I’m glad that Sheriff Cook understands and addresses the challenges that come with that growth.” Orange Park Police Chief Randy Case added, “As I look around this room today, I recognize that we’re very fortunate to have great leadership in Clay County. We live and work in a great place.”
As the crowd begins to disperse, we manage to pull Sheriff Cook’s husband Don to the side to ask him for some inside perspective on life with the Sheriff—specifically what he is most proud of. “Her tenacity and hard work for the citizens of Clay County is without question. She genuinely cares about her deputies and employees as well as the people who live here. Her goal has always been to leave Clay County better that she found it, so she stays focused. She works her plan and factors into that plan the unexpected—the fiscal challenges, natural disasters, etc.”
Soon, the Sheriff completes her obligations of the morning and spends a few moments with us discussing her priorities in this second term. “We have a multi-prong approach to addressing the needs in Clay County in the coming year. First, when it comes to addressing growth, we will remain steadfast in our commitment to provide high-level public service. Specifically, we will focus on implementing process efficiencies, utilize SMART technology, and stay committed to hiring and retaining quality personnel. We will also continue to build and foster genuine and productive relationships in the community. We will do this by maintaining trust, ensuring transparency, and following through with our processes and commitments. Another area of priority is to continue to reduce crime and the fear of crime. We do this by practicing flexible resource management, understanding the issues and challenges we face, and addressing concerns quickly.”
When we point out to the sheriff that these are admirable goals, but that they are also a heavy lift, she smiles and states, “These are more than goals—they are priorities. It is definitely going to take hard work and cooperation between the Sheriff’s Office and the community, but if we recruit and retain top-notch men and women, then we have a strong foundation. If we hold ourselves accountable to maintain transparency with tools like body-worn cameras, then we build trust and show the residents that we stand with them. When we tackle the huge tasks like addressing critical deficiencies in our facilities, we lay the foundation for a better future and provide our future law enforcement leaders the tools that they will need for success. Our current leadership understands that we cannot be focused narrowly on today’s challenges—we have to measure today’s decisions against tomorrow’s impact.”
As the historic courthouse empties and the crowd disperses, it is obvious on the faces of those in attendance that the future of Clay County is bright. While we will certainly face challenges that are both seen and unseen, it is comforting to know that we have a Sheriff who is committed to doing just what her husband observed—leaving Clay County better than she found it.