Walker County Sheriff Nick Smith was sworn in Tuesday for his second term.
The swearing-in ceremony was held at the Walker County Courthouse by District Judge Henry Allred.
Smith said his office has several things to focus on in throughout 2023. Mental health, upgraded radio communications, fentanyl awareness, peer support training, and accreditation are among the focus of 2023 for the Walker County Sheriff’s Office, Smith said in a Facebook post Tuesday evening.
“Mental Health affects law-enforcement more today than it every has,” he said. “Over the last year, we began to focus more on the mental health of our deputies, as well as the community. Continuous training classes have helped deputies recognize and handle mental health issues in the community, and mental health counseling is now available for every single inmate that is booked into the jail.
Radio communications were a part of Smith’s five-year plan.
“We are currently in the process of upgrading radio coverage for safety reasons,” he said. “Many parts of Walker County are rural, and cell phone towers are required for communications. It’s no secret that there are a lot of reception dead spots in the county, which is a huge problem. This is an expensive and time-consuming process, but we hope to have it complete in the near future.
Smith said early in his first term, the county saw some of the lowest numbers for drug overdoses; however, the use of Fentanyl has made its way to Walker County, as it has across the country.
“This horrible drug has caused those numbers to rise again. This year, we plan to have more community and school outreach to bring awareness to Fentanyl use and the dangers,” Smith added.
Peer support for law-enforcement is important due to the number of traumatic experiences that they deal with, Smith said.
“It helps to have the support of other law-enforcement officers who are trained in helping combat those situations. In 2023, we will be hosting classes and training to equip deputies to have this knowledge,” he said.
Over the last four years, the Walker County Sheriff’s Office and Walker County Jail have been working toward receiving accreditation. Smith said they are having an on-site review this month.
A new pay is for his department is another goal for Smith.
“We appreciate the five percent increase in pay that the Walker County Sheriff’s Office received in 2022. We look forward to working with the Walker County Commission to achieve a living wage that is level with other law enforcement agencies across the state,” he said.
Also this year, the sheriff’s office is planning to restart its DARE program! The DARE program is a benefit to school students in raising awareness for drug abuse, and providing resources to combat addiction.
“Every organization and agency has its growing pains, but we are committed to having a standard of excellence,” Smith said. “A better agency means better protection, which leads to a safer home for all of us.”
During Tuesday’s in a ceremony Smith was surrounded by his family, friends and members of the WCSO. Several local ministers laid hands on Smith and prayed for him.
“I believe in prayer, and I ask for the prayers from our community,” Smith said.
