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Sheriff John Montgomery is seeking his ninth term as Baxter County Sheriff. With 30+ years of law enforcement experience, he and his seasoned management team have transformed the Baxter County Sheriff’s Office into a premier law enforcement organization of which the Baxter County citizens can be proud.
“I am very proud of the way we have transformed the Baxter County Sheriff’s Office. We are recognized as one of the premier law enforcement agencies, not only in this state but nationally as well. The difference is the teamwork environment and the mindset of our people. Our employees truly care about their Sheriff’s Office and the people they serve.”
Sheriff Montgomery credits the success to five areas:
- Remain true to our guiding principles of fairness and transparency
- Maintain a county-wide strategic vision
- Honor all employees’ contributions to county success
- Enlist the public as our partner
- Leave the Sheriff’s Office better than you found it
Remain true to our guiding principles of fairness and transparency
True to his campaign promise eighteen years ago, Sheriff Montgomery ensures that fairness and impartiality are enforced within the Baxter County Sheriff’s Office. “I believe everyone should be treated equally and fairly, regardless of their race, history, or social background. Our deputies know they can enforce the law equally to all concerned. Good ole boy networks don’t have a place here.”
Maintain a county-wide strategic vision
“I’ve always believed that county government exists solely to serve our citizens. It is the job of all elected officials to focus on not just what improves their own office, but what improves our service to the public.”
Towards that end, Sheriff Montgomery considers the big picture when finding ways to increase revenue and efficiency. He developed an “outside the box” financing method to pay for the detention center expansion (six-month temporary sales tax paid for the project in full instead of the traditional long-term debt approach).
With a $5+ million budget and 90+ employees, Sheriff Montgomery manages the largest county office in Baxter County. He continually finds ways to generate revenue (fees, taxes, etc.) to lessen the burden on other county offices, while funding critical law enforcement services within his office.
Honor all employees’ contributions to county success
The county’s sole purpose is to provide services to its citizens. Law enforcement services require a specialized set of skills that require courage, diplomacy, and split-second decisions. Frustrated by insufficient pay and benefits that forced deputies to move to other agencies just to survive, Sheriff Montgomery worked with the Quorum Court to put the Sheriff’s Office on an even playing field with other law enforcement agencies.
“I applaud the Quorum Court for their leadership in pay and benefits. We know it was the right move because we are receiving more qualified applications than open positions, and for the first time in over a year, we have filled all open positions. Employee morale is at an all-time high; they feel valued and respected.”
Sheriff Montgomery continues to work with the Quorum Court and other elected officials to expand the increased benefits to all county employees in all offices.
Enlist the public as our partner
With an open-door policy and a state-of-the-art website, citizens have access to the inner workings and day-to-day operations of the Office. Email, text messages and social networking keep citizens informed via press releases, inmate rosters, and sex offender status reports. The website also gives citizens a secure and anonymous way to share intelligence tips.
Sheriff Montgomery and the Board developed the Baxter County Sheriff Foundation as a way for charitably minded supporters to make donations for items outside of the normal operating budget. The generous donors make projects such as exercise rooms, employee/children scholarships, bulletproof vests, weapons, and fine collection software possible.
Leave the Sheriff’s Office better than you found it
This mantra has been Sheriff Montgomery’s core value since childhood. He and his team have made significant improvements to office workflows, facilities, and employee compensation and benefits.
From finding ways to compensate victims (Baxter County was the first law enforcement agency in the state to garnish state income tax refunds to pay outstanding fines and restitution; more than $3.2 million in restitution has been paid to the victims) to empowering and honoring his deputies and staff, Sheriff Montgomery is dedicated to making the Baxter County Sheriff’s Office the premier model for law enforcement agencies.
“I respectfully ask for your vote in the May 2022 election. Together, we will find even more ways to enhance the Baxter County Sheriff’s Office.”
