Letter: Portage Sheriff Supports Issue 11 for New Kent Police Building

The purpose of this letter is to convey my support of Issue 11 which establishes a 0.25 percent income tax for the construction of a new safety building for the city of Kent.

As the Sheriff of Portage County with 44 years in law enforcement, 18 of those years as a Kent Police officer, I understand the importance of having the proper tools, including a facility, to provide safety services to a community.

The current facility was in questionable condition when I served as an officer and as I have had the occasion to return there for various reasons, I find it to be not only outdated in its layout but it is structurally to a point of disrepair.

A new safety building, in my opinion, brings with it many advantages to the citizens of the city of Kent. The new facility will improve service delivery and response times due to a more efficient layout and state of the art technology. Citizens will see more efficient use of tax dollars because of lower operational and maintenance costs. Based on the information I have seen, provisions for a larger, safer lobby, improved holding cells, private interview rooms, and a public community room will serve your safety forces as well as the community as a whole. Lastly, given the recent economic development in your city, a new safety building would complement that new development and be a source of pride for the entire community.

As your Sheriff and as someone who appreciates an excellent working relationship with the Kent police department, I encourage you to please vote "Yes" on Issue 11.

David W. Doak
Portage County Sheriff