As Pierce County data shows more incidents of violent crime and fewer residents feeling safe , voters have a choice of new leadership for the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department.
Current, one-term Sheriff Ed Troyer is not seeking reelection, clearing the path for 35-year PCSD veteran Patti Jackson and 33-year-old Seattle Police veteran Keith Swank to run for the office. Swank and Jackson were the top-two vote getters in the August primary.
Hiring struggles for law enforcement deputies that have hampered other law enforcement agencies have been less so in Pierce County where vacancies dropped from 50 last year to around a dozen today. Jackson sees that due to a culture, she would continue.
“People are coming to work for the sheriff’s department because they can see that we’re making a difference.” Jackson said, “It’s an agency where we can do police work. You’re supported to do police work and you’re supported in making a difference for the community members that we serve currently.”