Who will be the next sheriff in Cayuga County?
Lt. Brian Schenck believes it should be him; and after Sheriff David Gould announced that he would not seek re-election – Schenck stepped up to the plate. On Wednesday, he visited the FingerLakes1.com studio where he discussed his campaign, local issues around policing, and how he aims to continue improving community relations.
“I think it’s important that we continue focusing on developing relationships with local youth,” he explained, touting the importance of programs involving students. “Talk to them when they’re young, engage with them, and I’ve seen firsthand how it can benefit a community in the long-term.”
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He says the focus on building community and developing relationships at a young age is precisely what motivated him to run for sheriff when Sheriff Gould announced his exit. “I think the decision itself came as a surprise to most-everyone in the community, but this is also something that I’ve thought about, and envisioned myself doing for a long time.” He recalled being on road patrol during his early days in law enforcement, and how important that was in creating his drive toward this day.
One of the less-glamorous aspects of the job that he wishes to improve upon after November’s election improving patrol efforts to target speeders. “I’ve heard from a lot of residents who are concerned about people speeding on their streets and in their neighborhoods.”
While he wants to also focus his energy on create a full-slate solution to the opiate epidemic, Schenck noted that change won’t come overnight. “This is a problem that we’ve been dealing with for a number of years; and we have to do some educating.” Among the areas that he believes could improve the opiate crisis – beyond simply making arrests – are better treatment options, more community involvement through programs to prevent recidivism. “I think we really need to educate – so people understand that addiction can begin through a number of ways – even legal prescriptions – if not managed appropriately.”
Listen to his entire conversation with Josh Durso on Inside the FLX, where he details the steps he plans to take as the next sheriff of Cayuga County in this week’s Sunday Conversation.
‘Sunday Conversation’ is your weekly destination to learn a little more about the headlines here on FingerLakes1.com. We’re all busy, and long-form content simply isn’t always sensible. That’s why we’ll be bringing it to our readers every Sunday morning, when things are a little less hectic. It will feature interviews from Inside the FLX, which is hosted by FL1 News Director Josh Durso.
