Tina Taviano is one of the Democratic candidates running for the Democratic nomination for Allen County Sheriff, here is her platform

IT'S TIME for:

*County-City Combined Services. This means combining certain areas of both the city and county police departments. These areas include training facilities, communication (911), as well as certain maintenance facility components. As time goes on, she has also expressed great interest in sharing facilities with the city police department. This will allow Fort Wayne to respond more effective in the case of any disaster, natural or man-made. Tina isn't talking about UniGov, and certainly not "brown shirts and blue pants." With regard to Mayor Richard's latest UniGov proposal, since she has not examined his plan (since it is still being developed with public input), she has not yet taken a stance on it. However, she still feels strongly that the comibing of certain public safety services should continue regardless of the Mayor's proposal.

*Fiscal Responsibility. This means saving both city and county residents' tax dollars. Tina will call upon her years of administrative experience, as well as her Bachelor's degree in Business, and Master's in Public Affairs to bring the best business strategies to the Sheriff's department. Furthermore, by combining certain services with the city and county, the collective bargaining power of the two agencies will be increased. Both the departments will be able to receive lower bids on necessary equipment, and will be able to reduce duplication in the areas of equipment repair, etc. through standardization.

*Long Term Planning. This ties directly in to fiscal responsibility. By using her business skills and education to set long term goals for the department, the Sheriff's office will grow more efficient and spend less money overall. In some areas, this means that there may be very little initial economic benefit, however in the long term, Allen County residents will continue to feel these positive impacts.

*Strong Leadership. Having held supervisory positions in nearly all areas of the Sheriff's Department, Tina is fully prepared to serve as an effective and strong leader. Currently the Director of Training, she has also held the position of District Chief as well as Combat Command positions with several Volunteer Fire Departments. She has dedicated her life to public service, having served as a sworn officer since 1982. She has demonstrated her leadership in both paid and volunteer capacities, as she has also served on multiple boards and commissions such as ERIN's House for Grieving Children, and the Mayor's Commission against Domestic Violence, Sexual Harassment and Rape.

*Progressive Programs.
-Increased and more accessible Sex Offender Registry tracking and enforcement.
-More officer's in schools, however not in a "hall monitor" capacity. Tina believes that children should be introduced to law enforcement in a positive way at a young age, building confidence and repoire with our younger generation.
-Enhanced online services. By increasing the accessibility and services available to citizens online, we can cut costs and reduce costly paperwork.
-Civilians for Civilian Positions. Tina believes that sworn officers do best in positions that make use of their certifications and training, whether supervisory and administrative, or on the street protecting citizens. There are numerous civilian positions that are currently being filled by sworn officers. By having civilians perform these job functions, the department will both save money, and be able to allocate resources where they are needed most.

Experience:

Allen County Sheriff's Department:
*Director of Training
*Master Instructor
*Detective (Crimes Against Persons)
*Patrol Supervisor
*Civil/Courts
*Jail Supervisor

10 Years: Volunteer Fire/EMS - Held rank of District Chief, the first woman in Allen County to do so.
7 Years: Mayor's Commission against Domestic Violence, Sexual Harassment and Rape.

Volunteer Efforts & Community Involvement(Partial List):
*SCAN (Stop Child Abuse and Neglect)
*ERIN's House for Grieving Children
*Community Service Council
*Ivy Tech Criminal Justice Advisory Board
*PLAN IT Allen Comprehensive Plan

Mission Statement:

To provide fair and equal access to quality services in a professional manner, to ALL residents of Allen County.