Education equals prevention. This is the theme of Sheriff Paul Fitzgerald’s administration in Story County. Fitzgerald is up for reelection as Story County Sheriff.

“What I bring to the position is education and experience,” Fitzgerald said. Fitzgerald has been in law enforcement since 1974 when he served as a reserve officer for the Black Hawk County Sheriff’s office. He also has a master’s degree in criminal justice from St. Ambrose University.

“No longer is the sheriff an individual who goes out with the deputies and enforces the law. Today the sheriff is a manager and an administrator. It is [my] job to provide the training, tools and support to do the job,” he said.

Fitzgerald said he has improved relationships with the Ames police, and the Department of Public Safety. While a police officer in Waterloo, Fitzgerald worked with then Cedar Falls Police Chief Loras Jaeger, who is now the head of Iowa State’s DPS.

“We have a long working relationship, and work well together. We’ve worked on Veishea, concerts and sports activities,” he said.

Cracking down on drugs, increased professionalism of officers and finding alternative funding resources are the issues Fitzgerald would continue to address in his second term.

Fitzgerald also continues to support his choice for chief deputy, Penny Westfall. She has been in the position for three years.

Fitzgerald’s office has brought in nearly $200,000 in grants and other non-tax based sources to add to the $2.7 million budget. His office has also worked on the conduct of professionalism for Story County officers to better serve the community.

Fitzgerald would also like to focus on the underage drinking problem at Iowa State, and how law enforcement can hear and address the concerns of the elderly.

During his first term, Fitzgerald introduced the D.A.R.E. program into six school districts in Story County. He also worked to reduce the number of drunk drivers through the Alcohol Safety Action Program. “It has been a year and a half since the last alcohol related fatality in Story County,” he said.

Fitzgerald graduated from high school in Colo and attended Hawkeye Community College. He graduated from Wartburg College in Waverly with a degree in law enforcement. He worked in the Waterloo Police Department and taught at Hawkeye Community College until returning to Story County three years ago to be sheriff.