SIOUX CITY, IA -
Dave Drew's no stranger to law enforcement in Woodbury County.
"I've been around for 31 years," said Drew Wednesday. "Twenty-nine here with the sheriff's office."
After two other tries for sheriff he won the election in November, and now he says he has quite a few plans for the department over the next four years.
First, he hopes to improve community policing and be more transparent with taxpayers.
"I want to be the same person behind closed doors as I am in public," said Drew. "So there's nothing secret."
He's starting by trying to cut some costs.
He already says he's having folks in the office give up their cell phones, possibly saving around $9,000 a year.
Plus, he hopes to stretch patrol cars for longer with better maintenance so they'll get a few more miles before being replaced.
"If the private sector's expected to stretch their dollar more then I think public employees should be a good steward of the taxpayers money," said Drew.
He'll also be trying to do more with some fewer staff, he plans to cut down on management and get more folks out of the office and onto the roads.
"I want more people out on the street, more people to react or to respond to calls, so that we're not just reactionary, but we do some pro-active law enforcement," said Drew.
Another project: the 25-year-old Woodbury County jail will be renovated starting in January.
Sheriff Drew says that should cost less than $1 million.
