A visit with the Panola County Sheriff’s Department revealed that changes are in process that will hopefully improve service to Panola citizens.

During the recent promotion ceremony, Sheriff Otis Griffin put it back on deputies to make the department “something special.”

By instituting a rank system, deputies are forced to work as shift teams rather than as independent patrolmen. It’s a logical step that is past due and seems to be a step toward team building. Griffin also let deputy patrolmen know that sergeants would be selected by him and the lieutenants and the lieutenants know that two captains would be selected from their ranks. Now every deputy has a position to work toward.

What Griffin also revealed during the ceremony was that he was listening during the recent campaign and is in process of addressing those issues brought to light by opponents and supporters alike.

That’s what is good about elections. Regardless of who wins, real issues surface and the winner has a chance to address them. And it doesn’t necessarily have to be the winner’s issue that gets addressed.

That’s the reason a close election is so important. The winners can’t sit on their backsides if they expect to get re-elected—action must be taken.

During the administration of the late beloved Sheriff David Bryan, seldom did he have a formidable challenge. For decades he carried enough political capital that he could run his department and jail as he saw fit. It made him a “strong sheriff” and allowed him to make improvements and decisions that an office holder with less clout could not make.

Although it is rare find of an office holder with Bryan’s political capital, the reality of close elections by good qualified candidates can be used to serve our county well.

Since Griffin’s election the department is now his to run. Before, it was what was leftover from previous a sheriff’s administration.

At the Friday, December 10 ceremony, Griffin stressed areas of concern and put it back on the deputies saying, “All we need to do is what we’re supposed to do.”

Sounds simple.

But with the statewide elections in 2011, Griffin has less than a year to prove his administration can do it.