Somerset County can find a real lawman in Franklin Township’ s Russo
New sheriff candidate in town
Somerset County can find a real lawman in Franklin Township’ s Russo
■ BY MITCHELL KRUGEL
Franklin Township Local 154 State Delegate Ken Daly was working a road job in early September when he saw a recently retired department member slowly drive by. As one of his favorite and most-respected colleagues passed by, Daly slapped the back of his patrol car in a hey-do-you-miss-it manner.
That nearly 31-year veteran – by Daly’ s reckoning one of the three best law enforcement officers Franklin Township has ever produced – gave it up.
“ He told me,‘ I’ m not going to lie. I miss it every time I see the lights and sirens go by,’” Daly shares.
Spoken like a career law enforcer, which is exactly why the man who confessed such a sentiment – former Local 154 State Delegate, SOA President, NJ State PBA Board Member and Franklin Township Lieutenant Darrin Russo – wants to be the next Somerset County Sheriff. As the Democratic candidate, Russo is taking on 12-year incumbent Republican Frank Provenzano in an effort to give the county what the State PBA believes every county should have: a sheriff who has walked the beat, done the investigations, written the tickets, made the arrests, served and protected and been the antithesis of a career politician.
“ I’ ve been going door-to-door, talking to residents and the first question I get is about bringing the sheriff’ s department to the community, getting more involved with the schools and the senior centers and working better with the local police departments,” Russo relates.“ I hope I can get in there, change things and bring the sheriff’ s department to a new level.”
Examining Russo’ s qualifications reveals so many achievements, including being the FTO and union representation-mentor for a certain NJ State PBA President. Like Pat Colligan, Daly had the opportunity to work with Russo for a number of years and very quickly responds to what he believes makes him a great candidate:“ Hands-down, it’ s his work ethic,” Daly notes.“ He’ s never one to shy away from the difficult investigations, and he always tries to find a peaceful resolution.”
Daly also marvels at Russo’ s extensive background that has included working in units assigned to drug investigations and senior programs, and working with the State Police on response to terrorist threats and sev-
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eral multi-jurisdictional task forces. Since winning the Democratic Primary in June, Russo said he has been able to rely on skills built as a detective to read people and think fast on his feet to connect with the multitude of constituents he has been meeting the past several months.
He also adds that time on the job as a supervisor and working as union head have built the leadership skills needed to represent both county government and the officers in the sheriff’ s department.
“ I can bring a common-sense approach to management,” Russo continues.“ The officers need rights protection because of certain issues. I think I can look at it from both sides and reach out to both sides of the aisle.”
Russo has been reaching out to voters with such an appeal that has been asking Somerset County residents why they would want to reelect a sheriff who has no law enforcement experience.“ It’ s a law enforcement position,” he reminds.
To accentuate that part of his platform, Russo has been going door-to-door from 10 a. m. to 2 p. m. most days, to hear what voters want in their sheriff. He has been fielding a plethora of phone calls from officers in the county voicing concerns about the current sheriff, answering his questions about what they need and pledging their support. And he goes back to the door-to-door at night with the help that consists of his five sons and their friends under the guidance of his wife Denise, his chief of staff.
Russo also suggests that the sheriff’ s office focus on combatting scams and fraud on seniors, as well as enhancing the sheriff’ s department presence at schools and shopping malls. Clearly, he views this job as an opportunity to continue his law enforcement career rather than become a politician, and he has an approach built through his 31 years that he believes will make the change needed for Somerset County.
“ I’ m going to do my job and if that means arresting you or writing you a ticket, then I will do my job,” Russo asserts.“ But it’ s also part of my job to educate you, and that can help people see there is a better way than crime. I believe in a more human way of communicating, reaching out and being part of the community.” d