The Good Life - Nov-Dec 2013

in your professional or personal life that will hurt the
reputation of all the others who work with you each and
every day. Laney is the “last stop” during any hiring process,
and when he offers up his “Drive the Road” speech, he
makes sure that every applicant understands that “the job
is not about you or me; it is about serving and protecting
the people of Cass County.” And from Sheriff Laney’s point
of view, those people deserve to have only the best keeping
them safe from whatever harm may befall them. Laney also
knows that no one is perfect; we all make mistakes, and
sometimes we “drive in the ditch.” When that happens, he
expects total transparency. If someone intentionally “drives
in the ditch” it will be dealt with. However, if someone
mistakenly “drives in the ditch,” he believes in carrying
them for as long as it takes until they’re back “driving the
road.” But don’t tell a fish tale about why you went into the
ditch in the first place. Dishonesty leads to a lack of trust,
and a lack of trust is simply not tolerated. Given Sheriff
Laney’s position and that of his deputies, transparency and
honesty should be expected by all — co-workers and the
public alike.
Sheriff Paul Laney talks about Patty and their daughters,
Katie and Danielle. Patty is an attorney and is also the Director
of the Criminal Justice Program at Fargo’s Rasmussen
College. Laney says she is his “absolute rock, who keeps me
balanced. She gets the ‘drive the road’ philosophy.” Katy
and Danielle are in their teens and active in athletics.
When I asked Sheriff Laney about winning the National
Sheriffs’ Association award in 2012, the Ferris E. Lucas
Award for Sheriff of the Year, Laney beamed and repeated
much of what he said the night he was given the award: “It’s
not just me. WE did it.” The Ferris E. Lucas award recognizes
an outstanding sheriff of the year for the contributions and
improvements made to the office of sheriff on any local, state
and national level, as well as for their overall involvement in
their communities beyond their responsibilities as sheriff.
Given the task forces Laney has been an integral part of,
his leadership during crisis situations in Cass County as
well as other counties in North and South Dakota, the
expansion of mentorships and programs within the Cass
County Corrections facility (Laney states, “I refuse to
warehouse people. The majority of our inmates are not
horrible sinful people. They simply ‘drove in the ditch’ and
it’s their behavior that needs changing mostly. As long as we
can help even one person realize the mistakes they made
and prevent more recidivism, I’m willing to help promote
programs.”), and the overall change of attitude throughout
the entire Sheriff’s Office, one would have to be blind not to
see how much Laney’s attitude and dedication have made
for a much more positive environment.
As for Sheriff Paul Laney, he says, “Each and every day as
I back out of our driveway, I thank God for being able to go
to a job I absolutely love doing,” and that’s what living the
good life is all about.
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