SHERIFF ZACH SCOTT: OUR DIVERSITY IS OUR STRENGTH
OhioMBE – Feb. 15, 2015
Diversity breeds success; discrimination and prejudice breed disaster. This simple truth has guided my decision-making process as your Franklin County Sheriff, and it will serve as the foundation for the policy decisions that I will make as the next Mayor of Columbus.
Throughout my thirty years of service with the Sheriff’s Office, the lack of minorities among the ranks of law enforcement professionals has been a glaring problem, especially since it was so apparent that the cultural expertise of minority deputies was tremendously beneficial to our ongoing efforts to keep our neighborhoods safe. Working to correct this problem has been a hallmark of my administration as Sheriff, and I am tremendously proud of the progress we have made thus far.
By appointing a full-time Diversity Recruitment Coordinator for the first time in the history of the Sheriff’s Office, I demonstrated that we were making diversity the priority it needs to be, and our increased engagement with minority communities has already yielded some much-needed results. We have been increasing aid to victims, as well as opportunities for employment and advancement, at unprecedented levels. This focus on diversity has not only made the Sheriff’s Office more effective as a whole, but has also produced tangible benefits within the African American community, the Hispanic community, the Somali community, the LGBT community, and among women’s groups throughout the county.
I am running for Mayor because I believe that safer neighborhoods and opportunity for all will move Columbus forward. When I consider the number of minority businesses that need additional support from city officials to prosper, minority contractors who find it difficult to compete within the current status quo, or the low percentage of minorities employed by companies doing business with the city, the need for increased diversity and opportunity could not be more obvious. As Mayor, I will address this problem head-on.
Over twenty-two percent of Columbus residents live below the poverty level, and that is simply unacceptable. I will focus on bringing jobs to Columbus that match the skills of our workforce and provide opportunities for everyone to experience the American dream. I will explore innovative recruitment methods that specifically target minority candidates. I will operate based on the belief that improving minority conclusion in our workforce is more than a conversation – it is a call to action. So I will do more than host conferences and form committees: I will outline and then deliver real results to our minority workforce.
Simply put, I will make diversity the priority it must be for our city to reach its full potential. After all, diversity breeds success. As Mayor, I will ensure that Columbus is a city where EVERYONE has the opportunity to succeed.
