Evan Keats brings a different perspective and a new set of experiences to his role as Community Affairs Director for the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office, a position he accepted earlier this year.
Sure, he’s experienced in delivering public information about the work done by sworn deputies and civilian employees. But much of the 46-year-old’s leadership and community building expertise comes from more than five years with the Secure Community Network, the official safety and security organization of the North American Jewish community.
“The law enforcement community faces challenges that are not dissimilar from those that the Jewish community faces,” Keats said. “My job was to really build the security posture through programs focused on education, physical security, and community engagement.”
Many of the key efforts of Keats’ previous position carry over to the role of Director of Community Affairs at SCSO, including establishing security presence for vulnerable targets, working with key stakeholders, and engaging with the community to build a presence and open road of communication.
“If you go back 15 or 20 years and (look at) the Community Affairs Office. If it wasn’t the crime prevention section of a law enforcement agency, it just didn’t exist. Now there is a very deliberate need to have someone that can bridge the gap between the community and law enforcement.”Evan Keats
“With Evan’s extensive occupational exposure and experiences, he has already proven to be a valuable asset to the organization,” said Col. Brian Woodring of the SCSO. “(He) will certainly compliment the agency’s command staff with his distinctive and unique insights.”
“The staff have been very patient and welcoming,” said Keats, who has worked for SCSO for two months, “(They are) especially patient as I learn the intricacies of everything. It’s a very large agency, so there’s a lot to learn — divisions, bureaus, sections, and units — and even though I came from the law enforcement community, it’s vastly different from what I’m used to.”
Familiar territory
Though the scale of the sheriff’s office is an adjustment, law enforcement is a familiar territory for Keats. Serving as the Communications Officer at Howell Township Police Department in New Jersey for over 10 years, Keats has a collective total of over 12 years in law enforcement.
Keats is proud to be enrolled in the Citizens Law Enforcement Academy (CLEA) through SCSO. A 10 week program, CLEA provides community members hands-on training and education on the limitations and pressures that are placed on law enforcement within modern society. Each weekly session focuses on a different subject of importance, including patrol procedures, criminal investigations, DUI enforcement, narcotics, SWAT, forensics and felony traffic stops.
“I’m very, very happy,” said Keats, “I’m a student as well as a facilitator in the class, because I get to stand up in front of the citizens and talk about the great works of the Community Affairs Office.”
The Community Affairs Office is responsible for “handling all media inquiries, issuing news releases, responding to public records requests, coordinating agency social media, special projects and other communications.
“As I get older, and I’m no longer the first person, just starting out, I like to be able to impart some wisdom and insight to someone that may be coming down this career path.”Evan Keats
“If you go back 15 or 20 years and (look at) the Community Affairs Office. If it wasn’t the crime prevention section of a law enforcement agency, it just didn’t exist,” said Keats, “Now there is a very deliberate need to have someone that can bridge the gap between the community and law enforcement.”
Keeping an open line of communication
In areas where a positive repertoire between law enforcement and the community already exists, Keats says it is important to maintain the bridge and the open relationship that currently exists.
Another important aspect of the Community Affairs Office is the ability to receive and respond to specific community concerns, such requests for increased training for specific situations or an increased police presence in certain areas, says Keats.
Keats is interested in continuing to build new connections with the community on behalf of law enforcement. He recalled a fond memory of providing a tour of the SCSO to a local teen that expressed interest in pursuing a career in law enforcement at the bank.
“As I get older, and I’m no longer the first person, just starting out, I like to be able to impart some wisdom and insight to someone that may be coming down this career path,” Keats said.
Outside of work, Keats enjoys time with his family, enjoying Florida’s warmer climate and has convinced much of his extended family to follow him to Sarasota.
“I convinced my mother, my father, my grandmother, my aunt, my uncle, and an old colleague of mine from my old police department to move down here,” Keats said.
This story is courtesy of the Community News Collaborative, made possible by a grant from Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation. You can reach Catherine Hicks at chicks@cncfl.org
