OKEECHOBEE — Sheriff Noel E. Stephen is the first sheriff in the history of Okeechobee to ever run unopposed for the office of sheriff. He was surprised when the man who planned to run against …
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OKEECHOBEE — Sheriff Noel E. Stephen is the first sheriff in the history of Okeechobee to ever run unopposed for the office of sheriff. He was surprised when the man who planned to run against him did not at least run as a write in candidate, but he could not say he was unhappy about it, because now he can concentrate on other things, such as dealing with COVID-19 and his budget and plans for the new jail.
Sheriff Stephen believes he was unopposed due to a combination of things. “I feel that in the society we are in today, nobody really wants to take on that burden and with the epidemic now, that makes it worse. I feel like I have a really good team here, and I feel like I’ve got the trust of the community, the county, the citizens. I’m still a young man with ideas and things to do,” he said. He believes these things together combine to give the community a lot of faith and trust in him and his team.
In Okeechobee, Sheriff Stephen said he feels blessed to have all positions filled at this time. The counties surrounding Okeechobee are not so lucky, he said. “They are all feeling the attrition we have historically had from our men and women going from us to Martin County and from Martin County to Palm Beach County and Palm Beach County to Broward seeking more money. It’s getting more difficult now than it has been in the past to fill those positions and find someone to be a deputy sheriff for $36,000 a year and be under the scrutiny here and have a target on your back bigger than it’s ever been in my 34 year career as what it is today.”
Young people are still joining the department, and he feels it is considered a prestigious job amongst the community. “We are fortunate to have young men and women who grow up and want to be cops,” he said. “I feel for the next generation, because I don’t know that that is going to continue with everything that’s happening. It’s going to be a struggle.”