b'Thenextday,followingtheelection,present in law enforcement offices across the country. Grazianowaselectedthefirstfemale SheriffintheStateofSouthCarolina.Charlestonisnostrangertoitsownexcessiveuses of force by police. In 2015, it was the fatal shooting A Need for ChangeofWalterScott,stoppedforanon-functioning Althoughapoliticalnovice,beforebeingelectedbrakelight.In2021,JamalSoutherlanddied Sheriff,Grazianowasnonewcomertolawafterbeingforciblyremovedfromhisjailcell, enforcement.Hercareercommencedin1988onlythreehoursintoGrazianostenureinoffice. whenshejoinedtheIsdefundingthe CharlottesvillePolicepolicetheanswerfor Department.In2002,thechangeweneed? shemovedtotheAccording to Graziano, CharlestonCountydefundingthepolice SheriffsOfficewhereisarecklesstermto she served for 18 years. say,blamethepolice Despiteyearsofwhenthegovernment experience,Grazianoisnotdoingtheir acknowledgedthatjobs.Reallocating changewasneededinthenecessaryfunds herprofession.However,tobetterserve nobody was stepping up.communitiesand Iwasatanimpasseaddressinequitiesin inmycareer,andInohealthcare,education longerlikedcomingtoandhousing,for work, says Graziano.example, is the Sheriffs HerAHAmomenttookanswerforreducing placeonSeabrookcrime.Island.GrazianowaschargedwithpatrollingtheLawenforcementisalwaysgettingblamed, beach.Whenshesawamaleinahightide,herbutweneedmorefundingtohavetheproper initialthoughtwasoneofcynicism,thinking,whytrainingtodoourjobs.Howaboutpaying wouldhegooutthatfar?Aftersavinghim,shealivingwagetopeople?asksGraziano. realizedthemanhadhithisheadandwasbeing carriedoutthatfarbecausehewasdrowning.The Plan for ChangeGraziano says better training and more of it is needed Althoughshesavedtheman,Grazianoforofficers.Mandatorycriticalincidenttrainingfor recognizedherownbias.WhywouldIbesomentalillnessandannualde-escalationtrainingis cynicalwhenallIwanttodoishelppeople,currently taking place.recallsGraziano.Ithought,IneedtochangeIn the past year, the Sheriff has also implemented an mytune.Itwasmyownfeelingsoffindingelectronic early warning system identifying any use of mysenseofpurposeasOprahwouldsay.force, excessive or not.That was in 2015, and five years later, Graziano didThissystemallowsustotrackandidentifythose changehertune.Shecampaignedonaplatformtoindividuals(usingforce)andmaybethetrends change the tune of the Charleston County Sheriffsthatarehappeningandallowsustorespond,says Office too. Her own bias, described as unintentionalGraziano.Thisresponsewouldincludeexamining andhidden,ofjudgingamangoingouttoseaeach incident independently and figuring out if there without knowing what the real problem was, is alsois a training need, a need in the community, or if it is IMARA29'