Stacy Simmons
I wanted to take this opportunity to thank Jay Armbrister for providing me the opportunity to stand with him during this election process and with your help, through his 1st term as the Douglas County Sheriff. The Armbrister family has been such a vital part of my life throughout the last 20 years and I believe Jay’s work ethic and dedication to the service of our community will be as apparent to you as you come to know him, as it is to me.
Thank you for allowing me a moment to introduce myself to you. I grew up in Manhattan, KS graduating Manhattan High School in 1991. I attended Hutchinson Community College on an athletic scholarship earning an Associate of Arts degree in Criminal Justice. I attended Columbus University in Georgia on an athletic scholarship before returning to Kansas to begin my career in Criminal Justice. In 1998, I graduated the police academy and began my career as a Deputy Sheriff working for the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office. In 2012, I attended Baker University and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration.
In 1999, I moved to Eudora, Kansas where I live with my wife, Toni Dailey, of 16 years. Toni, along with two business partners, owns and operates Trilogy Hair Company in West Lawrence. Toni is a cycling enthusiast and instructs spin classes at Frontier Bikes in Eudora. Together, we enjoy traveling and camping.
My 22-year career with the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office has spanned through both the Corrections and Operations Divisions as a Corrections Deputy, Patrol Deputy, Court Room Security Deputy, Shift Corporal, Training Corporal, Training Sergeant, Booking Lieutenant, Corrections Shift Lieutenant, and Patrol Shift Lieutenant. I am currently in a Command Staff position at the rank of Captain over Special Projects, Training, Hiring, and Retention.
I have held a multitude of responsibilities for the Sheriff’s Office such as Field Training Officer, evidence technician, and instructor for both the Sheriff’s Office and the Kansas Jail Association. I have been a part of the policy review team in addition to writing and implementing new policy. I am proud to have developed and implemented a 12-week professional Corrections Academy and a Citizens Academy for Sheriff McGovern, which are still used today. I have attended the FBI Central States Law Enforcement Executive Development training, am a Certified Public Manager through the University of Kansas, and spent 4 years on the Board of Directors for the National Association of Women Law Enforcement Executives. I am a member of the National Association of Women Law Enforcement Executives, FBI Law Enforcement Executive Development Association, National Sheriff’s Association, Kansas Sheriff’s Association, and the Kansas Peace Officer’s Association.
On a personal level, working and interacting with youth has been a passion of mine for over a decade. I work on and off duty to build positive relationships and establish open communication between our youth and Law Enforcement. On National Day of Reading, I read to children at the Public Library and Kennedy Elementary School. I participate in the Sheriff’s Office Shop with a Cop, Cram the Cruiser, and the Community Safety Fair. I have worked multiple car seat check lanes at local businesses as a certified Child Passenger Safety Technician assisting citizens installing and checking car seats.
I spent 3 years as a Bigs in Schools participant through Big Brothers Big Sisters of Douglas County. This amazing program pairs a Law Enforcement Officer with a local grade school student to mentor and spend time each week throughout a school year. I coached youth volleyball through Heart of America and the Olathe Parks and Recreation Department, and am currently in my fourth season as a Baldwin City High School Junior Varsity softball coach.
I believe in community and giving back by participating in blood drives and working with women at the Sheriffs’ Office public Women’s Self-Defense class. For several years, I put together teams to work aid stations at our local Iron Man athletic event in exchange for a charitable contribution from the event provider. These contributions went toward breast cancer research, food and medical supplies, the Baldwin High School Softball team, and the Douglas County Dental Clinic.
In my 22-year career with the Sheriff’s Office, I have been exposed to many areas and used each as an opportunity for personal and professional growth. I am eager to add my 15 years of leadership, management and supervisory experience to work with Jay Armbrister as Sheriff. Our goals align on the importance of mental health for first responders, mental health relating to incarceration, alternatives to incarceration, and community engagement and outreach. Together we will keep the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office moving in a progressive path forward for all citizens of Douglas County.
-Stacy Simmons