GRANGEVILLE — On Day 1 of the new job three weeks ago, incoming Idaho County Sheriff Doug Ulmer was facing urgent pleas from some constituents.

“We had a lot of calls from people wanting to get their town celebrations going,” Ulmer said. Last year, because of the COVID-19 restrictions, nearly every town celebration in the area was canceled, dealing a huge economic blow to local communities.

Ulmer was sympathetic.

“It’s been my deal through the whole process, we want to encourage the communities and the schools,” he said. “We need to start working back to normal. So we’re encouraging them: ‘Have your celebrations. Get back to living your life.’ And, really, that’s the only way these small towns are going to survive.”

Ulmer, 54, was born and raised in Idaho County and has a keen sensitivity to the struggles of the people he lives with. Business owners have been coming to him — literally in tears — because they can’t do enough commerce to stay afloat. The $600 stimulus checks the federal government recently dispensed aren’t enough to live on even for a month, he said, let alone tide people over until the virus is knocked back and business gets back to normal.

Considering the inconclusiveness of negotiations between the Idaho Legislature and Gov. Brad Little, Ulmer said people wanted to know what the law enforcement implications would be if they went ahead and planned their usual celebrations.

“We want Idaho County to thrive and we’re not going to thrive with our town celebrations shut down. That’s where these businesses make a lot of their money. And we don’t want to be the person standing in the way of that. It’s time to move ahead and do the right thing.”

Ulmer started working with the sheriff’s department in 1989 and, except for a few months between the May Republican primary when he ousted former Sheriff Doug Giddings and Jan. 11 when he took office, he has worked no where else.

Immediately upon taking over, Ulmer made some staff changes, elevating former detectives Brian Hewson and Jerry Johnson to the Nos. 2 and 3 positions respectively. The three — all Idaho County natives — have worked closely for years and together they comprise about 70 years of law enforcement experience.

Ulmer said his staff has been moving to streamline their work processes, trying to eliminate duplications and cut down on overtime.

He’s making some changes in patrols, as well, encouraging officers to get out of their cars more often and mingle with the public. Deputies will be patrolling school zones more frequently during high-volume traffic times and are planning to “rattle a few doors” on main streets during the night to make sure everything is secure. Business cards saying “We Were Here” have been printed up so business owners will know a patrol has been by.

“We’re just trying to step out of the box a little bit and challenge everybody,” Ulmer said. “We’re just doing little steps right now, but I’m excited about it and I think it’s really cool that everybody has stepped up to the challenge and they’re doing amazing.”

Ulmer also is working to get local search and rescue groups more involved when there is a need. In the past, searches depended mostly on deputies, but Ulmer said when officers are taken off their regular beats to look for a lost person, that leaves an enforcement gap somewhere else along the line.

He also hopes to improve interagency information sharing and cooperation, especially when it comes to drug and theft investigations.

Strict hiring procedures have been put into place, including requiring any new deputy to pass a polygraph test before being accepted for a job.

“It’s my belief that we have to put people on the street that we’re not worried about,” Ulmer said. “We want to take every precaution we can to make sure we’re putting good people on the street. By adding that next step (the polygraph test), we can catch some of these things that have caused us problems in the past. Because any time a police officer or deputy sheriff gets in trouble, it gives everybody a black eye for a long time.”

Ulmer said he hopes to have a transparent administration where people can find out the information they need quickly and reliably.

And although he expects his deputies to be fair and professional in their dealings with the public, he wants them to create an atmosphere of public trust and cooperation.

“I want them to go out and treat people the way they want to be treated,” the sheriff said.

“I want to see (them) help people in the community. I don’t want them to get a reputation (of people thinking) they’re a hard butt on me. ... And I think for the most part we have that cooperative mentality at work.”

Hedberg may be contacted at kathyhedberg@gmail.com or (208) 983-2326.