When her mother was victimized and injured in a home invasion, Stacie Woods decided to leave law school and become more involved in the “hands-on” aspect of law enforcement. Deputy Woods joined the HCSO and became personally committed to finding solutions to make her community safe.

“Every day is challenging and demanding in a different way,” says Deputy Woods, who investigates street level narcotics and handles complaints from citizens in high crime areas. “To me, there is no greater satisfaction than enhancing a community’s quality of life by helping to reduce criminal activity and working within the community to keep it free of crime.”

Deputy Woods continues, “It’s typical for my unit to enter a neighborhood suffering from drug sales, vandalism, and basic decline. We join with that community, and through their support, we get the drug sellers arrested, work with Code Enforcement to improve the neighborhood’s appearance, and we sustain the relationship developed within the community so that future problems are quickly resolved.”

Deputy Woods also promotes and supports community life in other ways. At Christmas time she and other deputies joined Santa in visiting children at day care centers serving low-income families. She states, “Helping the whole community so the children can live and grow up in a safe environment is my real reason for doing what I do.”