Why Move To Stone County?

[Skin Is In]

By Sheriff Richard Hill - As published in the 2008-2009 Relocation Guide Stone County Chamber of Commerce

“That question crossed my mind many times before my family and I made that decision. I guess there are many reasons to move to this wonderful area, but I can only tell you why we made the move.
When my wife and I were ready to make our move in 1990, we looked back and tried to focus on where we had lived and traveled. We had been living and working in Southern California for the past six years and knew that we wanted to get back home to Missouri. As we thought of where we had our most pleasurable times with children, Stone County was our number one choice.
Being in law Enforcement, I knew that I wanted to be in an area that was safe for my family. I soon found that Stone County was an area where neighbors were neighbors and they looked out for each other. It wasn’t long that we knew that we really did not have to lock our home when we went to town, and that our children were safe riding to and from school or spending the day at Silver Dollar City.
In 1994 I began work for Stone County as the Chief Deputy of the Sheriff’s Office. I had a first hand look at what the crime rate was for the area, and found it to be much lower than any area that we had previously lived. We watched Stone County rapidly grow, and I have seen some outside influences come into this county. But what I have admired is the people of Stone County, including the youth, have held fast to their beliefs and there has been no big city problems really take hold.
In 1996, I was elected to the office of Sheriff. Thanks to the citizens of Stone County in the early 1990’s, a sales tax passed and the Sheriff’s Office started to grow. We now have well trained and equipped deputies that do their very best to serve the citizens. We are not only very proactive in our daily patrol and investigations, but we try to make a difference in the community by educating homeowners in home security and bringing the D.A.R.E. program to our youth for the past 14 years.
We have worked with the County Commission in doing so, they have seen the importance of having a progressive Sheriff’s Office. Over the last 11 years, we have more than doubled in size, and added a state of the art E:911 Dispatch Center, We have partnered with the Missouri Sheriffs’ Association and now have a yearly academy for new peace officers in Stone County.
So why move to Stone County? There are many reasons, but for me, I don’t think you could find a much safer and friendly area to move to."

www.myspace.com/sheriffhill

[Ozarksagent Steve]

This is so well written and your perspecive is wonderful. Could I have permission to reprint it on my website?

[Stacie]

WOW, that was very well put. I enjoyed reading what sheriff Hill had to say. I have been doing a lot of thinking and weighing the pros and cons of moving to that area and I am excited to do so; as soon as my daughter graduates in May 2010. It is an awesome area and very family oriented just like here in Iowa but I am looking forward to relocating and wanted to say Thank You to Sheriff Hill for helping me make my decision. Awesome and Good Luck!!