b'By Trina KleistW hen Eileen Moons daughter startedcounty, partnering with canines on the narcotics working at the Nevada County Sheriffsteam, and transporting inmates from the new Office in 1990, she would tell everyonejail to the courthouse. She came to see victims that the young woman someday would lead theand their families, and inmates and their agency. Nearly 30 years later, when voters electedfamilies, too, as people.Shannan Moon the first woman sheriff of NevadaYet, strong community connections also bring County in 2018, her mom cried. their burdens: Moon found herself occasionally If your parents are supportive, and they tellarresting friends children, or worse, informing you every single day you can do whatever youfriends of a death. Raising her own family has want and succeed That kind of support is ahelped her be both a better cop and a better boss, huge deal-maker for folks, says Shannan Moon,she says: Moon is step-mother to three young now 52. women ages 14 to 25, with her wife and local Born and raised in Nevada County, Moon wasprobation officer Amy Moon. 22 when she started as a correctional officer inAll those experiences shape Shannan the agencys dark, loud and cold jail at the backMoons vision of her job. Its not just about of the county courthouse in downtown Nevadathe enforcement of law and the corrections City. It was eye-opening, Moon says. function, but so many other services that we Over the years, informed by her sense of thisprovide, Moon says. She encourages the agencys communitys fabric and history, she learned theofficers to see themselves as providing, first and power of listening to figure out how to solveforemost, a public service. With every contact problems. Her most valuable tools came tothey make with every person, no matter what the include communication, fairness and firmness.circumstance, she asks officers to intend their She journeyed through jobs that includedvery best then look for how they can improve.court bailiff, detective, patrolling in the easternOur contact literally makes a difference in 16Business 2020'