County Commissioner and EMA Director named to national committee for justice and public safety

Delaware County Commissioner Barb Lewis and Alex McCarthy, director of the Delaware County Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, have been named to the National Association of Counties’ Justice and Public Safety Steering Committee.

NACo is the pre-eminent advocacy organization for county government in the U.S., representing nearly 40,000 elected officials and 3.6 million employees from 3,069 county government organizations. Its 10 policy steering committees play a critical role in providing recommendations and input on policy decisions made by U.S. Congress and federal agencies.

This is the ninth year in a row that Lewis has been named to the national steering committee for justice and public safety, which focuses on matters pertaining to criminal justice, law enforcement, courts, corrections, homeland security, crime prevention, juvenile justice, emergency management, fire prevention and civil disturbances. In the County Commissioners Association of Ohio organization, Lewis has headed its Justice and Public Safety Committee, also for the last nine years. She also has been a leading advocate in Ohio for the Stepping Up Initiative, a national program that aims to reduce the number of people with mental illnesses in jails.

“It has been very helpful to be on the national committee,” Lewis said, “since it keeps me informed on federal legislation and gives both Alex and me the opportunity to influence national regulations and legislation.”

This is McCarthy’s first appointment to the national committee. He joined Delaware County in March 2023 after heading the Tuscarawas County Emergency Management Agency for six years.

“I am excited to continue my participation with the National Association of Counties to be able to advocate for current emergency management issues,” McCarthy said. “I really appreciate Commissioner Lewis’s support and encouragement for me to be an active member of the Justice and Safety Steering Committee.”

For more information about NACo’s Justice and Public Safety Steering Committee, go to https://www.naco.org/committee/justice-public-safety-policy-steering-committee. For more information about Delaware County, go to https://co.delaware.oh.us/.