The Konk Life Candidate Questionnaire: Meet Robert Lockwood, Candidate for Public Defender

Former local business owner, Assistant State Attorney, and Assistant Public Defender, Robert Lockwood, 38, is seeking to become the next Public Defender of the 16th Circuit in Monroe County. Robert Lockwood has been endorsed by the International Assn. of Fire Fighters (IAFF), Communications Workers of America (CWA), and the Teamsters as the person most qualified to become the next Public Defender.

Robert Lockwood was born in Miami and raised in the Florida Keys. He is a graduate of Key West High School and University of Florida with a degree in business administration. He was most recently an Assistant Public Defender in Key West and is seeking to replace retiring Public Defender, Rosemary Enright, in the November general election.

Here are our 10 questions and the candidate’s responses:

Konk Life: In 20 words or less, let our readers know why you believe you would make an excellent successor to Ms. Enright and a better public defender than Patricia Gibson.

Diverse Experience- I am the only candidate with the experience (business and legal) absolutely required to run the PD’s office.

Konk Life:  What are the top four factors you believe particularly qualify you for the position of public defender over the assets of any other potential candidate?

Management- I am the most qualified person to become the next Public Defender because I have a unique ability to lead people while treating them with the respect and admiration that all hard working people deserve. In order to run a successful office, I understand that employees must come first. Then and only then, can any plan be put into place. With my diverse legal background and extensive business background I will manage the office with a precise, fiscally responsible process, and I will deliver a superior product to our clients and the taxpayers.

Accountability- As Public Defender, I understand that I will be personally responsible for the performance of the office and all the employees. I will be accountable not only to our clients, but all of the taxpayers in Monroe County. When I ran our family businesses, Subtropic Dive Center and Key West Information Center, I was personally accountable for the successes and failures that come along with running a business. Accountability requires the never ending and always challenging job of evaluating the daily performance of an office. When there is an issue, I will immediately identity the problem, decide on a resolution, and implement a solution in an expedited fashion. When things are going well, I will praise the employees for their performance, while constantly looking for improvements that can be made.

Empathy/Honesty- I understand that everything will not be perfect and that I will not make everyone happy. I know that I do not have the immediate answer to every problem, but I realize that honesty with employees and the public is the only way for me to gain integrity and ultimately their trust to allow me to solve the problem and move on. My office will have a true open door policy. I will strive to reduce and/or eliminate the day-to-day closed door chatter that plague so many businesses, public and private.

Leadership- A true leader must have the capacity to translate a vision into reality. The Public Defender’s Office is an amazing office with extremely experienced attorneys and a wonderful staff. I will focus everyday to inspire the employees to follow me into the future. As Public Defender, I will make it extremely clear to all my employees that I do not think that I am a better person than them. I will explain to them that we are all equal but we have different jobs to do and my job is to lead and make the difficult, tough decisions.

Konk Life: What is your personal view on the death penalty and is it a long-held viewpoint for you?

There are almost three dozen states that have the death penalty. Florida is one of only three states that do not require unanimous recommendations for a sentence of death. A recent decision by the U.S. Supreme Court has caused changes in the death penalty law. Legally and personally, it is my long-held belief that the courts will eventually rule that unanimous recommendations are required.

Konk Life: In your personal experience, have crimes and criminal behavior become more widespread in Monroe County in over the years?

The crime rate in Monroe County has declined substantially over my lifetime here. The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office and the Key West Police Department have worked extremely hard to make the Florida Keys the safest and most beautiful place in the world to live and visit. As a product of the Monroe County School District, I know that our amazing teachers, staff, and parents have dedicated themselves to making a positive difference in our children at a young age and the future of the Florida Keys.

Konk Life: Do you feel the outlook is good for a peaceable future in the Keys even as the number of our visitors and residents increase?

Our community and elected officials will not stand for anything less that a peaceable future in the Florida Keys. There will always be hurdles but we will continue to jump over them and protect this community for generations to come.

Konk Life: What do you personally love most about Monroe County and the Florida Keys?

We are one big family. Growing up in such a close community as the Florida Keys, I learned and realized the value of respecting and treating everyone as equals no matter what job they may have or economic class they may fall into.

Konk Life: What troubles you the most about today’s Monroe County and the Florida Keys?

At the Public Defender’s Office, we see the daily problems that plague the Florida Keys. Our two biggest problems we face at the Public Defender’s Office are clients with mental illness and clients with substance abuse problems (or both). The Florida Keys have a lot of amazing people that dedicate their lives to helping people with mental illness and substance abuse issues but Monroe County (as with the state and nation) is still lacking in the amount of special services that we require.

Konk Life: What planning or political mistakes do you feel have been the worst to be made in the past decade?

In my opinion, the State of Florida’s lack of funding for financing basic mental-health services is one of the worst mistakes over the last decade. Florida’s mental-health funding consistently ranks as one of the lowest in the nation. A large percentage of the crime rate is directly related to mentally ill individuals and a large percentage of tax dollars spent on crimes is directly related to the incarceration of mentally ill individuals.

Konk Life: Who is your most favorite character in the history of the keys?

Easy. Henry Flagler. I can look at old maps and pictures all day long. Thank you Tom Hambright.

Konk Life: Who is your least favorite character?

Where is Bum Farto?

Konk Life: What is your favorite book?

Key West: The Old and the New, by Jefferson B. Browne… I mean come on, a history book of Key West written in 1912. It is amazing.

 Konk Life: What is your favorite movie?

Bloodline…. I know, I know, it is not a movie but I can’t finish Season 2 because of my campaign and it is killing me.

 Konk Life: What is your favorite quote?

“Treat employees like they make a difference and they will.” – James Goodnight CEO, SAS

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