Yavapai County Attorney Sheila Polk will run again.

That was the message Polk shared with members of the Sedona Men’s Republican Club. Polk, who’s worked as county attorney for 11 years, met with the organization for a Thursday, Jan. 5, meeting. She told those at the meeting she particularly loves working in small counties where “you can really see change.” As of late December, Polk ran unopposed for the position.

“I am completing my third term now as Yavapai County attorney, my 12th year, and I love it,” Polk said. “I probably shouldn’t say this publicly, but there are days when I feel like I would do this for free.”

Over the course of the last year, Polk was heavily involved in the prosecution of James Arthur Ray, who conducted a sweat lodge in which three people died. She said the four-month trial proved to be the most challenging of her career. Ray was eventually convicted on three counts of negligent homicide and sentenced to two years in prison.

“I never thought I would have to defend being a working county attorney,” Polk said. “Believe it or not, in the closing argument by opposing counsel in that case, the defense attorney got up in front of the jury and made much hay of the fact that this county attorney, this politician, why was she personally trying this case? I never thought I would have to defend the number of hours I put in to make that case happen. To the jury I said just that,” Polk said.

Besides her duties as an active county attorney, Polk is heavily involved in MATForce, a countywide substance abuse coalition that formed in 2006. In 2012, she said the coalition is focusing on the illegal use of prescription medications.

“MATForce tackled meth from the education and public awareness perspective; law enforcement and the county attorney’s office tackled it with very aggressive investigation and prosecution into methamphetamine, users and particularly manufacturers. My office implemented policy that said if you are arrested and charged, and we can prove that you were dealing and manufacturing methamphetamine, you will go to prison. No exceptions. It doesn’t matter if it’s the first time. No free passes. You will go to prison,” Polk said.

Crime across Yavapai County, as well as throughout the state, is down as a whole, she added. In Yavapai County, Polk said, felonies dropped more than 40 percent between 2007 and 2011.

“I think the primary reason is that Arizona implemented Truth in Sentencing in 1994 across the board for all of our crimes. Truth in Sentencing requires that a defendant serve at least 85 percent of a sentence before being released on any basis,” Polk said. “I love Truth in Sentencing. I love it because I think it works, and I love it because it means something to the citizens and to victims of crime to know that your offender has to serve the bulk of that sentence.”

She credited the policy with a dramatic decrease in the presence and use of meth in the county.

Tim Westbay, with the Republican Club, introduced Polk to the roughly 30 people in attendance for the Jan. 5 meeting and applauded her for her active community presence.

“She’s been heavily involved with substance abuse in the Verde Valley, along with Tim Carter, who’s the head of our schools; she’s involved with many Holocaust projects, elder abuse cases, child abuse cases and narcotics trafficking. In addition, she’s a Big Sister. I don’t know how she has time to do all that. She was recently named chair of the Arizona Prosecuting Attorneys’ Advisory Council. I would summarize her resume by saying she helps all of us with the quality of life,” Westbay said.