The Sheriff is the chief law enforcement officer of the county and is elected in partisan elections for a 4-year term. No person is eligible to serve as sheriff if that person has been convicted of a felony, whether or not their rights of citizenship have been restored. Duties of the Sheriff’s office include the operation of the jail, law enforcement, providing security for courts, serving criminal warrants and other writs and summonses, and transporting prisoners.
Position/philosophy statement
My philosophy is the Sheriff's Office belongs to the people, not to a political party. My promise is to serve everyone in our community with fairness, professionalism, and accountability.
Current Occupation
Business Owner
Age (optional)
35
Campaign Phone
828-440-1054
I am a lifelong resident of Polk County. I have firsthand experiences at larger agencies in the western NC. My deep commitment to serving the community as a sheriff who will be present in the community, who will focus on excellent customer service along with the lessons I have learned from serving in larger professional agencies make me the right person to serve as Polk County Sheriff at this important time in the County’s history.
Accountability has been lacking in our sheriff’s office. And there needs to be more focus on being present in the community. Relationships with people in general have not been a priority. It’s been a priority for a circle of influential people. Further, with me as sheriff we will focus on holding everyone accountable. We will focus on the priorities of our citizens. They should have a voice. It will be about what we can do with our citizens and for our citizens; not what we can do to them.
I have some community focused initiatives ready to be implemented in mind. Without being too specific too soon, there is a place in my heart for victims of domestic violence. And I want to reach out and connect with our very young. I want staff to be guardians for our seniors and vulnerable elderly citizens. So I have some initiatives that I have been a part of that have been successful in other places where I have served.
Most services can be improved with additional funding. What will be key is where our priorities will be? I will not focus on vanity projects or self-serving priorities. I will focus on making sure tax dollars - budget dollars are used to improve services to our community. I also want to make sure the employees are taken care of in all divisions of the sheriff’s office. I have learned from leaders who have taken care of their staff and from leaders who did not. I would say that the staff in an organization is important and how they are treated matters a lot.
There are many families in the community who can relate to loved ones having been incarcerated. This is where partnerships and relationships with agencies and advocates for people who have been incarcerated will be important. I promise to build those relationships. These agencies and advocates will have a sheriff who will be willing to work with them with me. These families will have a sheriff with empathy, not condemnation. There are many success stories of people who have turned their lives around after serving time. So, we won’t have to reinvent the wheels. We just have to be willing to work with them and support the right initiatives.
Candidate has not yet responded.
Position/philosophy statement
Serving as your sheriff has been an absolute honor. My philosophy is simple, Protect our community, Protect our children, and strive to build trust within our community everyday. As your sheriff I will remain steadfast to protect your rights.
Current Occupation
Sheriff
Age (optional)
54
I am a Polk County native and attended Tryon Elementary and graduated from Tryon High School in 1989. I am a Navy veteran and have over 30 years of experience in Law Enforcement. I have a Master's Degree from Methodist University in Justice Administration. I have my Advanced Law Enforcement Certificate from Criminal Justice Education and Training Standards Commission and Sheriff's Education and Training Standards Division. I successfully completed the West Point Leadership Program through Methodist University. My training and experience and education clearly surpass my opponents.
Staffing issues is felt throughout the law enforcement community. Living in a smaller community with a lower tax base makes it more difficult to obtain and retain patrol deputies and detention officers. With neighboring counties with a larger tax base, those counties can offer more money to attract deputies looking to support their families. Interest in law enforcement has been at an all-time low. Although the number of cadet graduates are rising with the last few classes, the bigger agencies often fill slots quicker because of the starting pay.
Although we have created new programs since I've been elected sheriff, we are still looking for ways to serve the community. We started getting more involved with the younger population through our School Resource Division. Interacting daily and reading to elementary age students. Building trust and braking barriers in hopes to inspire our youth. We have kids camp during the summer building bonds and trust through lessons and activities keeping the kids engaged. Our agency is constantly searching for ways to improve relationships within our community.
Refer back to question #2. Recruitment and retention are a big obstacle we try to overcome with each new budget. Working with the county manager to weigh every option to determine the best solution for the problem and to stay economically responsible with taxpayer money. Additional equipment for the safety and security for the deputies as well as the public. Newer technology available often takes years for our agency to obtain.
Continue with what we are offering now. We offer counseling services and provide inmates with local resources within the area to help them get back on their feet. Bible studies and material are given to those inmates that choose to request them. Our chaplain handles these needs and has worked with additional agencies in the area to help fill the needs inmates may have. Last year 182 Certificate Awards were given to inmates who completed certain programs or initiatives they enrolled in.
Candidate has not yet responded.
