Publisher’s note: The following Q&As represent the candidates’ views verbatim, as submitted via email in response to our questions, and have not been edited. The Primary Election will be held Aug. 6, with voters allowed to select one of the four candidates (Mike McGuire has suspended his campaign but will remain on the ballot). As all candidates have filed as Republicans, the top vote-getter will be the Republican nominee in the General Election on Nov. 5 and the presumed sheriff elect unless challenged by an Independent, filing for which is open until July 29 with certain requirements that must be met through the County Clerk’s Office. – KT

1. What avenues do you intend to use to communicate and inform the community?

I plan on communicating with the public through the newspaper and a county run web site. I plan on informing the public of an area we responded to, nature of the call, if a report was taken, if an arrest was made, and if charges are being filed. At the end of the month, I will have the number of calls we went to, charges, arrests, charges filed, and how many the prosecuting attorney filed charges on. I want the public informed and up to date on what the Sheriff’s Office is doing.

2. Do you have any plans for initiating or engaging with existing neighborhood watch programs?

It has been my plan from the start of this campaign to get community watch programs started. I want to facilitate the first citizen’s academy for Barry County, to inform the citizens what law enforcement entails, and what to look for to assist Law Enforcement. I plan on having neighborhood watch meeting on a bi-weekly time frame.

3. In what ways do you hope to engage in community outreach?

I want to do a child finger printing and photographs throughout Barry County to not only assist Law Enforcement, but to give parents more peace of mind in the event a child is lost or harmed. I want to make it a fun activity for the children, while using the data received to assist Law Enforcement in any unforeseen bad circumstances. I want to get more involved in the drug court program, I plan to hold town meetings with the public to address any issues in their communities. I want deputies to patrol neighborhoods who do not have police coverage 24/7 and be visible in those areas not only as a deterrent, but also to give citizens more peace of mind. I would like to make it a priority for deputies to stop and speak with people and address any issues or concerns they may have. I would like, and plan to have the Sheriff’s Office and myself to be involved in any activities going on in the county.

4. Do you plan to have an open-door policy with all Barry County residents who wish to speak with you?

office and out on patrol at the time a resident wants to speak with me, then I will return to the office. The only time I may not be available is if I am out of town for training or in a meeting, but I will return a phone call and make time to go to the resident’s house and speak with them. The residents of any county are a majority of the reason to even have a Sheriff’s Office, and their concerns or issues will not go unnoticed. Without a good line of communication between the citizens and Law Enforcement, or myself as Sheriff, the Barry County Sheriff’s Office will fail.

5. Are there any ways you think the community can help the Sheriff’s Office operate successfully?

Keep the line of communications open. By doing community policing, it provides the community members with information on steps they can take to help prevent crimes by addressing root causes rather than just the symptoms. The Sheriff’s Office tends to be reactive to crimes after they occur. The communities on the other hand, are privier to information, and the day to day “normal” of their areas. The citizens of Barry County already know who does what, when, and where, the Sheriff’s Office may not. By working with the Sheriff’s Office, we together can make a difference.