Sheriff, judge candidates highlight Young Republicans forum
Posted on Saturday, May 10, 2008
ROGERS - County sheriff and county judge candidates fielded questions on many subjects in a candidates forum Friday.
The event, sponsored by the Young Republicans, took place in White Auditorium on the Northwest Arkansas Community College campus in Bentonville. Sheriff candidates Sheriff candidates Keith Ferguson, the incumbent sheriff, and challengers Andy Lee and Kelley Cradduck were asked about how to deal with the problem of gangs.
He believes gangs are a phenomenon chiefly of cities and continues to train deputies to deal with the problem, Ferguson said.
"I've trained 19 percent of my officers on gang-related matters," he said.
Without a better policy, it's not good enough to say gangs aren't a problem outside cities, for dealing with the problem in the city will simply mean gang members will move to rural areas, Cradduck said.
To the extent rural areas don't have gang-related crime problems," what are we doing to keep it that way ? "Cradduck asked.
Leadership by the sheriff is a key to dealing with the problem, he said.
Lee, a former Benton County sheriff, said he identified the gang problem in 1993 and many didn't believe him, so under his leadership, the Benton County Sheriff's Office began to combat the problem then. He brought the 287 (g ) program - part of a law that provides for training of local law enforcement to deal with the illegal-immigration issue - to the attention of Ferguson and others in previous campaigns for sheriff, Lee said.
Lee and Ferguson tangled over the 287 (g ) program.
It went into effect in 1996, and Lee, who was then Benton County sheriff, could have used it if he wanted to then, Ferguson said.
A memorandum of understanding, which allowed law enforcement in Arkansas to take advantage of the 287 (g ) provision, wasn't written until 2004, by which time he was no longer sheriff, Lee said. County Judge candidates County judge candidates Bill Adams, Greg Hines, Kevin Harrison, Dave Bisbee and Chris Glass all said they have no intention of raising taxes, if elected.
"I would not have new taxes at all," Glass said.
While it's not in the county judge's power to raise taxes, the judge, the county's top political executive, has a responsibility not to conduct his office in such a way as to make it necessary for the Quorum Court, the county's governing body, to have to raise taxes, Bisbee said.
Hines cited his experience on the Rogers City Council as a guide he'll use to ensure efficiency in county government, thus avoid the necessity to raise taxes.
Adams pledged that, if elected, he would find ways to lower the tax burden of county government on Benton County's residents.
Harrison said he would not want taxes raised, and his philosophy suggests that tax increases should be undertaken only as a last resort. Even then, tax increases should include sunset provisions so the increases disappear after they have served the purpose for which they were created, he said.
The candidates talked about the experience and ideas they would bring to the job.
Adams said his conservatism and desire to be a servant leader are his main reasons for seeking the county judge's job.
Bisbee asked to be judged on his record of consistency and leadership in the state Legislature and elsewhere.
Hines talked about his experience as a law-enforcement officer and as a Rogers City Council member and said he wants his leadership to encourage cooperation.
Harrison stressed business experience, including his success in bringing the ninestory Bentonville Plaza into existence.
Glass said he had been successful as an attorney and a justice of the peace and believes he can best lead the county.
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