The following candidates are seeking the nomination of their respective parties during the March 17 primary for county sheriff.
Morgan County
Jamie Jackson is running unopposed for the Republican nomination. Current sheriff, Mike Carmody, also a Republican, has chosen not to seek reelection at the end of his term in November.
What specific steps will you take to build trust with Morgan County residents?
As your Morgan County Sheriff, I will have an open line of communication with the public. Listening to Morgan County residents regarding public safety concerns and providing feedback regarding community occurrences such as ongoing investigations, traffic concerns, and/or weather-related issues will be a priority in order [to] continue to build trust within the community.
How will you improve transparency and accountability of the Sheriff’s Office?
Based on my experience, I believe in providing honest feedback regarding current cases without jeopardizing the integrity of the investigation and while preserving the confidentiality of victims and witnesses. The staff and I will be held accountable with the use of our policies and procedures as well as applicable laws.
How will you address mental health crises and substance abuse issues within the community?
I will continue to work with area mental health and drug counseling providers as well as Morgan County courts and probation to provide available services. I will provide available mental health and drug awareness training to the Sheriff’s Office Staff.
How will you prioritize budget allocation for staffing, technology and community programs?
The Morgan County Commissioners and I will work to prioritize funding for public safety as well as seeking outside funding such as grants to offset taxpayers’ cost.
What is your plan for addressing homelessness issues?
I will reach out to available services in Morgan County such as the Salvation Army, and local church leaders.
What are your plans for the Morgan County Detention Facility?
My plan is to provide extensive mental health and drug awareness training to our staff. I will make available more counseling and clergy access for inmates.
How will you continue partnerships and patrol agreements with the small villages of the county?
We currently have Morgan County Deputies who are part time police officers in Waverly, Murrayville and Meredosia which creates continuity between the villages and Sheriff’s Department.
The Morgan County Sheriff’s office will assist with any public safety issues that arise. I also plan on providing more police presence at schools in the county.
Will there be any particular focus on certain enforcement mechanisms, crime or traffic interdiction you plan to take?
Extensive training will be provided to our entire staff. I plan on conducting more directed patrol in strategic areas to prevent crime and reduce traffic related concerns.
Scott County
There are three Republican candidates running for sheriff in Scott County. Sheriff Tom Eddinger has announced that he will retire at the end of his term.
Republican candidates Caleb Handy and Steve Doolin did not answer our inquiry.
Republican Robert “Bob” Smith
What specific steps will you take to build trust with Scott County residents?
I feel that I have built a tremendous trust with the people of Scott County over the last 35 years. I will continue to treat all citizens with dignity and respect. I always try to instill into our new officers, to treat everyone that they come in contact with, regardless of how bad the situation may be, as if it were your own family or how you would want your family to be treated.
How will you improve transparencyand accountability of the Sheriff’s Office?
I will publish what I will call “The Sheriff’s Report” on at least a monthly if not weekly basis to inform the public of the Sheriff’s Office activity. This will be used to keep the public up to date on what is going on in the county. I will continue the use of the Sheriff’s Office facebook page to keep the citizens informed as well.
How will you address mental health crises and substance abuse issues within the community?
There are very strict guidelines and laws for law enforcement to follow when dealing with someone with a mental health crisis. Law enforcement is required to transport or arrange transportation via ambulance to a mental health facility such as an emergency room and transfer that person over to medical personnel for an evaluation.
As far as the substance abuse issues in our county, I can tell you I will be relentless in pursuing people dealing illicit drugs in our county. On May 20th 2023, I lost my sister to a drug overdose, so this issue hits very close to home for me. I will be very aggressive in pursuing these people who are dealing drugs in our county and I will work with neighboring counties as well to get these people out of our communities.
I have a long history of working with the drug task force and other units that are not widely known to the public to get the drugs off our streets. I will continue to encourage the public to get involved and provide information on what they may be observing in their neighborhoods and your identity will never be disclosed. No other candidate will work harder than I will on our drug issues.
How will you prioritize budget allocation for staffing, technology and community programs?
I am very well aware of how the budget works at the Sheriff’s Office. The budget of the Scott County Sheriff’s Office is very tight. Keeping Deputies on the road will be my number one priority. Dispatchers are paid from several different entities that are run through the county. Such as the county itself, 911, the Village of Bluffs and the City of Winchester all contribute money for dispatching.
The Sheriff’s Office has recently gone through some technology upgrades with computers and radios and I will always apply for grants to help with technology.
Community programs such as the Blue Elf at Christmas time, Halloween trunk or treat are all usually run off of donations, but there is some minimal funds to be used for other community programs. I have over 30 years experience working with tight budgets in my own personal business that my wife and I have owned and operated debt free for many, many years. I believe this will be a great asset in helping manage the tight budget of the Sheriff’s Office.
What is your plan for addressing homelessness issues?
Thankfully we don’t have a big homelessness issue in our county. On the occasion we run across someone that needs a place to stay, we work with the local ministerial service and are able to put people in a hotel for the night when funds are available. We also work with the Salvation Army and other organizations in Jacksonville, IL.
Do you have plans to continue partnerships with neighboring counties for detainment of criminals? Or would you like to bring a jail back to Scott County?
Scott County can in no way open its own jail. It would be a multi million dollar venture just to build a new jail let alone maintain and staff one for the long term. I would never consider or attempt to put this burden on our tax payers.
We have a very good working relationship with the Greene County Sheriff regarding housing of inmates. This is at a very minimal cost to our tax payers. We also work with Morgan and Pike County as well.
Scott County has had 24 or less criminal felonies prosecuted annually for the last 5 years. Do you plan on making it a goal to investigate for an arrest for criminal felonies?
The Scott County Sheriff’s Office investigates all crimes. My focus throughout my career has always been criminal investigations. I have had the opportunity to work with some of the best in the business and I have learned a great amount of knowledge from them.
Regardless of whether it is a felony or misdemeanor crime, it will always be investigated to the best of our ability. I am also not afraid to ask for help if it is something too large for our small department to handle alone. Thankfully we do not live in a high crime county and I will do everything in my power to keep it that way.
I have personally conducted hundreds of criminal investigations throughout my 35 year career and have had a very high success rate of solving and getting convictions.
A few of you have mentioned 24-hour on-duty patrol officers. Is this something you plan to implement? How do you intend to pay for it with the Sheriff’s Office budget?
Scott County has always had a Deputy Sheriff or the Sheriff available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. We have never left Scott County unprotected and I never will.
