November 10, 2017
LOUISA, KY. — A trio of deputies have filed to run for the top job in 2018 as longtime sheriff Garrett Roberts has decided to hang up his gun and holster and retire after a successful four terms as Lawrence County’s top lawman.
For the 2018 Election for Sheriff, three experienced sheriff deputies have put their hats in the ring to run for the $90,000 per year position. All three men are well qualified, as they work in our community everyday and have for several years.
The Lazer gave each one an opportunity to make a statement on why voters should choose them as their next sheriff, a very important job as chief tax collector and also the main crime fighter in the county at large.
Here are their statements. You can decide for yourself as the election unfolds and culminates in the November 8 General election. We decided to post them in alphabetical order to be fair to all three. (Other candidates have until Jan. 30, 2018 to sign up to run and we will give them the same opportunity as we have the three deputies).
Chuck Jackson (Republican)
“…I am happy to announce my candidacy to run for office of the Lawrence County Sheriff. I would like to share a little bit about myself to help everyone get to know me better.
I have been married to my wife, Jill Jackson for 12 years. I have 7 children all of which attended Lawrence County schools, with 3 still in attendance. I began my employment with the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office in 2003 bringing with me prior law enforcement experience from W.V. I graduated from the Department of Criminal Justice Training Academy in 2004 in a distinguished class.
Throughout my employment I have participated and received awards in the Governor’s Highway Safety program as well as recognition from the organization MADD.
I have worked cases with the County Attorney and Commonwealth’s Office ranging from drug possession, trafficking, manufacturing and stolen property. I will continue to partner with resources throughout our community to take a proactive stance on drugs and theft to better serve Lawrence County and our families. The drug epidemic in our community is very serious. We need to take action not only to combat it but with treatment for those who seek it.
I have had drug interdiction training and was the Department’s K9 Handler. Liah and I were successful in detecting and deterring drug related activity. We were loaned to other agencies to participate in drug interdiction programs. We performed many demonstrations to various organizations and assemblies at the school to increase drug awareness.
My goal as sheriff is to continue to make a safe and secure county for you and your families. I want to get back to the community and work together with your concerns. I plan on initiating a youth mentor program to not only to help at risk youth but to reduce the risk of our children turning to drugs as an outlet.
With me, I may not always say what you want to hear but I will always tell you what I believe to be in your best interest and in the best interest of Lawrence County. I am looking forward to meeting everyone to speak about your concerns one on one. I will work tirelessly to ensure you that all voices will be heard and we will work together to maintain a safe place for our families.
I thank you all for the encouragement that I have received. I appreciate your vote and support for Dedication Honesty and Fairness!
Thank you all for your consideration as candidate to seek the Office of the Lawrence County Sheriff…”
Chuck T. Jackson
#############
Mark Wheeler (Democrat)
“…I have worked for the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office since March 2004. During that time, I have worked numerous cases aimed at drug dealers and those manufacturing meth which included those supplying them with pseudoephedrine. I have worked multiple cases with other law enforcement agencies to get drugs and the dealers off the streets of Lawrence County including cases resulting in federal charges and convictions.
I have served as the Chief Deputy and Accreditation Manager of the Sheriff’s Office since January 2011. Through this position, I have worked with other accredited agencies to gain knowledge on how to implement policies and procedures which have become the accepted professional standards for efficient and effective operations as recognized by the Kentucky Association of Chiefs of Police.
During my years of service at the Sheriff’s Office, I have learned many great things from the leadership that I have received. Through this leadership, I have gained knowledge and experience associated with the duties of the Sheriff, effectively serving and protecting citizens, by receiving crisis intervention training and continuing education to broaden my skill set. I have always felt a dedication to serving the citizens of Lawrence County, treating everyone with the upmost respect regardless of their current situation, and maintaining honesty in all that I do.
As the Lawrence County Sheriff:
As your sheriff, I will continue to maintain the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office Accreditation, of which we are one of only 19 currently accredited sheriffs’ offices in Kentucky. This Accreditation reflects that the Sheriff’s Office was carefully measured against an established set of standards and has met or exceeded professionally accepted practices in law enforcement by the Kentucky Association of Chiefs of Police.
As your sheriff, I will continue a proactive approach in dealing with the drug problem in Lawrence County. I will continue to assist individuals who are actively seeking alcohol and/or drug treatment to overcome the struggles of addiction. Anyone struggling with addiction, ready for a change and unsure where to turn for help can feel free to contact me for assistance.
I look forward to working with all of you and using my experience, dedication and honesty to keep Lawrence County a GREAT place to live and raise a family. I would appreciate your confidence and support!…”
Mark Wheeler
#########
Mack Wilhite (Democrat)
My name is Mack Wilhite. I am a Sheriff’s Deputy and a long time resident of Lawrence County and I am running for the office of Lawrence County Sheriff. June 5th, 1992 I graduated from the police academy at Eastern Kentucky University. I have served twelve years in law enforcement and have seventeen years of administrative experience operating and managing as a local business owner which has prepared me for the responsibilities of this important office.
My goals are to address the community’s concerns, employ strategies to reduce crime and aggressively fight against the war on drug’s within our county. An open door policy is of utmost importance to ensure communication with anyone who has an issue or concern in Lawrence County. Placing importance on our children’s safety is vital and must be implemented to protect our school system. I plan to work with the Board of Education in order to make school safety a priority.
My personal relationship with God is very important to me and it is this relationship that I stand firm on and base my strong moral values and principles on. Without solid morals and ethics, integrity doesn’t exist. Integrity is a word that is overused and very often misused. It actually stems from the Latin word ‘integer’ which means whole or complete. Integrity requires an inner sense of ‘wholeness’ of character. When you exhibit integrity, people will be able to visibly see it through your actions, words, decisions, and the outcomes of those decisions. You bring that with you wherever you are, regardless of the situation.
I am me. I am a husband, a father, a son and a Christian. But, I am me no matter where you see me. I am proud of my integrity. I am kind, compassionate, fair and honest and I would be honored to serve our great community as your next Sheriff.
Mack Wilhite
##########
TheLevisaLazer.com will continue to solicit statements from the persons who will be running for public office in 2018 in order to make sure voters in Lawrence County get a chance to hear from all the candidates.
