Eric Smith

Editor’s note: This is the first in a series of stories detailing the responses given by candidates during Tuesday night’s Limestone County Political Forum. The responses of candidates for state House Districts 2 and 5, state Senate District 1 and for U.S. House District 5 will follow Friday and Sunday in The News Courier.

Limestone County Sheriff Mike Blakely told a robust audience attending the Limestone County Political Forum Tuesday night if he ever becomes ineffective, voters won’t have to vote him out he will simply “take his tail to the house.”

Meanwhile, his Republican challenger, Alabama State Trooper Eric Smith, told the audience of 240 people it is time to take the Sheriff’s Office in a new direction and that Blakely’s 32 years in office have been long enough.

Blakely, 63, and Smith, 37, as well as 10 other candidates for local, state and national offices turned out for the forum at Athens State University. Voters will decide Nov. 4 which men will take office.

Candidates were on their best behavior Tuesday, with none taking shots at their opponents.

ASU Professor Jess Brown moderated the forum, which was sponsored by the Alabama Veterans Museum, ASU, The News Courier and the Greater Limestone County Chamber of Commerce. Questions were devised by members of The News Courier and the Chamber. Here are the questions and the candidates’ answers.

Sheriff’s race

Question for Blakely: The issue of methamphetamine manufacturing is a growing concern not just in Limestone County but also across the Tennessee Valley. The state has enacted laws requiring those who purchase some precursors — including pseudoephedrine — to sign a form when purchasing these items, but the problem continues to grow. As sheriff, what will you do to crack down on those who continue to manufacture and sell meth in our county?

Blakely: We have, for 32 years, worked very hard on the drug problem; not just in an election year but in every year. Recently we have had a lot more arrests for meth. One reason being we were down to one narcotics officer — one left and one went to the DA’s office. Now we have three narcotics officers thanks to the Limestone County Commission just recently giving us another employee. Tennessee just passed a law that makes it where you have to have a prescription to get Sudafed. That is basically what you have to have. The problem we have today is that somebody that wants to make it that is prohibited from buying it, they just have to pay someone $40 or $50 to go buy them some more. We are actively arresting people that are going and buying Sudafed that is prohibited from buying it. If they have been arrested or convicted, then they are prohibited for so many years from even being able to purchase it. Anytime you go to the drug story — any of you who use pseudoephedrine — you wind up having to swipe your driver’s license. We have one officer who has been monitoring everybody and (the results) coming to his phone. So, if we got people that are buying that can not legally do it, then we get a warrant and go arrest them.

One-minute response Smith: The thing I have listed as the biggest threat that I see Limestone County facing over the next few years is the continually growing drug problem. One of the ways I would like to combat this problem is we have three drug officers but now we don’t have the drug dog. A couple of years ago, they up and gave the drug dog away. I’m a former drug-dog handler — canine handler — with the state troopers. I know the dog is a very valuable resource that can be used to combat the growing drug problem not only on the road but also in your schools. Kids at school can tell you that someone they know who uses drugs, or that they know they can get drugs from, are less likely to actually bring those dugs to school if they know the drug dog can show up at any point to search those schools.

Thirty-second closing remark Blakely: You really don’t need a drug dog working meth because you get that information when they buy it at the drug store. But, we have the best of both worlds — we have a drug dog. The prison has a drug dog that we gave them. We don’t have to pay the vet bill. We don’t have to pay for recertification all the time. We utilize that drug dog at the schools — it is at our beck and call anytime we want it.

Question for Smith: State your opinion of what the role of sheriff is in the community. Provide examples of how the sheriff should interact with citizens, county employees and even those who have been charged with a crime.

Smith: The sheriff, first and foremost, is the administrator over the Sheriff’s Office. If he does get out and provide actual law enforcement, he needs to be involved in the community — go to community events. Go talk to your community leaders, your homeowners associations … see what the issues are that they are facing. Every neighborhood in the county may have a different problem that they are dealing with. It’s time to have an open-door policy with the people of Limestone County where you can go and talk to these people and form partnerships with the community and deal with problems on a case-by-case basis. It’s time to form partnerships with the surrounding law enforcement agencies. If you can work together as a law enforcement agency to accomplish a common goal that is ultimately what were looking for everyday anyway, not for one person to have credit for doing all the work. It’s time to work together. You need to treat people fairly because you are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. If you get arrested and are brought to the jail, you need to be treated fairly. Let the court system decide whether you are guilty or not. Treat everybody fairly regardless of where they come from, regardless of whether they are a Democrat, regardless of whether they are a Republican or any other party. It’s time to come together and work as one.

One-minute response Blakely: My attitude has, and always will be, that of a public servant not a public watchdog. Last week I spoke to the local Realtors Association, providing them with information on Realtor safety. Two weeks ago we were at a homeowners association where we talked to them about problems in their neighborhood and people breaking into cars. We have a very active neighborhood-watch program that we start with any community, any group of people anywhere in the county. We also have a seniors and law enforcement together. There is a seniors citizen advisory committee. We also have narcotics officers talking to kids about drugs. We are very active in the community. I think the sheriff needs to be a leader and not expect his people to do anything that he wouldn’t do. But, most important is to be accessible to the people and have an open-door policy. Anybody that lives in Limestone County knows if you’ve ever called the Sheriff’s Office, I’m gonna call you back and if you come by to see me, I’m gonna see ya.

Thirty-second closing remark Smith: If you live in Limestone County, you’ve noticed all the area that have annexed in Limestone County. Well, those areas need to be patrolled as well. You’re not going to see Huntsville Police or Madison Police show up in those neighborhoods, so it’s gonna fall on the sheriff’s department to respond to those calls, more than likely. It’s time to get over there as well and talk to those people. They have concerns; they feel like they have been forgotten because I’ve gotten out and talked to those people. They feel like they are being left out.

Question for Blakely: The Limestone County Jail is undergoing a $3.6 million expansion. With the continued growth in Limestone County, do you believe the expansion will provide adequate space to house inmates and department personnel for the next decade?

Blakely: We have plenty of bed space for inmate population and for growth of inmate population. This addition is solely for single-bunk security cells because many times we have to isolate, whether it be for punitive or medical reason or because they have enemies. The County Commission has authorized hiring six additional personnel for managing that addition. We have one of the best-run jails and one of the cleanest jails in the state of Alabama. We have a lot of programs, from GED classes with Calhoun, religious programs, work-release program, free labor for the Council For Aging or the vets museum or lots of other places.

One-minute response Smith: If I’m not mistaken, the jail is designed to hold about 240 people. The expansion will give them room to add 50 beds; I think they are doing 25 now and 25 when needed. I think there is 46 jail staff. When you have 240 inmates ranging from p.i. (public intoxication) to failing to appear for court to murder, it’s the responsibility of the county to make sure they have adequate staff to control those people. As a trooper going into the sheriff’s office (jail), it’s never been any other way, so I believe they have adequate staff, especially if we get five or six more people. I believe that when the expansion is finished that should be satisfactory.

Thirty-second closing remark Blakely: Actually our capacity is 287 beds. Our population today was 202 inmates. As the sheriff and the person responsible for running that jail, I also want to make sure we keep it cost effective and keep down the cost as much as possible.

Question for Smith: Give a specific example of how you will improve the Limestone County Sheriff’s Office over the next four years.

Smith: I would put more deputies on the road. As it stands, we have 20 deputies, including one administrative lieutenant, a couple of patrol lieutenants, one at the academy and one in work release. I think we need more deputies patrolling the roadways and businesses and I think there is a way to do that without coming out and asking for more money to hire full-time people. Also, implement a K-9 program. There are plenty of drugs that travel Interstate 65 and through our county that it justifies us having an interdiction team. There is also drug money that comes through here. You wouldn’t think it would come here but it does, through Nashville and Birmingham. Those are some of the ideas I’d like to implement if given the opportunity to serve as your sheriff.

One-minute response Blakely: Limestone County sheriff’s department will continue doing what we have been doing for the past 32 years. We answer all calls, respond to all reports and assist all who need assistance.

Thirty-second closing remark Smith: If you elect me, we will continue answering all calls. Thirty-two years is a long time in that office. I’ll give him (Blakely) credit; he got me started in my law enforcement career. I told him when we started it was nothing personal. But 32 years is a little bit too long, in my opinion, and I will pick up right where he left off and continue working hard for Limestone County, keeping it safe.

Closing remarks

Each candidate was allowed to make a one-minute closing statement during the forum.

Blakely closing: I’d like to give you a few points to chew on. No. 1, you got the best sheriff’s office in the state of Alabama. Our area is one of the fastest growing areas in the state of Alabama. We now have 113 employees as compared to 23 in 1982 (when Blakely first took office). Our law enforcement officers are the most experienced and the best trained. Employees of your sheriff’s office are outfitted and equipped with the most state-of-the-art tools and technology available, some of it came at no cost to taxpayers through the hard work and sacrifice of my employees on our annual rodeo. We answer all calls, answer all reports and assist all who need assistance. The day I quit doing that, you won’t have to vote me out of office, I’ll take my tail to the house myself.

Smith closing: During my career, I’ve had the honor to serve in several capacities. I’ve been a canine handler tasked with working drug interdiction through the state. I’ve been an instructor at the state trooper academy, I’m also a traffic-homicide investigator, and I’ve been a field-training officer, where I helped train and supervise new troopers. I’ve been an instructor in Tennessee and Alabama on different drug enforcement activities. During my 18 years (as a trooper), I’ve had the privilege to work alongside other police agencies, including fire departments and other emergency-medical personnel. I have established a great working relationship with these groups and, if elected as your sheriff, I will bring all my experience to this office and I will continue to work hard for Limestone County … it is my home. I hope you will vote for me on Nov. 4.