Election Guide: Hamilton County Sheriff

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The blog categories chosen for this post encapsulate what this sheriff race is all about: Politics, Crime, School. Wait -- schools? Why should there be such a focus on the intersection of law enforcement with public education? Why, with the possible exception of programs like D.A.R.E. or bits on Reno 911, is there such an intersection? The answers merit their own separate article, of course, but unless you have been completely cocooned during the past few months, you know that the annoyingly redundant phrase "SRO officers" has been uttered at every opportunity any of the five candidates have had to speak.

By the way, those candidates are:

• Tim Akins, a former corrections officer and an independent candidate


• Greg Beck, the Democratic Party nominee and currently the County Commissioner for District 5


• Fred Fuson, a park ranger and retired police officer who is not listed on the ballot, but is asking for a write-in vote


• Jim Hammond, the Republican Party nominee and longtime former chief deputy


• Jim Winters, a small business owner, former detective and independent candidate

The main issues debated in this campaign have been the county jail (whether a new one is needed, or how to keep the current one certified); the ever-present community issues of violent crime and prostitution (how to effectively deal with them), and the aforementioned School Resource Officer program (how and how much to fund it, essentially). Some of the most interesting parts of this special election campaign happened near the beginning, when both major parties held their nominating conventions. The Democrats went first, and chose Commissioner Beck over Jim Winters. Then Winters decided to re-file as an independent (as he had done earlier, prior to seeking the Democratic nod). The Democratic Party called foul, but there was nothing they could do to stop Winters. When the Republicans took their turn, party chair Connie Weathers wasn't having any of that, so the candidates were required to pledge that if they did not win the nomination, they would go quietly and not run as independents. This explains Fred Fuson's write-in status. He signed the pledge, but was not willing to back Jim Hammond; and so he's technically keeping his word by not appearing as an independent candidate on the ballot, yet he is running. There's nothing quite like middle-school drama and intrigue in a campaign for the constitutional officer over a county's law enforcement. Some average voters have suggested stripping local offices, such as Sheriff, County Clerk, Court Clerk, and Register of Deeds, of partisan labels altogether. It's possible that qualified candidates could then feel free to run without drawing ire from those who feel entitled to anoint a champion, and the voters would simply decide among the lot. The trouble would lie with getting those in charge of the anointing (meaning, the parties) to agree. Regardless, the vote Thursday will choose a replacement for the remainder of former Sheriff Billy Long's term, which expires in 2010. Jim Hammond has out-raised and outspent his opponents, but some question his ability to win this office, as he has unsuccessfully tried twice before (to the above point, as a Democrat both times). Others raise eyebrows at some of his close supporters, in particular one who was convicted of selling steroids in the jail. Commissioner Beck drew the second largest amount in donations, and has an array of supporters that crosses many socio-political boundaries, but some consider his relatively lighter resume as a detriment. Plus, through no fault of his own, his association with the party that brought us Billy Long is somewhat of an albatross. The real question is whether the independent and write-in candidates will have any impact on the outcome. If the parties each manage a decent voter turnout effort, the others are not likely to have much effect. The GOP primary in Tennessee House of Representatives District 31 could give Hammond a slight edge, just by drawing more Republican voters to the polls. But that race is nowhere near countywide. Tell you what: you vote, and that will help determine who wins this important election.

(Photo courtesy of Jeremy Brooks)