Candidates defended their agendas Wednesday night at a forum sponsored by Allen County Farm Bureau.
The forum drew a fair-sized, well-mannered crowd to Iola High School’s lecture hall.
Although last to present at the hours-long event, Allen County Sheriff Bryan Murphy and his challenger, Mike Aronson, were eager to say why they should be Allen County’s next chief law enforcement officer.
Murphy, a Republican nearing the end of his first four-year term as sheriff, and Aronson, who filed as an independent as his only challenger in the Nov. 8 election, fielded a series of questions ranging from their management style and administrative experience to tackling drug problems and keeping area residents safe.
The sheriff’s race, Aronson joked, was the primary reason why so many of the crowd of 85 stuck around to the end of the nearly four-hour candidate forum.
A majority of the questions posed from moderator Darrel Monfort dealt with one of the campaign’s largest issues.
“This will be my first managerial position,” Aronson declared.
That lack of experience, however, is mitigated by what Aronson describes as his transition team, his fervent willingness to ask questions and his passion for Allen County.
“There are people already in place to bring me up to speed real quick,” he said.
Aronson pointed to relationships he’s built within the county as a police officer, emergency medical technician, firefighter and a short stint as a sheriff’s deputy.
“I’m not afraid to knock on doors and ask questions,” Aronson said. “This community is packed with people who are genuinely resourceful and smart.”
Law enforcement officers, Aronson said, tend to be self-motivated, self-sufficient and otherwise responsible, and thus he would not need to micromanage their activities.
He pointed to two priorities he’d stress as sheriff: working in league with Allen County Regional Hospital with patients who are also criminals and afflicted with mental health issues; and “tweaking” the sheriff’s department budget to ensure two deputies are on patrol at all hours of the day.
“We have one deputy on duty for as many as six hours a day,” Aronson said. That should change, both for the safety of the officers and the public, he said.
MURPHY, meanwhile pointed to his experience in law enforcement as evidence Allen Countians’ faith in him has not been misplaced.
He worked as undersheriff under both Ron Moore and Tom Williams when both were in charge, Murphy said. Likewise, he’s overseen his department’s $1 million annual budget efficiently.
Prior to that, Murphy has served in other areas of law enforcement, from being a corrections officer, jail administrator, patrol officer and investigator — “every aspect,” he said.
“I personally sign off on every voucher, every bill,” Murphy said. This year’s spending is under budget, he added. “I keep a close eye on the budget every day. I don’t take it lightly. Your tax dollars are very important.”
Murphy said “innovation” has brought in more than $600,000 in added revenue during his term, through grants and other funding avenues.
“We’ve responded over the past four years to more than 10,000 calls,” ranging from serving court orders to investigating felonies. “We work hard to keep you and the county safe.”
Murphy agreed with Aronson that law enforcement personnel is a tight-knit group, and that he has maintained a department that works well with others.
At another point of the forum, Monfort asked Aronson if he’d be willing to ask Murphy for advice, should Aronson be elected. (He would.) Monfort then asked Murphy if he’d be willing to assist Aronson in that same situation. (He would, too.)
ILLEGAL DRUGS
Murphy said a proactive approach is necessary to keeping illegal drugs out of the hands of Allen Countians, and it should start at childhood.
He pointed to the Allen County Substance Abuse Task Force, DARE programs and AlcholEdu, an interactive online program designed to target older children and adults.
“We’re looking at life skills,” Murphy said.
Murphy noted methamphetamine production is down here, but not necessarily because fewer are abusing the drug.
Rather, it’s because the drug has been made cheaper and more easily available from outside sources, such as Mexico.
Penalties for possession are much less than for production, leading to another disincentive to manufacture meth locally, he said.
ARONSON will propose two new tools in the battle against drugs, he said.
“We’re at a point now that we can bring in a drug dog,” he said.
Likewise, Aronson will propose creating a task force of law enforcement officers from across the county to handle narcotics investigations and arrests.
“It tackles the problem a lot quicker,” he said.
Aronson acknowledged he had little experience in narcotics enforcement, but has seen firsthand through his years as an emergency worker the effects drugs have on society.
“Let’s get resourceful,” he said. “Let’s talk to people who know how to get things done. I’m looking at a great grant writer. What I have is the will to bang on doors and ask ‘How do we do this?’ It’s too late to watch this stuff happen any more.”
COMMUNITY RELATIONS
Allen County is unlike many other hot spots around the country in which residents have a festering distrust of law enforcement, both candidates agreed.
“I’ll tell any new officer or deputy, your biggest weapon is not your gun, or your Taser or your fist,” Aronson said. “It’s your brain and your mouth.”
Murphy said he directs his deputies to wave at passing motorists, a simple but earnest way to foster good relations.
“We’re human, no different than anybody else,” Murphy said.
PRIOR TO becoming sheriff, Murphy worked the past 20 years in Allen County, most of which was at the sheriff’s department, with a short stint in the Humboldt Police Department. Prior to that, he served 14 years in the U.S. Army.
“I’m not originally from Iola, but this is where I’ve chosen to call home,” he said. “I take service to heart. Nothing is more rewarding than to have somebody write you a note, saying thank you for helping me in my time of need.
“I think we’re doing a good job,” he continued. “Actually, I think we’re doing a great job. There’s always room for improvement, and I’ll try to be a good steward of your money.”
ARONSON has spent 22 years in law enforcement, emergency medical service and fire-fighting.
“I’m a positive, motivated individual, and I’ve done a lot of things for a reason,” he said. “I wanted to do it all. I consider myself well-rounded.”
He pointed to his diagnosis, and subsequent successful treatment, of cancer in 2015 as the impetus for his decision to run.
“The way the community rallied around me, I knew I’ve got to do something bigger and better,” he said. “I may not have held managerial titles or high ranks, but I’ve been well respected by the people I work for and with.”
