Sheriff takes big lead in Madison County

Incumbent loses in Boone County

Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Madison County Sheriff Phillip Morgan had a large lead over challenger Randy Carmack in voting Tuesday. In incomplete returns, the unofficial results for Madison County sheriff were: Morgan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,268 Carmack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 854

“I’m proud of the people who voted for me,” Morgan said Tuesday night. “I like my job and I’d like to keep it.”

Morgan, 65, of Huntsville has been Madison County sheriff since 1999. He and Carmack have expressed concern about illegal drug use in the county, particularly methamphetamine and prescriptions drugs.

“Drug trafficking is a big deal,” Morgan said. “It’s hard to get a handle on it. We work on it every day.”

Morgan noted that solving a drug case involves listening and gathering enough information to obtain search warrants because officers can’t simply investigate someone’s property without one.

Carmack, 61, owns R&L Transportation in Springdale. He entered the race with no previous political experience but expressed concern that suspected methamphetamine labs aren’t being investigated.

“It is time that someone in Madison County not only will pay attention to the fact that they are here, but get the right people that will investigate and arrest the people involved,” he said.

Vote totals for the Carroll County sheriff’s race between Republican incumbent, Rob-ert “Bob” Grudek and Jason Hunt, the Democrat challenging him, were not available Tuesday night.Grudek, 69, a resident of Eureka Springs, has served three terms as sheriff of Carroll County. During the campaign he touted a prescription-drug-disposal program and a canine program that were started during his time as sheriff as a way to address drug crimes. The dogs assist with drug investigations and education programs for children.

Hunt, 41, is self-employed in construction and farming, and lives in Berryville. He had experience working with narcotics cases while working for the Carroll County sheriff’s office and said if elected he would go after those who sell and use illegal drugs.

“The biggest thing I learned is [to] listen to the people,” he said, adding thatresidents know where the problem areas are. He said training officers and educating the public are important so they can report drug users and drug sources to law enforcement officials.

Republican challenger Mike Moore defeated incumbent Democratic Boone County Sheriff Danny Hickman on Tuesday night.

With 12 of 12 precincts reporting, the unofficial results for Boone County sheriff were: Moore . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8,328 Hickman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6,529

Moore, 48, was the county judge for Boone County from 2005-10 and ran unsuccessfully for 3rd Congressional District. He said he would make combating drugs a priority if elected.

“I’m not sure it is a priority” now, Moore said. “We would have more training.”

Hickman, 57, who has been sheriff since 1999, lives in Harrison. He also previously was a justice of the peace in Boone County for seven years in the1990s. He said during the campaign that he is concerned about illegal drug use but, “if you don’t have the manpower and the tools, it’s hard to fight.”

Hickman said the sheriff’s office has a program through the county for people to dispose of their prescription drugs. Other counties in the state offer similar programs.

In Scott County, voters were choosing between Sheriff Cody Carpenter, Democrat incumbent, or Jimmy Yandell, Republican challenger.

With 16 of 26 precincts reporting, the unofficial results for Scott County sheriff were: Carpenter . . . . . . . . . . . . .2,639 Yandell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 927

Carpenter, who has been Scott County sheriff since 2005, lives in Waldron. The 39-year-old said that if reelected he plans to add a fulltime drug investigator to the sheriff’s office as a way to fight drug crimes. He said prescription-drug abuse and methamphetamine abuse continue to be problems in the county, but he has been building relationships with other state and federal agencies to fight it.

“Everybody’s partnering together,” he said. “We’re going to continue to fight it.”

Yandell, 51, ran unsuccessfully for sheriff in 2010. The Waldron resident is owner of a logging, bulldozer and trackhoeing business. In his campaigning, Yandell said he was concerned about break-ins and drug use in the county. If elected, he said he would have deputies spend more time patrolling county roads and less time on the highways.

“You have to get out and watch the public, know what to watch for,” Yandell said.

Northwest Arkansas, Pages 11 on 11/07/2012