Runoff likely in sheriff's primary

6 seek party spot in Saline County

Tuesday, May 13, 2014

With six Republican candidates vying for the party's choice for Saline County sheriff, a runoff after the May 20 primary looks more than likely.

The race pits those with years of law enforcement experience, those who work for the same agency and those with the same agendas for the Saline County sheriff's office against one another.

The candidates are: E.J. Harris, 62, a retired U.S. marshal; Simon Haynes, 43, a Pulaski County sheriff's captain; Daniel Dodson, 49, a Saline County sheriff's lieutenant; Rodney Wright, 43, a Benton Police Department lieutenant; Kevin Cooper, 41, a former Saline County sheriff's narcotics detective; and Tim Dudderar, 51, a Saline County sheriff's sergeant.

Former Sheriff Bruce Pennington, 63, had also thrown his name in the race, but dropped out late last month saying he had "health issues." His name will still appear on ballots since they had already been printed.

Most of the candidates for the two-year term have said in interviews that they want to bring back professionalism and transparency to the sheriff's office. To some, that would include an evaluation of all employees and services and a possible retooling of the department.

Only three -- Haynes, Cooper and Dudderar -- have worked as a jail deputy. Two have run before -- Harris in 2010 and Dudderar in 2008 -- but lost to Pennington.

All candidates say they want to reduce crime, particularly drug use and its associated crimes associated. All have also dreamed up ways to combat the shortage in deputies -- and revenue -- as the county population continues to grow.

For Haynes, the department can come up with ways to streamline the budget while increasing revenue. At the Pulaski County sheriff's office, where he is a captain over the Criminal Investigations Division, Haynes said officials looked at the smallest things, from tire usage -- the department began measuring its tire tread depth before taking it to the shop -- to assigning equipment to one deputy.

The Saline County sheriff's office can amp up drug enforcement and bring in money from seizures, the 20-year law enforcement official said.

"We can use that money to buy cars, do training, build buildings," he said, adding that doing so would free up the other money that could then be used for more deputies or raises.

Small changes could lead to more savings, he said: after attrition and retirement, he would look at all the positions, combine some duties and reassign some to patrol; staggered shifts would allow more deputies to be on patrol at the most opportune times; deputies would gain more experience with more training.

To bring back the trust, Haynes said he would ensure all deputies follow-up on reports and close cases. For example, he said the sheriff's office used to take burglary reports over the phone.

"You can't take fingerprints on the phone, you can't knock on doors and ask neighbors if they saw anything over the phone," he said. "You have to attempt to solve every crime and you have to do it right the first time."

Cooper said he looks to improve transparency by having monthly town hall meetings, adding citizen academies and bringing back ride-alongs. He'd like to use more community-oriented policing by having deputies talk to residents and see what is necessary or wanted.

"I want us to get back and be a people-person department -- to where we can relate on everybody's level," he said.

On the crime front, the former deputy said he wants to cross-train all deputies and detectives in narcotics investigations, as well as work with other law enforcement agencies for those cases. He said he would have administrative officers work patrol and, if needed, ask for part-time deputies to help.

All deputies, he said, will follow a certain "level of conduct" with the public, the 14-year law enforcement veteran said.

"I'm the most loyal candidate to ever run for Saline County sheriff," he said. "I'm for the people, not the politicians."

For Harris, operating the sheriff's office is "the actual spitting image" of his experience with the U.S. Marshals Service, where he had a 24-year stint.

"You transport prisoners," he said. "You house prisoners."

The jail is the sheriff's office biggest problem, he said, adding that the facility needs trained personnel there "that won't be causing lawsuits," along with a policy and procedure manual for medical personnel.

He would re-interview all deputies to ensure they are all qualified and add awards and incentives to raise morale. Harris said he would use the reserves more often, which he hopes will reduce response times to calls.

"We're going to make some arrests," he said.

But, if the number of reserve deputies isn't enough, Harris said he would go to the Saline County Quorum Court to ask for money to hire more patrol deputies.

"You want this resolved, you have to open the checkbook to make something happen," he said.

During Wright's campaign, the candidate has stressed the importance of working with other law enforcement agencies. The 20-year law enforcement veteran is currently a lieutenant over Benton Police's Criminal Investigations Division and the department's SWAT commander.

Consistency, he said, is the key to establishing accountability: deputies need to be consistent in providing services to citizens, and the sheriff's administration needs to be consistent in enforcing the department's policies. Wright said he'd like to be more upfront with the public about the department's finances, which will be heavily documented.

"In order to truly get a change, you're going to need somebody from outside," he said. "We just need to be an open book."

Aside from reevaluating positions, Wright said he would also manage deputies better by placing them in high-crime areas. Partnering with other law enforcement agencies would also help ease deputies' loads while maintaining certain investigations, he said.

But the biggest thing that separates Wright from the other candidates, he said, is his community involvement.

"I have always been involved," he said, adding that he's served on Benton's Parks and Recreations committee and been the Saline County president of the Fraternal Order of the Police.

Both Dodson and Dudderar said they thought the sheriff's office has been professional, though Dodson conceded the sheriff's office could be held more accountable.

Dodson -- an administrative lieutenant who oversees the environmental officer, evidence, the fleet and civil process -- has been with the sheriff's office since 2001.

"It's basically just doing your job, holding yourself accountable for what you do," he said. "That's the big thing. And most do, but we've got to stay that way."

The department also needs more training, as it's seen an influx of younger deputies, he said. The University of Arkansas System's Criminal Justice Institute in Little Rock offers free training, and the department can do that in-house as well, he added.

The sheriff's office can use part-time and reserve deputies in a more efficient manner, he said.

"The part-time officers ... we have to work their schedule where they can coincide [with the patrol deputies]," he said. "When we're short staffed, they can fill in. When we're full-staffed, they can work our neighborhoods. You just got to stay on top of it."

Otherwise, the department should continue partnering with local, state and federal agencies, he said.

Dudderar -- a patrol sergeant with the Saline county sheriff's office -- has worked with the agency for 18 years after stints with the Pulaski County and Conway County sheriffs' offices.

To help man the county, Dudderar said all deputies -- patrol, jail and transport -- need to be cross-trained in each other's realm. The sheriff's office has a "terrific" reserve program, he said.

"Unfortunately, they don't come out as often as they should," Dudderar said. "I would just mandate it if they want to keep the reserve position."

Doing that, he said, would allow the department to have a street-crime units, plainclothes deputies in unmarked cars that can help target the drug problem, he said. Dudderar added he would like to place detectives on "saturated patrols" -- out in high-crime areas during peak times.

Dudderar said he would continue applying for grants and collecting private money to help the sheriff's office get more deputies and "hopefully" get current deputies a raise.

The winner of the Republican primary will run against the only Democratic candidate, Rodney Goshien Sr. in the November election.

Whichever candidate wins the entire race will replace Interim Sheriff Cleve Barfield, who was appointed to the position by the county's Quorum Court in October. He replaced Pennington, who resigned after misdemeanor public intoxication and resisting arrest convictions.

Metro on 05/13/2014