Farragut running for Sheriff

October 05, 2007 11:36 am

— To the Leader-Call
I’m Miles Farragut, and I am a candidate for sheriff in Jones County. My wife is the former Venessa Myrick from Shady Grove and we have one daughter, Lauren who is eleven. We live in the Sharon community and Venessa is employed by the Jones County Schools. We are active members of First Baptist Church of Sharon. My parents are retired administrators from the Jones County Schools.
I would like to wish Sheriff Dykes and his family the very best in his retirement and a sincere thank you for your years of service to us.
In November, you will be going to the polls to select a new sheriff. No person elected has more direct affect on you and your family as our sheriff. He will be a professional manager for a multi-million dollar publicly owned service. I have worked hard through 23 continuous years as a police officer to build a record of integrity and experience.
I first sought to prepare myself by seeking a graduate degree in police administration and forensic science at USM. I have proudly served my country as a military police supervisor in our national guard for 24 years and was called to active duty during the Gulf War and the invasion of Iraq.
I make two promises to the people of Jones County: I promise to never forget that I am working for you, and as your sheriff, I will be relentless in getting criminals out of our communities.
My Plans for Our Sheriff’s Department Include:
1. Putting More Officers on Patrol
The population of Jones County is rapidly growing and this doesn’t count workers from surrounding areas and illegal aliens. There is no way that so few deputies on patrol can handle our huge drug problem, the speeding on our roads, the trash thrown out in our yards, the break-ins, domestic disputes, fights and rapes. You deserve safe neighborhoods for your family and a sheriff’s department that will provide it for you.
2. An Officer Assigned to Juvenile Crime
Our future as a county is based on the investment we make in our young people. My plan is to have a juvenile officer to work with parents and the courts to intervene with delinquent juveniles. This officer will be familiar with juvenile law and will counsel with children and parents when a crime is committed. This officer will handle cases headed to youth court. As a school police officer, I have worked with the youth court to obtain grants that allow us to drug test students placed in detention. This program allows parents to find out if their child is abusing drugs so help can be obtained.
3. Have a Working Relationship between the Sheriff’s Office and the People of Jones County
I plan to continue the “open door” policy that our citizens expect from their sheriff’s department. When you come into contact with a member of our department, you will be treated professionally and with the courtesy and respect you deserve from your public servants. My department will also work to build good community relations. As the first coordinator for Jones County Crimestoppers, I worked closely with all law enforcement agencies to help neighborhoods fight crime problems. We badly need an officer whose main responsibility is to follow up with the victims of crime to let them know what is happening with their case. The officer will work with people in neighborhoods impacted by crime to gather information. Many times someone has seen something that may be the key to solving a crime when put with other information.
The ideas I’ve laid out are my vision for our sheriff’s department. I have dedicated most of my adult life to law enforcement, both as a civilian and in the military. I am asking for your vote and support for a better Jones county. Thank you for all the support and prayers you have given me during this campaign. If elected, I will never forget that I, and the department I lead, are working for you.

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