BEDFORD – There are five people in Lawrence County who know what it is to be the sheriff of Lawrence County.
They are Jerry Ross, Chester Hall, Kent Hawkins, Sam Craig, and Sheriff Mike Branham.
Beyond these five men, those with the most knowledge about running your Sheriff’s Office, which includes patrol, investigations, jail, transport, court security, animal control, civil process, and support services are those who have served as Chief Deputy, said Sheriff Mike Branham.
This is just one important reason why I am endorsing my current Chief Deputy, Gregg Taylor for Lawrence County Sheriff.
The nineteen uniformed patrol deputies, one school resource officer, and four detectives make up 24 (35%) of the 64 employees at the Sheriff’s Office. In other words, there’s much more to running a Sheriff’s Office with a $4.7 million dollar budget, 64 staff members, and 150 or more inmates than simply writing traffic tickets and making drug arrests.
While those two things are important when it comes to overall public safety, your Sheriff’s Office does so much more, and Chief Deputy Taylor has been involved in every aspect, from operations, budgeting, policy development, job descriptions, negotiating purchases and contracts, managing our human resources, and much, much more. This isn’t your grandfather’s Sheriff’s Office. Times have changed and the overwhelming majority of a sheriff’s work is management and leadership.
Chief Deputy Taylor has the experience Lawrence County deserves from its sheriff, with 26 years of service at the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office. Chief Deputy Taylor has the education Lawrence County needs for its sheriff, with not only a degree in law enforcement but also a business degree.
Chief Deputy Taylor has the training needed to properly manage and lead the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office, including American Jail Leadership training, Department of Homeland Security Small, Rural & Tribal Leadership Program, and four weeks of Public Service Leadership Institute training.
Chief Deputy Taylor brings with him a love for his community and the people he serves, including service outside of
the Sheriff’s Office at Bedford First Assembly of God (organizing Open Air Encounters), Bedford Noon Lions Club, Connect A Kid to the Outdoors, Special Olympics, serving on the Career Center Criminal Justice Program committee, and coordinating the Lawrence County C.I.T. Program.
On a personal note, I have had the opportunity to work with both Gregg Taylor and his primary opponent over the course of my career in many different capacities and both have been outstanding public servants. What differentiates the two, everything I’ve cited above, could not be more stark.
Gregg Taylor is far and away the most qualified candidate to take on every hour of everyday task that is running the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office.
It has been my great honor and privilege to serve the citizens of Lawrence County as your Sheriff, and I can assure you that Gregg Taylor will do so with honor, humility, and quality leadership, putting God first, and protecting constitutional rights of all whom he serves.
I will be voting for my friend Gregg Taylor for Lawrence County Sheriff, and I hope that you will too.
