For Iredell sheriff: A look at the candidates

PHIL REDMOND

After 16 years as Iredell County sheriff, Phil Redmond said there's more he wants to accomplish and that's why he's seeking a fifth term as the top law enforcement official in the county.
"I want to expand on the programs we've successfully implemented and implement other ideas aimed at making Iredell County a safe place to work, live and raise a family," he said.
The "work, live and raise a family" slogan has been Redmond's keystone since he first ran for sheriff in 1994.
He said that's not just a slogan, but also something he firmly believes in.
Redmond said the biggest factor in making that slogan a reality is dealing with the drug problem.
"As a father and family man, I have a strong personal conviction to work energetically to attack our county's drug problem," he said.
Redmond touted his department's high crime clearance rate, 82 percent for violent crimes and 35 percent of property crimes, as proof his methods are working.
Nationally, he said, the clearance rate for violent crimes is 50.3 percent and property crimes, 20.2 percent.
He said the Interstate Criminal Enforcement team (ICE) is nationally recognized for its work in getting drugs off the interstate. He said those seizures by ICE and the narcotics division paid for several improvements at the sheriffs office, from purchasing new vehicles to funding the crime lab.
Despite a public chasm between the Statesville Police Department and the sheriffs office over the revocation of a law allowing the SPD countywide jurisdiction, Redmond said that relationship, as well as the one with other law enforcement agencies in the county, has been repaired. He cited the establishment of multi-agency task forces in the narcotics division, special victims unit and the Statesville-Iredell Gang Initiative as proof he and his department are building bridges with other agencies.
If elected to a fifth term, Redmond said, he plans to build on the community- policing program in place in southern Iredell County. With the communitypolicing model, a deputy is trained and works a specific area, visiting with businesses and residents to establish a presence and relationships.
He said he also wants to continue to search for new technologies and ideas to address the crime issues in Iredell County.
Even after serving on and off with the sheriff's office for nearly 40 years, Redmond said, he is still awed by the opportunity to be sheriff.
'This is the oldest constitutional office in North Carolina, and it's a very humbling and gratifying experience that I hold this office,' he said.

PHIL BLOCKER

A Mooresville Police Department captain says he believes his background as a Marine and in a supervisory position gives him the necessary experience to be the next sheriff of Iredell County.
Phil Blocker is one of three Republican candidates vying for the position in Tuesday's primary election.
Blocker has worked with the MPD for nearly 23 years, starting as a patrol officer and working his way through the ranks to his current position as captain.
During his law enforcement career, he said, he has served in a variety of capacities, from road patrol to heading up the community services division. A large number of those years, he said, were spent as a narcotics investigation, giving him insight into the problem with drugs in the community.
Like most of the other candidates, Blocker said, drugs are the number one priority for law enforcement. Addressing the drug problem and the flow of drugs into the county, he said, impacts every facet of law enforcement.
Reducing the need for drugs, he said, reduces the number of break-ins and other property crimes, as well as more violent crimes.
He said that continuing the current Interstate Criminal Enforcement team that targets potential drug transports through Iredell County is vital in that effort. "Drugs coming through the county are no different than drugs being sold in the county," he said.
Blocker said he's been thinking about running for sheriff for a few years and decided this was the time. He said he's nearing the possibility of retirement from the MPD but is not ready to retire from law enforcement.
So the top law enforcement officer in the county, he said, is a logical step.
Blocker said he believes in structure and plans to use a paramilitary setup if elected sheriff. He said concise and consistent leadership and enforcement of the law is needed in the sheriff's office.
"I wouldn't reorganize the whole organization," he said, but some changes would be necessary. Blocker said he believes it's important to instill a feeling of morale in the department.
"It's very important for the sheriff and his staff to have trust in each other," he said.
One thing Blocker is proposing that differs from his opponents is the establishment of an oversight committee consisting of citizens and officials to hear grievances. Blocker said this is not a citizen's review board like ones that are used in other cities to hear complaints against officers, but instead a group of people that will share problems and possible solutions to crime and interaction with the sheriff's office.
Blocker said he plans on being a sheriff that gets out and interacts with the community, not just officials, but citizens and business owners to get a feel for what is needed.
Blocker said.
The most important part of being sheriff, Blocker said, is to run a department based on fairness and integrity. After he completes his years as sheriff, Blocker said, he hopes people will look back on an administration that was fair and honest.
"I want people to look back at Phil Blocker and say he's done a good job," he said.

JEFF CHEEK

Leading by example is what Jeff Cheek plans to do if he is elected sheriff of Iredell County. Cheek, a retired lieutenant with the Statesville Police Department, is one of two Democrats seeking to oust incumbent Sheriff Phil Redmond.
Cheek said that, during his lengthy career with the SPD, he was involved in every facet of the department — from road patrol to investigations to overseeing communications and records.
During that career, he said, he strived to set a good example for the officers and civilians in his command.
Running for sheriff is something he's had in mind for a number of years, Cheek said.
One of his biggest goals is to repair what he believes is a fractured relationship between the other law enforcement agencies in the county and the sheriff 's office. He said he believes, as sheriff, he should set the tone.
"The sheriff is the highest law enforcement officer in the county, and it's his or her responsibility to take the lead role," Cheek said.
Rescinding the repeal of a law giving the SPD countywide jurisdiction, he said, would be one step in that direction.
He said he would utilize the expertise of all agencies, including state and federal, in solving crimes.
Cheek touted his experience in working with the State Bureau of Investigation on numerous cases during his years as an investigator.
He said he established relationships within that agency, and would work to enhance them. Cheek also said he brings relationships with the Federal Bureau of Investigation to the table as well. Cheek attended the FBI National Academy — an extreme training program for local law enforcement officials.
He said he wants to strengthen the community policing ideal and bring it back to the way it was designed to operate.
Involving the community and the deputies who work that area is vital, he said.
"Community policing is not successful by just one or two people being involved," he said. "It has to involve everybody."
Strengthening relationships within communities, he said, leads to partnerships between citizens, businesses and law enforcement.
Cheek said another important aspect will be to recruit trained personnel to work in the jail. He said the position of detention officer should not be a stepping stone to another job or a disciplinary measure.
Recruiting those who want to work in the jail, he said, will increase professionalism.
He said the most important aspect of serving as sheriff is to make sure all personnel are courteous and professional.
"It goes back to leading by example. Regardless of who you are, you deserve to be treated with respect and courtesy," he said.
Cheek said his community involvement, both as a police officer and a citizen, speak to his desire to keep those lines of communication open.
He has served as president and is currently a board member with Trinity Fire Department.
Cheek said being sheriff shouldn't be about politics.
"It's all about law enforcement," he said. "I plan to provide Iredell County with quality law enforcement."

BILL STAMEY

With more than three decades of service in law enforcement capacities, Bill Stamey says he is amply qualified to be the next sheriff of Iredell County.
Stamey is one of two Democrats facing off in next week's primary to seek election for sheriff in November. Jeff Cheek is the other Democrat.
Stamey retired as the manager of the local ABC store, but has worked in law enforcement since 1971. He worked for the sheriff's office for most of his career. He said his experience as a law enforcement officer within the sheriff's office gives him the perspective to see what works and what doesn't.
Stamey said his top priority will be to have as many uniformed deputies on the street as possible. "Visibility is the best crime deterrent there is," he said.
Like many of the other four candidates, Stamey said, he's a proponent of community policing. He said he believes deputies need to build relationships with the people in the communities.
"If you've got those relationships, people will pick up the phone and call you with information. To build those relationships, you've got to get out of the car and talk to the people," he said. "If they see somebody to talk to, they should do it."
Stamey said he would encourage deputies, when call volume permits, to get out of the car and talk with business owners and residents.
"It takes everyone working together to solve crimes," he said.
He said the community policing concept needs to be expanded beyond the Brawley School Road peninsula and the southern part of the county to the entire county.
"Crime is not just occurring on Brawley School Road," he said.
Stamey said reducing the drug trafficking, whether on a local level or via the interstates, is vital as the need for drugs drives many other crimes, such as breaking and enterings.
He addressed the crime laboratory that current Sheriff Phil Redmond started to process some evidence on a local level.
Stamey said he believes the lab is an unnecessary expense, and that the State Bureau of Investigation is well equipped to process evidence for the sheriff's office.
"They've always been there," he said.
The money used to fund the lab, he said, could be used in other areas.
Stamey said he wants to improve the relationship between the sheriff's office and other law enforcement agencies in the county.
"In talking to a number of people, the relationship, in my opinion, is not too good," he said.
Collaboration, he said, is a priority. "It takes all the agencies working together to fight crime in Iredell County," he said.
Stamey said he wants the deputies and other staff members at the sheriff's office to enjoy their jobs and give 100 percent, and he will encourage that type of atmosphere.
He said he wants to be sheriff to fulfill a long-time dream, but he also believes it's a job he is well-qualified to uphold.
"I have the desire, the capability and the experience," he said.

MARK NICHOLSON

Mark Nicholson believes one of the top priorities as sheriff should be getting drugs out of the schools.
Nicholson, 43, seeks to replace his boss, Phil Redmond, as the sheriff of Iredell County.
Nicholson is currently a detective sergeant in the sheriff's office. He has worked for the sheriff's office for 19 years.
He said he believes drugs in schools are a priority based on the stories he's heard from his three daughters, the youngest of whom will graduate from North Iredell High School in June.
"It's a relief that she's going to be out of there," he said.
Nicholson said he thinks the current effort aimed at stopping the flow of drugs into the county via the two interstates is misguided. "Getting drugs off the interstate is good," he said, "but that's not helping the citizens here. Those drugs on the interstate are not headed for Iredell County." Nicholson said he wants to work with other agencies and the school system to curb the drug problem.
"I think it will take a coordinated effort between school officials and law enforcement," he said. Working with other agencies, he said, is vital because addressing the problem in the schools in the county isn't good enough.
"That does no good," he said. "Students socialize with kids from other schools and that means the problem would just move to schools inside the three city limits if a strong enforcement effort takes place in the county."
Nicholson said he knows he's at a disadvantage in terms of experience leading a department, but his life experiences will help him as sheriff. Running a household, he said, doesn't differ from running a sheriff's office, just on a much larger scale.
Delegating responsibilities, he said, will be vital.
"If you've got capable people around you, it will be less difficult," he said.
One of the areas in which Nicholson acknowledges he is lacking in experience is in running a department with a multi-million dollar budget. Overseeing the budget, he said, will be a vital role for the sheriff, but there are people within the county who can help. "There are infinite resources available," he said. "It takes many people to do a budget."
He said he would seek advice from a variety of sources in terms of putting together and overseeing the budget.
Nicholson said experience isn't the deciding factor in running a large department.
"Experience doesn't necessarily equate with capability," he said.
During his campaign, Nicholson and his supporters have indicated he will be more of a law enforcement officer and not a politician.
"I believe in management through example," he said.
Nicholson said he has a reputation of honesty, and his record at the sheriff's office backs that up.
"I've been there for 19 years, and never have I been written up. I've never been sanctioned in any way for my work or my conduct," he said.
Nicholson said he believes the integrity he's established during his nearly two decades on the job will translate into strong leadership.
It's a position he believes he already holds.
"A leader is a person who other people look to for advice," he said.