Jim Ross won the Republican nomination and will face Democrat Mark Bailey for Carroll County Sheriff in the Nov. 6 election. Incumbent Randy Mayfield is not running.
Jim Ross
Ross said the thought of competing for any elected office did not enter his mind until July 2017.
“From my perspective working at the Berryville PD, the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office appeared to be sliding into disarray,” Ross said. “In fairness, it must be acknowledged that this sheriff, or the next, has to deal with the systemic problem of low pay for deputies, dispatchers and jailers.
“Taking low pay into consideration, other avoidable problems were becoming obvious to the public. Some hiring decisions were simply puzzling. Negligent retention of other deputies presented somewhat of a mystery. Anyone paying attention could perceive the widespread public dissatisfaction with the sheriff’s office. Trust between the sheriff’s office and other jurisdictions has been damaged. Morale within the sheriff’s office is suffering.”
Ross said with the encouragement of other law enforcement officers, he began taking inventory of his qualifications and concluded that four years of honorable military service, a successful 20-year career in management, and 14 years of law enforcement with a well-managed police department have uniquely qualified him for sheriff.
“With the consent of my wife of 49 years, I entered the race as a Republican,” Ross said. “I have since retired from the Berryville Police to pursue that goal. My final year and a half with that department was spent serving as the school resource officer for all Berryville public schools.”
He said in the primary, a majority of Republican voters chose his history of relevant work experience and advanced him to the general election. If elected, he said he would assemble a management team of deputies who agree with him that law enforcement is an altogether honorable profession if, and only if, those in the sheriff’s office make it so.
“We will have four years to restore order, accountability, credibility and common sense to law enforcement at the county level,” Ross said. “As helpful as it would be to my campaign to be able to address every need in detail, logically it can’t be done until I am elected, sworn in and on the job.
“One thing I know for certain. The men and women who dispatch deputies to calls, the deputies who risk their lives daily, and the jailers who at risk to themselves oversee prisoners, all deserve more than a cornbread living. A starting place for deputy compensation would be no less than the least compensated officer of the Eureka Springs, Berryville and Green Forest Police Departments, whichever that might be.”
Ross said he also wants people to know that if he is elected and out in public or on the job, his personal opinions on politics and the law will be left at home.
Mark S. Bailey
Bailey said he would like to concentrate on cracking down on the methamphetamine problem that has taken over our county.
“I will be actively targeting known drug houses, and hang outs,” Bailey said. “I will approach school districts in our county to have our deputies come into the schools and interact with children. I will absolutely take an active role to help stop bullying in our schools. I refuse to accept the fact that bullying has not been addressed many times in the past. My administration will address it. Domestic abuse will not be tolerated in any form.”
Bailey has administration experience in law enforcement. He has been the Chief of Police of Alpena for 16 years.
“My audits from the State of Arkansas have come back clear and in order each year,” Bailey said. “I have extensive training in many aspects of law enforcement, including criminal investigations, firearms, domestic violence, and infant death investigations, just to name a few. I have volunteered my time raising money to benefit organizations like the Purple Flower, Grandma’s House and others.”
Bailey said he was inspired to run for sheriff because “I have experience, training, desire and ability to serve the citizens of Carroll County for many years to come.”