Jones, Richter talk heroin, department staffing in race for sheriff

In the race for Butler County sheriff, Richard Jones is seeking re-election this November against Democrat Dale Richter, a retired police officer.

We asked both candidates questions about issues such as heroin as well as the department’s staffing levels and budget.

Here’s a look at some of their answers. Get all of their answers and find out what other candidates and issues are on the ballot in your area in our online voters guide at vote.journal-news.com.

Candidate background

Jones: Eighteen years with the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections. Twelve years as Chief Deputy of the Butler County Sheriff's Office. Eleven years as Sheriff of Butler County. Bachelor's degree in criminal justice from Wilmington College; master's degree in corrections from Xavier University.

Richter: Retired police officer with a background in criminal justice ranging from undercover work, uniform police officer, warrant officer, shift commander, police investigator, police detective, and also served as president of the Springboro Fraternal Order of Police Ohio Labor Council. University of Cincinnati College Police Academy graduate. Current State of Ohio Peace Officer Training Commission certificate.

Heroin is a huge issue in the country, Ohio and here in this corner of the state. And with heroin being laced with other, more powerful narcotics, it appears the issue can worsen. What steps need to be taken in order for law enforcement to get a better handle on this growing epidemic?

Jones: "Law enforcement can only do so much to curb this epidemic. As we've seen, offenders will blatantly abuse heroin without consideration to the legal consequences and the risk of arrest. My drug taskforce does an excellent job of tracking down and arresting drug dealers, but when the demand is so prevalent, someone will almost always step up to be the next dealer. My office works with Fort Hamilton Hospital's opiate recovery taskforce to raise awareness and help families address the stigma of drug abuse. However, recovery is a slow, painful and often unsuccessful path. We must work harder and more diligent in getting the drug free message to our youth, so we can prevent the problem before it starts."

Richter: "As a former undercover officer and police detective, I can tell you from first hand experience that heroin and opioids are nothing new to the drug culture, however the wide spread use by the American people is. Unfortunately there are several factors that take this issue out of our control. … It's not my place to change the law and you just can't lock up every drug user in jail. With that being said, I do applaud Hamilton County and Sheriff Jim Neil for being an innovator in an attempt to save lives. Obviously this will not solve the heroin problem, but I'm all for creative ideas (that) could save lives."

How is the Butler County Sheriff’s Office coverage of the county with its current staffing levels? It is down from 2008 levels, but explain if there needs to be an increase in staffing or if the current staffing levels sufficient?

Jones: "I'd describe the current coverage throughout the county as lean. Our response times are adequate, but not preferable. During peak hours our resources become stretched to the point of concern. I've been in conversation with County Commissioners to address this shortage of manpower, and as the economy in Butler County improves I'm hopeful that manpower levels at the Sheriff's Office are addressed."

Richter: "For over two decades I have donned my body armor daily to work in many different aspects of law enforcement. … A police agency being understaffed can lead into frustration and moral problems internally. In addition, being understaffed makes it very difficult for our first responders to meet the high standards of duty expected by our community and by the officers themselves. Raising staffing levels to increase duty related training, schooling and education must be a number one priority of the Butler County Sheriff's Office."

What are the 3 biggest issues facing Butler County for the Sheriff’s Office, and how do you plan to address them?

Jones: "Heroin reduction: We operate a taskforce whose primary duties are investigating and prosecuting heroin dealers. Unfortunately our county is not immune to the trend throughout the country and we are focused on reducing these incidents. In addition, our jail contracts with mental health providers to help educate offenders while incarcerated in a concerted effort to reduce recidivism. … As simple as it is, stopping addiction before it starts is the most effective way to end this epidemic — we must educate our children.

“Maintaining excellence in service: … We have established a “Quality Assurance Program” which emphasizes completeness, compliance, consistency and documentation. The program also involves random audits of officer’s interactions with the public to verify conformity with our policies and creates a method to address any deficiencies. We conduct regular inspections for adherence to professional standards and we regularly send supervisory officers to advanced training for risk management.

“Reducing crime: … We continually monitor crime trends and modify personnel assignments as needed. We operate a “Citizens on Patrol” program to assist with conducting vacation checks and other crime prevention functions. We also work closely with the citizens of Butler County to educate them on proper crime prevention techniques.”

Richter: "My goal as Sheriff of Butler County is to achieve a more energetic, professional and efficient agency, meeting the expectations of our very vibrant and diverse community. As Sheriff of Butler County, I will be committed to excellence in service and the citizens of Butler County. As sheriff my three biggest priorities will be the implementation of readily available advanced law enforcement technology, duty related education and training. As sheriff of Butler County, I pledge to our citizens that I will not use the Sheriffs Office for my own personal mouth piece. I will run the Sheriffs Office like a Police Department and not a political machine. My plan is to increase the working relationships and partnerships, with our communities, along with other police agencies and have the Butler County Sherriff Office be the premier agency in the county."


ONLINE VOTERS GUIDE

Read more about what the candidates for Butler County sheriff had to say and find out what other candidates and issues are on the ballot in your area in our online voters guide at vote.journal-news.com

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