Gwinnett Daily Post, Joseph Mark kicks off campaign for Gwinnett County sheriff

Supports better incentives and pay for staff.

Wants to "improve multi-jurisdictional cooperation."

Said, "I envision a department that prioritizes transparency, accountability, and responsiveness to the community’s needs."

Wants to create a community ambassador program to ensure "that both the staff and the community has a voice, particularly on matters concerning our community, children, and local businesses."

Said, "By partnering with drug treatment facilities and other nonprofit organizations, together we can provide [those with mental health issues] the support and the tools they need to help regain their lives."

- Supports better incentives and pay for staff.
- Wants to "improve multi-jurisdictional cooperation."
- Said, "I envision a department that prioritizes transparency, accountability, and responsiveness to the community’s needs."
- Wants to create a community ambassador program to ensure "that both the staff and the community has a voice, particularly on matters concerning our community, children, and local businesses."
- Said, "By partnering with drug treatment facilities and other nonprofit organizations, together we can provide [those with mental health issues] the support and the tools they need to help regain their lives."

Public Safety

What are Jail dogs?

Wants to reinstate "Operation Second Chance," a program where dogs in shelters are paired with inmates who are taught to take care of them.

- Wants to reinstate "Operation Second Chance," a program where dogs in shelters are paired with inmates who are taught to take care of them.

Jail Management

Wants to create a juvenile-crime prevention program.

Said, "Let me be clear, we will aggressively target the adults that negatively influence our youth and we will prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law."

- Wants to create a juvenile-crime prevention program.
- Said, "Let me be clear, we will aggressively target the adults that negatively influence our youth and we will prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law."

Criminal Justice

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Joseph "Joe" Mark

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Plans to work with Gwinnett County Police Departments and the District Attorney's Office to promote community safety.

- Plans to work with Gwinnett County Police Departments and the District Attorney's Office to promote community safety.

Wants to address inmates' physical and mental health by redeveloping prison medical facilities and points to "over ten inmate deaths and countless other safety issues" since a new administration assumed responsibilities in 2021.

Said inmate mental health is an important issue and plans to install inmate mental health follow-ups upon release.

- Wants to address inmates' physical and mental health by redeveloping prison medical facilities and points to "over ten inmate deaths and countless other safety issues" since a new administration assumed responsibilities in 2021.
- Said inmate mental health is an important issue and plans to install inmate mental health follow-ups upon release.

Said "Repeat offenders are committing a significant amount of crime. I will create a plan of action...to stop repeat offenders from continuing to criminalize our neighborhoods."

Plans to target gang activity by creating a Gang Task Force.

- Said "Repeat offenders are committing a significant amount of crime. I will create a plan of action...to stop repeat offenders from continuing to criminalize our neighborhoods."
- Plans to target gang activity by creating a Gang Task Force.

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Brian Whiteside

Ballotpedia

AJC/ACC Voter Guide - Local & Legislative Questionnaire

LinkedIn

Plans to implement competitive pay and benefits aimed to attract and retain employees.

Wants to partner with colleges and universities to develop a recruitment pipeline.

Advocates for youth mentoring to reduce criminal activity amongst youth through community and school organizations, volunteer opportunities, and platforms encouraging open communication with the sheriff's office.

Wants to optimize resources and develop energy efficiency to save costs.

Plans to pursue federal grants and partnerships with outside agencies to help supplement the law enforcement budget.

- Plans to implement competitive pay and benefits aimed to attract and retain employees.
- Wants to partner with colleges and universities to develop a recruitment pipeline.
- Advocates for youth mentoring to reduce criminal activity amongst youth through community and school organizations, volunteer opportunities, and platforms encouraging open communication with the sheriff's office.
- Wants to optimize resources and develop energy efficiency to save costs.
- Plans to pursue federal grants and partnerships with outside agencies to help supplement the law enforcement budget.

Wants to improve the medical and mental health care for detention center detainees by implementing mental health services, routine medical checkups, preventive care initiatives, and specialized units for inmates with severe mental health issues.

Plans to establish officer training to ensure understanding of inmate mental health.

Plans to prioritize allocating funding towards "critical functions," such as detainee care and deputy safety.

Plans to develop financial audit aimed to mitigate overspending or inefficiency.

- Wants to improve the medical and mental health care for detention center detainees by implementing mental health services, routine medical checkups, preventive care initiatives, and specialized units for inmates with severe mental health issues.
- Plans to establish officer training to ensure understanding of inmate mental health.
- Plans to prioritize allocating funding towards "critical functions," such as detainee care and deputy safety.
- Plans to develop financial audit aimed to mitigate overspending or inefficiency.

Plans to prioritize integrity by implementing strict ethical guidelines, an anonymous reporting system, continuous ethics training for staff, and routine audits.

Wants to install reentry programs aimed to minimize the likelihood of   a criminal re-offence.

Plans to develop initiative educating officers on "handling domestic violence situations with sensitivity and professionalism."

Plans to create a specialized unit in the Sheriff's Office for domestic violence cases and to promote community awareness to encourage reporting such incidents.

- Plans to prioritize integrity by implementing strict ethical guidelines, an anonymous reporting system, continuous ethics training for staff, and routine audits.
- Wants to install reentry programs aimed to minimize the likelihood of   a criminal re-offence.
- Plans to develop initiative educating officers on "handling domestic violence situations with sensitivity and professionalism."
- Plans to create a specialized unit in the Sheriff's Office for domestic violence cases and to promote community awareness to encourage reporting such incidents.

Curtis Clemons

Candidate website

Said, "We made history in 2020. And I made you a promise: to adopt a forward-thinking leadership model for law enforcement that embraces our changing demographics, that's responsive, and safer for all."

Said he plans to follow a "forward-thinking leadership model for law enforcement that embraces our changing demographics, that's responsive, and safer for all."

Plans to bolster community outreach as Sheriff, acknowledging ongoing work, aiming to rebuild trust in justice through deeper ties with faith groups, business leaders, and neighborhoods to foster community unity.

Plans to continue supporting community outreach as Sheriff, aiming to rebuild trust in justice through deeper ties with faith groups, business leaders, and neighborhoods to foster unity within the community.

- Said he plans to follow a "forward-thinking leadership model for law enforcement that embraces our changing demographics, that's responsive, and safer for all."
- Plans to continue supporting community outreach as Sheriff, aiming to rebuild trust in justice through deeper ties with faith groups, business leaders, and neighborhoods to foster unity within the community.

Supports enhancing mental health resources in Gwinnett County, including in-jail care and training deputies for crisis de-escalation, and advocates for better mental health care throughout the justice system as Sheriff.

Supports enhancing mental health resources in Gwinnett County, including in-jail care to ensure deputies can successfully de-escalate situations involving a mental-health crisis.  

Plans to reduce harm and ensure safety in jails by addressing excessive force, prioritizing de-escalation training, and equipping deputies to protect the community effectively.

Wants to prioritize safety of all individuals and mitigate the use of excessive force in jail facilities through de-escalation training. 

- Supports enhancing mental health resources in Gwinnett County, including in-jail care to ensure deputies can successfully de-escalate situations involving a mental-health crisis.  
- Wants to prioritize safety of all individuals and mitigate the use of excessive force in jail facilities through de-escalation training. 

Plans to increase funding for Gwinnett County's criminal justice system, enhance jail conditions, provide inmate healthcare, and offer rehabilitation programs to reduce recidivism and prepare inmates for societal reintegration.

Plans to increase funding for Gwinnett County's criminal justice system, aimed to ensure inmate well-being through accessible healthcare, rehabilitation, educational trade programs, and career-development opportunities

As deputy sheriff, he helped develop the TRACE program, which is aimed at addressing human trafficking and child exploitation.

The candidate's website says, "organized crime, and combat gang violence and human trafficking... It is imperative that we break the cycle within our justice system... To achieve this, we will prioritize the strengthening of our gang and human trafficking units, and focus on eradicating these predators and providing a secure environment for our children to thrive in."

Plans to target gang organized crime, gang violence, and human trafficking by enhancing the county gang and human trafficking units. 

Opposes using local jails for immigration violations; ended 287(g) program and immigration detentions in Gwinnett County; supports reallocating resources to address serious crimes, including launching the TRACE program targeting human trafficking and child exploitation.

Abolished the 287(g) program, which allowed ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) enforcement and removal operations to work with local law enforcement to detain undocumented immigrants. 

- Plans to increase funding for Gwinnett County's criminal justice system, aimed to ensure inmate well-being through accessible healthcare, rehabilitation, educational trade programs, and career-development opportunities
- As deputy sheriff, he helped develop the TRACE program, which is aimed at addressing human trafficking and child exploitation.
- Plans to target gang organized crime, gang violence, and human trafficking by enhancing the county gang and human trafficking units. 
- Abolished the 287(g) program, which allowed ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) enforcement and removal operations to work with local law enforcement to detain undocumented immigrants. 

Keybo Taylor

Ballotpedia - Shurron B Green

Plans to "bridge the gap between law enforcement and the community."

Said, "I pledge to increase our office's presence in the community, fostering relationships with seniors, youth, and leaders across Gwinnett County."

- Plans to "bridge the gap between law enforcement and the community."
- Said, "I pledge to increase our office's presence in the community, fostering relationships with seniors, youth, and leaders across Gwinnett County."

Plans to conduct "a full audit of the Sheriff’s Office, ensuring accountability and transparency."

Plans to "prioritize law enforcement services including the Jail, Courts, and Warrants divisions."

- Plans to conduct "a full audit of the Sheriff’s Office, ensuring accountability and transparency."
- Plans to "prioritize law enforcement services including the Jail, Courts, and Warrants divisions."

As of March 19, 2024, Shurron B Green’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Shurron B Green

The County Sheriff is an elected official who acts as the chief law enforcement officer in their county. They are tasked with operating the county jails, keeping courtrooms secure during trials, and keeping the public safe through proper law enforcement. Each Sheriff's Office in Georgia may look a little different in how they hire and run their teams, but all County Sheriffs have the same duties. These duties include the following:

- Operating the county jail
- Providing court security
- Serving civil papers
- Executing arrest warrants
- Providing primary law enforcement within unincorporated areas of the county
- Working with city law enforcement officers to keep municipalities safe

The County Sheriff and their office are unique to other law enforcement agencies in that it has to answer to the people it serves. Historically, a turnover in the Sheriff’s office will likely result in noticeable change within the office, so voting for this office is a very effective way to vote approval or disapproval for how county law enforcement is conducted.