Morgan County Citizen: SHERIFF'S RACE: Eight candidates toss their hat in the ring for Morgan County Sheriff

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As of March 19, 2024, Dietrich Derrick Roland did not have a website or any information online.

Public Safety

Jail Management

Criminal Justice

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Dietrich Derrick Roland

Bo Kelly (Morgan County Sheriff, Georgia, candidate 2024)

Candidate website

The candidate's website says, "Bo wants Morgan County to become known as a great community for our kids to live in but a horrible place to come to commit crime."

The candidate's website says, "Bo responded to the protests/riots in Atlanta in the summer of 2020... attempting to protect life and property... Bo observed numerous incidents of vehicles and private businesses being burned and looted... he knows that this type of illegal behavior cannot be tolerated in Morgan County... Bo has the experience, leadership skills and training to ensure that our community remains safe."

The candidate's website says, "Bo responded to the protests/riots in Atlanta in the summer of 2020... attempting to protect life and property... Bo observed numerous incidents of vehicles and private businesses being burned and looted... he knows that this type of illegal behavior cannot be tolerated in Morgan County..."

The candidate's website says, "Bo is currently assigned to the Morgan County Sheriff’s Office Traffic Unit and is responsible for working active and past traffic complaints in Morgan County. Bo is also responsible for teaching firearms and field sobriety testing to the agency."

Currently assigned to the Morgan County Sheriff’s Office Traffic Unit and is responsible for working on active and past traffic complaints in Morgan County. He is also responsible for teaching firearms and field sobriety testing.

The candidate's website says, "Bo worked the Putnam/Morgan county manhunt involving the 2 murdered DOC guards. He was the first state officer on scene of the double murder, and coordinated state resources (DNR, State Patrol) responding to the scene."

Worked the Putnam/Morgan County manhunt involving the 2 murdered DOC guards. He was the first state officer on scene of the double murder, and coordinated state resources responding to the scene.

Has taught drug awareness in the school system and Junior Deputy camp to children.

Said, "As your Sheriff, I will provide assistance to people fighting alcohol and drug addiction, through rehabilitation services and support."

- The candidate's website says, "Bo wants Morgan County to become known as a great community for our kids to live in but a horrible place to come to commit crime."
- The candidate's website says, "Bo responded to the protests/riots in Atlanta in the summer of 2020... attempting to protect life and property... Bo observed numerous incidents of vehicles and private businesses being burned and looted... he knows that this type of illegal behavior cannot be tolerated in Morgan County..."
- Currently assigned to the Morgan County Sheriff’s Office Traffic Unit and is responsible for working on active and past traffic complaints in Morgan County. He is also responsible for teaching firearms and field sobriety testing.
- Worked the Putnam/Morgan County manhunt involving the 2 murdered DOC guards. He was the first state officer on scene of the double murder, and coordinated state resources responding to the scene.
- Has taught drug awareness in the school system and Junior Deputy camp to children.
- Said, "As your Sheriff, I will provide assistance to people fighting alcohol and drug addiction, through rehabilitation services and support."

Said, "Over the last 2 years, I have been able to return over 92,000 dollars to the county's general fund."

Plans to seek out external funding sources to ease "the tax burden" on residents.

- Said, "Over the last 2 years, I have been able to return over 92,000 dollars to the county's general fund."
- Plans to seek out external funding sources to ease "the tax burden" on residents.

Said, "As a law enforcement instructor for the last 22 years, I believe strongly into teaching new officers the right way to do their job.  This includes enforcement without bias and/or favoritism."

Said, "To the drug dealers in our area, I promise to actively strive to make arrests and seizures of property used to sell this poison on our streets."

- Said, "As a law enforcement instructor for the last 22 years, I believe strongly into teaching new officers the right way to do their job.  This includes enforcement without bias and/or favoritism."
- Said, "To the drug dealers in our area, I promise to actively strive to make arrests and seizures of property used to sell this poison on our streets."

Bo Kelly

As of March 19, 2024, Joseph Pritchett’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Said, "Being Sheriff is not just about having knowledge and experience, but it is about character and who best has the ethics and integrity to be Sheriff."

- Has "zero tolerance for drugs."
- Said, "Being Sheriff is not just about having knowledge and experience, but it is about character and who best has the ethics and integrity to be Sheriff."

Joseph Pritchett

Ballot Pedia

Believes in challenging the status quo in law enforcement; ran for Sheriff to address issues like insufficient narcotics arrests and search warrants, aiming to enhance community safety and progress.

Wants to address issues like insufficient narcotics arrests and search warrants, aiming to enhance community safety and progress.

Plans to collaborate with the community to reduce drug-related crime and its destructive impact on individuals, emphasizing the link between narcotics and criminal activities such as theft and violence.

Plans to actively engage as Sheriff, ensuring a proactive, professional, and accessible law enforcement agency, focused on community-oriented policing to safeguard property, children, and constitutional rights.

Plans to proactively address the anticipated rise in crime, including burglaries and assaults, due to industrial growth and population influx in the county's west side, aiming to stay ahead of the crime trends affecting Rockdale and Newton Counties.

- Wants to address issues like insufficient narcotics arrests and search warrants, aiming to enhance community safety and progress.
- Plans to collaborate with the community to reduce drug-related crime and its destructive impact on individuals, emphasizing the link between narcotics and criminal activities such as theft and violence.
- Plans to actively engage as Sheriff, ensuring a proactive, professional, and accessible law enforcement agency, focused on community-oriented policing to safeguard property, children, and constitutional rights.
- Plans to proactively address the anticipated rise in crime, including burglaries and assaults, due to industrial growth and population influx in the county's west side, aiming to stay ahead of the crime trends affecting Rockdale and Newton Counties.
- Opposes gun control.

Said, "I believe in financial responsibility for all government agencies... Currently we have a 21 million dollar Public Safety Complex that is being underutilized. One such example to bring additional funding into the county is to bring, 'Out of county inmates' into the facility. Outside agencies would then pay Morgan County to house them... I will also expand the utilization of Federal grants to reduce cost. I will seek grants that specifically assist our incarcerated individuals to help break the cycle of being locked up and placed on probation, just to repeat the endless cycle without a positive outcome..."

Wants to bring 'out of county inmates' into the county jail in order to receive funds from outside agencies for housing inmates.

Plans to utilize Federal grants to reduce taxpayer costs and wants to use grants that specifically assist nonviolent offenders in breaking the cycle of incarceration and probation.

- Wants to bring 'out of county inmates' into the county jail in order to receive funds from outside agencies for housing inmates.
- Plans to utilize Federal grants to reduce taxpayer costs and wants to use grants that specifically assist nonviolent offenders in breaking the cycle of incarceration and probation.

Wants to cross-train Deputies with medics and fire departments.

- Wants to cross-train Deputies with medics and fire departments.

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Kenny Stewart

Morgan Citizen: Sheriff's Race

Has experience working on the Ocmulgee Drug Task Force, collaborating with other agencies to target and dismantle drug networks.

- Has experience working on the Ocmulgee Drug Task Force, collaborating with other agencies to target and dismantle drug networks.

As of March 19, 2024, Kevin S Berisko did not have a website or any information online.

Kevin S Berisko

Ryan Morgan (Morgan County Sheriff, Georgia, candidate 2024)

Plans to raise the among and quality of deputy and staff training, and increase the number of patrols.

Said "We can’t let Morgan County become the next Henry, Newton, Rockdale, or Gwinnett.", and wants place more deputies on patrol, aiming to mitigate and prevent crime.

Promises to be accountable, and allocate the budget that which the sheriff's office are " good stewards of your tax dollars."

Plans serve with professionalism and integrity.

Advocates for competitive pay, and wants to recruit and retain quality officers.

Plans to work towards establish a State Certification to set procedural operating standards to mitigate liability for the county sheriff's office.

Plans to "Fight Back Against Anti-Police Radicals." and install a zero-tolerance policy for "those who want to terrorize our community...I will stand strong against any weak-on-crime policies that will put our safety at risk."

- Plans to raise the among and quality of deputy and staff training, and increase the number of patrols.
- Said "We can’t let Morgan County become the next Henry, Newton, Rockdale, or Gwinnett.", and wants place more deputies on patrol, aiming to mitigate and prevent crime.
- Promises to be accountable, and allocate the budget that which the sheriff's office are " good stewards of your tax dollars."
- Plans serve with professionalism and integrity.
- Advocates for competitive pay, and wants to recruit and retain quality officers.
- Plans to work towards establish a State Certification to set procedural operating standards to mitigate liability for the county sheriff's office.
- Plans to "Fight Back Against Anti-Police Radicals." and install a zero-tolerance policy for "those who want to terrorize our community...I will stand strong against any weak-on-crime policies that will put our safety at risk."

As of March 19, 2024, Ryan Morgan’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Opposes illegal immigration, and he plans to "send a clear message to the criminal illegal aliens flooding across our border that Morgan County is no safe haven for them. " by installing the federal 287(g) Program, permitting the sheriffs office to deport criminal illegals in Morgan County.

- Opposes illegal immigration, and he plans to "send a clear message to the criminal illegal aliens flooding across our border that Morgan County is no safe haven for them. " by installing the federal 287(g) Program, permitting the sheriffs office to deport criminal illegals in Morgan County.

Ryan Morgan

Rockdale County Sheriff's Office, Captain Tyler Hooks

Tyler Hooks (Morgan County Sheriff, Georgia, candidate 2024)

As of March 19, 2024, Tyler Hooks did not have a website or any information online.

Tyler Hooks

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.