CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – Montgomery County sheriff candidates discussed the issues recently in local political forums covering the use of SROs, the proposed juvenile detention center, crime in the community and more.
The candidates, with links to their profiles, are:
- John Fuson, Republican, incumbent
- Mike Oliver, Independent
Chamber political forum
The candidates met recently in the Clarksville Area Chamber of Commerce political forum. Here is a recording.
The Clarksville Area Chamber of Commerce political forums were sponsored also by Leadership Clarksville. They were filmed by Goodwin Productions and hosted at the Customs House Museum and Cultural Center.
SROs and school safety
In a separate debate at Emmanuel Family Life Center, with Shedrich Webster acting as moderator, the sheriff candidates discussed the placement of School Resource Officers.
Fuson said there have been some openings in the department’s School Resource Officer division. To fill those gaps, he had to move some SROs to cover the high and middle schools. “That left the elementary school SRO’s having to share the elementary schools,” he said.
Oliver agreed there needs to be a focus on funding for more SROs in schools, mentioning the recent incident at Glenellen Elementary, where the principal was assaulted.
“I am not saying she would not have been assaulted, but if an SRO had been there, it might have been prevented,” Oliver said.
Fuson responded that MCSO was recently approved by the Montgomery County Commission to add seven more SRO positions.
“The number of SRO’s assigned to a school is based on data such as the number of fights that occur at the school,” Fuson said. “We monitor social media, and we talk to faculty and staff, folks in the neighborhood there about what may be going on in that school. All these things drive how we deploy the resources we have,” he said.
How to vote
The voter registration deadline is July 5.
Early voting will be July 15-30 at the Election Commission Office, 350 Pageant Lane, and July 18-30 at the Clarksville Regional Airport, 200A Outlaw Field Road.
Voting on Aug. 4 will take place from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the neighborhood voting precincts.
Because of the state primary, you will be asked whether you want a Republican or Democratic ballot. You will have to show your driver’s license or other state or federal photo ID.
For more information, go to the Montgomery County Election Commission website.
Adria Hyde contributed to this report.