We started off with six candidates running for Monroe County Sheriff, and now we are down to two. Brad Freeman and Lawson Cary Bittick III are the candidates in the December 4th runoff.
Freeman, 54, is Captain over the Jail Division at the Monroe County Sheriff's office. Bittick, 30, is a Lieutenant over the Support Services division at the sheriff's office.
The runoff election day for Monroe Co. Sheriff quickly approaches with candidates soon going head to head. Bittick with 12 years in law enforcement, and Freeman with 32.
Freeman believes his experience makes him the best candidate, "I think when you look at the training and education experience and you combine it together, I'm kind of unmatched in that category, and I think that combined with age experience and training, I certainly think goes a long way."
Bittick argues he is the best for sheriff because to him, it's more than just enforcing the law, "The sheriff's job is more about public service and a liaison between the people and the law. We are here to make sure the public are safe and the law's followed, but we are here to help."
Both candidates want to tackle drug issues in the county, theft, and fraud, with hiring more deputies being top priority, but they have different approaches.
Lawson says, "Every department will approach the county commission to try to achieve their goals and we will explain our needs as far as well as fire department will explain theirs, but I think the common knowledge in this campaign is that this needs to be done and we're overdue."
While Freeman says, "Commissioners have a word they like to use -- it's, 'No.' They can use that word and there's not much you can do about it, but if you take the existing personnel and you reassign those personnel into field operations, that would be the number one way to do it the first day."
As the runoff election date gets closer and closer, both candidates want to remind people to get out to the polls and vote.
Early voting begins Monday, November 26, and the runoff Tuesday, December 4.