Law enforcement vets face off in Clark County Sheriff Democratic primary - Evening News and Tribune
JEFFERSONVILLE — Two law enforcement veterans are eyeing the Democratic nomination for Clark County Sheriff.
Ed Byers and Dwight Ingle are facing off in Tuesday's primary. The winner will advance to face Republican Scottie Maples, who is unopposed in the primary.
Ed Byers
Byers is a 31-year veteran of federal law enforcement who grew up in Charlestown, was employed as a security officer at Deam Lake and majored in law enforcement at Purdue. After college he worked as a National Park ranger across the country. Then, he worked in U.S. Customs targeting narcotics in Arizona and Mexico. On Sept. 12, 2001 he was offered a job with the Air Marshals.
He said he's coming out of retirement to run for office.
"I had no intention (of running). I don't like politicians and had no intention of running for political office," he said. "After seeing how poorly the sheriff's department is run I felt a calling back for public service."
He said his plan is to make Clark County a safer place and if he's elected, he would send more deputies out in marked vehicles and encourage community policing.
If elected he said he would also push for transparency when it comes to funding. He said despite running as a Democrat, he has support from Republicans in the area.
"I'm a cop, I'm not a politician. I'm not aware of political science issues," he said. "I am not doing a political campaign. I am trying to do a social movement. I am trying to cross the political rhetoric."
"I think the sheriff's department can do a better job by using police techniques from the 21st Century," Byers said. "I want to try to introduce those techniques in such a way that benefits everybody."
Dwight Ingle
Dwight Ingle spent 38 years with the Clarksville Police Department. He started as a dispatcher and worked his way up through the ranks to police chief, a role he served for 20 years.
He's been retired from Clarksville for the past decade and recently retired from being the head of security for Indiana Downs.
Ingle said whoever is elected will have to take care of the Clark County Jail. If elected, he said he'd work on the relationship between officers and the public.
"One of the main things that needs to be fixed is the way some young police officers treat the public," he said. "Everyone should have their body camera and if the body camera is turned off and deliberately turned off, no retraining. I want termination."
For Ingle, the image officers portray to children and residents is important. He said he would also establish an ethics unit if elected.
"To check out all departments and if they're found doing something wrong, they should be disciplined or terminated," he said.
Although he's running as a Democrat, Ingle said he does agree with things other parties do. He asks for the support from the Clarksville residents he served on his time there with the police force.
"If I don't get elected, you got a lot of good candidates running, even on the Republican side," Ingle said. "They've been good police officers, and I think any of them would make a good sheriff."
source: https://www.newsandtribune.com/news/law-enforcement-vets-face-off-in-clark-county-sheriff-democratic-primary/article_a35a3152-c64c-11ec-8456-335f336c45ff.html
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