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Local sheriffs candidate debate set for July 17
Herald, OTC to host forum
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Candidates for the Bulloch County sheriff’s race will meet Tuesday, July 17, for a debate, which is open to the public and will also be available for viewing online.Hosted by the Statesboro Herald and Ogeechee Technical College, the debate will be from 7 to 8:30 p.m. in the Joe Kennedy Auditorium at OTC. The auditorium is in the college’s main administration building.A meet-and-greet will be held beforehand, starting at 6:30 p.m.All three candidates – challengers Tommy Sisson and Keith Howard as well as incumbent Sheriff Lynn Anderson, have confirmed they expect to participate."We believe it is important to give the community a chance to hear the candidates, and watch them respond to the important issues of law enforcement by the sheriff's office," said Jim Healy, the operations manager for the Statesboro Herald. "We hope the public takes the opportunity to meet the candidates for this important office."Both Howard and Sisson are former Georgia State Patrol troopers.Howard has said he is running for the position because there are several areas in which he would like to see change.Accessibility and jail operations are concerns he has.He also said he would like to see a satellite office in the Brooklet area.“I’d like to see it back like it was in the Arnold Ray Akins, Paul Nevil, Harold Howell days,” he said, calling the names of former sheriffs who served before Anderson. “But with 21st-century technology.”Anderson expects to talk about his department’s strong track record with solving robbery, burglary and other major cases.Also, he pointed out the department’s user-friendly modes of communication such as a Facebook page, website, tip lines and crime mapping.Sisson has said he will not discuss current leadership, adding that he intends to run a clean campaign without criticism.“I’m not going to sit here and tell you what is wrong — I’m going to tell you what I’ll do” should he be elected, he said.Anderson said he has been with the sheriff’s department for 32 years, all under leadership of Akins, whom he said was his mentor.“Are we perfect?
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