COLUMBIA, S.C. — Come election day voters in Richland County will choose between Leon Lott or Jim Walker for Richland County Sheriff.
The Democratic incumbent candidate, Lott, has been sheriff for 28 years. He said if re-elected one of his goals is to continue the relationship between law enforcement and the community.
“When you say law enforcement, it kind of gives the connotation, all you're doing is locking people up," Lott said. "Peace officers, you're there to keep the peace, and that doesn't mean locking people up. It's just helping people. That's been a big transition. I think we were one of the first agencies to do that in the United States, and I'm proud of that. Those things have worked, the relationships that we've been able to build with the diverse community we have too. You look at Richland County, lots of diversity, and i think it's up to us to go build bridges to the different cultures and communities we have, instead of them come to us."
Republican candidate Jim Walker, a former sergeant of the Richland County Sheriff's Department and a veteran of the U.S. Navy, said he hopes to restructure the department.
“The department is a part of the community, and we are the community, and the community is us," Walker said. "The changes for the department would be to restructure the department, to give the men and women at the department a voice, also letting them know that they're a part of the department, and to go through a training cycle that would have a better meaning to letting them know where they're at and how to handle our citizens better while they're in the community,” he said.
Both candidates stated that if elected they would work to reduce gun violence in the area, specifically with teens.
“I feel is the first for us to do is research, because somewhere around in this country and in our state, there are other departments that have developed a program. Education of our parents, which in turn, will actually help us to educate our youth and our teens, because to give them the understanding of the consequences, not only that, the value of life and what the consequences are, once they made that move and they pull that trigger that is no no turning back, but to know the value of taking someone's life,” Walker said.
“It's not enforcement, it's education. We've got to educate a generation that doesn't believe that the gun is the answer to their problems that gun doesn't give them respect, doesn't give them power. It's going to go get them one or two places, the cemetery or in the prison, and we have to educate young people about that. That's why we have 107 school resource officers who are teaching these kids about life skills. Teachers do math and English. we do life skills, how to avoid getting involved in a gang and drugs and violence,” Lott said.
When asked what community issues they are concerned about, the candidates said the following:
"Number one concern would be the jail, how it's being ran, and taking that over and having that put back with the department itself, or with the sheriff's department of running that because of the drugs that have been going into the jail. The deaths that have been experienced through the jail, which is, i believe, is too much," Walker said.
“I'm concerned about the youth violence and guns. Again, that's the number one priority. If you said list three priorities that's all gonna be the same. It's gun violence in young people. We've got to change the mindset. I think that we got to continue to work together, our churches, our schools, our civic organizations, communities. Everybody who makes up our community has got to be involved in this effort. I see that happening, and we just need to continue to do that and strengthen that even more” Lott said.
Both candidates were asked what they would like voters to know before they head to the polls on November 5th. They responded:
"I just ask people, look what I've done for last 28 years, and then judge me on that. Judge me with what I've done. I think I've got a history of working with people. I got a history of caring about Richland County, being transparent, being honest, being upfront. That's the work I've done. I just ask people to look at that, and I'll be more than honored to continue to be the sheriff for Richland County," Lott said.
“I ask that the citizens and the voters that are out there look at change. Change starts with us, and that includes me. Change is coming, and I'm that change, and i want people to understand that they have a choice when they go to the polls,” Walker said.
Election Day is Novermber 5, but early voting begins on October 21.