Catoosa County Sheriff candidates Ben Scott answers questions Monday, April 4, 2016 at the Colonnade in Ringgold, Ga.Sheriff showdown
Sheriff Gary Sisk and challenger Ben Scott also fielded questions from the public during the town hall forum. And while the men tout different real-world experiences, they held similar positions on hot-button law enforcement issues.Scott, who spent seven years working for the Chattanooga Police Department and another 25 years with the Drug Enforcement Administration, said he wants to bring more transparency to the sheriff’s office by holding frequent town hall meetings. Sisk said there is already plenty of transparency. He posts information about arrests and wanted suspects on Facebook, he offers citizen academies to people who want to learn about law enforcement, and he hosts a weekly call-in show on UCTV, he said.Beyond this dispute, however, the two candidates both touted moderate stances on the law enforcement issues that have grabbed headlines in recent years.On cannabis oilSisk: “I’m not against medical treatment for our young people. [But] where is the medical community standing up, saying this is such a great thing? Right now, all your hydrocodones and things like that, they come from illegal drugs. And yet they’ve gone through the same manufacturing process and the same FDA approval as they needed to.”Scott: “There is a mish-mash of studies throughout the United States. Some in California. Some in Michigan. Every study that you find that says it works, there’s another study that says it may not.”On no-knock search warrantsSisk: “There is a time and place for no-knock warrants for the safety of the officers and individuals that are going in the home. But I do think [the warrant] needs to be presented before a judge.”Scott: “No-knock warrants should always be the exception and never the rule — period. When you do use it, you should be able to convince a judge that you actually need it.”On civil asset forfeitureSisk: “It’s a tough situation. But I do agree that all civil asset forfeitures ought to continue through the criminal process.”Scott: “Forfeiture of drug assets is one of the best things and worst things that happened in law enforcement. A lot of departments depend on that money to keep their operations going. They depend on that money to buy things, buy toys, buy equipment, buy whatever they need that they can’t get money from the budget.”On gangs coming in from ChattanoogaSisk: (Who has two officers specializing in gang-related crime who have met with Chattanooga police) “My message to [gang members] has always been: Get out of it, or you’re going to see us every day.”Scott: “We have to be relentless on making sure we know who they are, where they are and their methods of operation.”On whether he would let the federal government take residents’ gunsSisk: “Over my cold, dead hands.”Scott: “I will lose my life over it if I have to. But I hope I have a lot of people, a lot of citizens, standing with me to make sure we have something in place that that never happens in this country.”
Keith Greene and Steven Henry will face each other in the May 24 Republican Primary for the position of Catoosa County’s board of commissioners chairman.
Last week, they faced off in a town hall forum inside the Catoosa County Colonnade.
Greene, who’s held the chairman position for the past seven years, is leaning on what he sees as accomplishments under his watch. Henry is pointing to his experience as a home builder and asking voters to believe those skills will translate to a successful politician.
Greene pointed out that, relatively speaking, the local portion of property taxes is low under his watch. The county has the 16th-lowest millage rate in the state, he said. He said all spending is approved during public board of commissioners’ meetings, so residents should be able to figure out where their money is going.