Incumbent Sheriff Roy J.

Monday, October 02, 2000

Incumbent Sheriff Roy J. Smith has hit the campaign trail to let voters know that he wants to keep providing safety for the residents of Lawrence County.

"I believe my background in law enforcement, the training I have had and the life experience of being a member of law enforcement makes me well qualified to run for and be re-elected to this office again," Smith said.

In the race for sheriff, the South Point Democrat will face Republican challenger Tim Sexton of Coal Grove on the Nov. 7 ballot.

Smith said his career began with the United States Air Force.

"I joined the Air Force in 1961 and served for four years," he said. "After returning from the Air Force in 1965, I applied and was accepted into the Ohio Highway Patrol Academy."

Smith met and married his wife, Christina, while he was stationed in New Jersey, he added.

After completing OHP training in 1966, Smith said he returned to his home county and was stationed at the Ironton patrol post.

During his time as a trooper, he was twice named "Trooper of the year" and received the highway patrol "Superintendent’s Citation of Merit" in 1980.

"I was a trooper for 25 years with the Post," he said. "When I decided to retire, I wanted to run for sheriff and continue my service to this county. I feel I have successfully performed that task for the last eight years."

During his term as sheriff, Smith said he has been able to make several improvements in the county law enforcement system.

"I’ve been able to get the operating budget increased as well as placing more officers on the road," he said. "Members of my staff are operating with better cars and radios than they’ve ever had. My department has been able to become more aggressive on drug citations – which ties in with reducing burglaries, shoplifting, thefts and many other crimes associated with individuals trying to support their drug habits."

Smith said he has been able to increase his staffing from eight to 15 road deputies.

"We’ve also been able to place Cops in Shops to help curb the teenage purchase of alcohol," he said. "Out of concern for the future of this county, we have become very active in random searches of county schools with drug dogs to reduce drugs among our young people and prevent the habit from starting."

He added that he was also recently elected as chairman of the Tri-State Law Enforcement Council – an organization of state, county and city police working in cooperation within the Tri-State.

He is actively working to bring a federal drug task force to the county, he said.

"A drug task force on the federal level like the one in Huntington and the Ashland area will provide this area with more resources and manpower to help stop drug crimes," he said.

Smith said plans of continual improvement of service to county residents is in the forefront.

"I want to keep working toward increasing courtesy and respect in dealing with the people of this county," Smith said. "I want to continue improving the service to the people. If re-elected to this office, the residents of this county are guaranteed to see faster and better service. We are public servants and we are working for them."