Newspaper Page Text
Page 2— Wednesday, September 6, 2023, The True Citizen
Blanchard announces candidacy for Sheriff
1
Lewis Blanchard
SHELLIE SMITLEY
thetruecitizen.shellie@gmail.com
Lewis Blanchard has come
out of retirement and is seek
ing the Sheriff’s position in the
next election.
Blanchard was employed
with the Burke County Sher
iff’s Office as Chief Deputy
from 2017-2020 and then
volunteered as a reserve of
ficer until he retired in 2021.
He will not qualify until March
2024 however, his paperwork
is completed and his campaign
can now accept donations.
“Right now, I am going for
the position of Sheriff because
I believe that is what Burke
County needs,” Blanchard
said.
Consistency, sincerity and
integrity are what he hopes to
bring to the table.
BUDGET ISSUES
During his employment with
the BCSO, Blanchard saw a
need for the budget to grow
in order to decrease response
times and recruit more quali
fied officers.
“It’s important to make sure
you have the proper budget,
there is no doubt about that,”
he said.
However, he pointed out he
also assisted in bringing in $4
million in federal and state
grants.
As Plant Vogtle revenue de
creases, Blanchard said depart
ment heads cannot just keep
asking for more money year-
after-year. He also stressed
the need to account for every
penny of taxpayer money and
ensure that it is being spent
on how it was destined to be
spent. Determining what a
“reasonable” budget is can
vary, he said. For example,
medical costs can fluctuate
depending on inmate need.
However, salaries and gasoline
are line items that can be con
trolled with good fiscal man
agement practices. Blanchard
said it would be important
to him for BCSO vehicles to
fuel up at county tanks. Also,
since the primary function of a
sheriff’s office is public safety,
his focus would be more depu
ties out on the road and fewer
personnel sitting behind desks.
ADMINISTRATIVE POSI
TIONS
Many new BCSO positions
have been created since 2020,
including positions tailored
toward social media, coordi
nating events and public rela
tions. Blanchard pointed out
that many larger agencies do
not employ the same positions.
He feels appropriated money is
better used on enforcing public
safety.
“Those are just not posi
tions that are necessary for a
Sheriff’s Office, especially a
smaller sheriff’s office in a
community such as this,” he
said. “I am not a big proponent
of office positions and people
sitting behind desks, especially
non law enforcement person
nel.”
SPECIAL RESPONSE TEAM
(SRT)
Blanchard feels strongly
there is a need for a SRT team
in Burke County, especially
considering the proximity of
Plant Vogtle. Using Richmond
County’s resources requires
much longer response times.
He advocates for the continued
use of a team of deputies who
are specifically trained to serve
the dual roles.
Responding to mental
health crisis
Blanchard said America of
ten expects police officers to
act as educators, social work
ers, mental health profession
als, law enforcement officers
and de-escalators. Although
law enforcement agencies are
doing the best they can to man
age, more training is needed
to respond to incidents that
involve mental health issues.
BCSO/BOC CONFLICT
Consistency is key to main
taining good relationships with
the county.
“Even when I was Chief
Deputy, I didn’t miss a single
meeting,” he said.
The job of the sheriff is to
effectively manage the sher
iff’s department, while County
Manager Merv Waldrop’s job
is to oversee the fiscal manage
ment of all of the Burke County
departments, he said.
“I believe it’s extremely
important to work together,”
Blanchard said, and empha
sized the importance of under
standing that disagreements
aren’t personal.
Blanchard also said he be
lieves heavily in checks and
balances.
“I expect the Board of Com
missioners to check behind
(me),” he said. “Should your
office be micro-managed, ab
solutely not...however, as far
as the budget, every spending
should always be scrutinized,
it’s county money.”
Blanchard also feels a sheriff
does not have the right to go
over budget.
“I would do my best to work
within the confines and con
strictions that are set forth
before me,” he said and added
that in the case of natural di
sasters or unexpected public
emergencies it is important to
work together to find solutions.
“I’ve always looked for ways
to get more, spend less and
make sure people are taken
care of; be fair and equitable
and certainly make sure that all
your ‘Is” are dotted and your
‘Ts” are crossed, because it is
county money.”
MEDIA RELATIONSHIPS
Blanchard said he believes
strongly in an open- door
policy.
“If it’s public record, then it’s
public record,” Blanchard said.
“I absolutely don’t believe in
trying to hold back any public
records.”
Blanchard said he is open to
requests by email or phone and
is not likely to enforce heavy
restrictions or policies.
“Absolutely, I would want
to maintain a good relation
ship with the media,” he said.
“It’s the media’s job to hold
the government accountable.”
TRAVELING AND SPEAKING
ENGAGEMENTS
“If I am the sheriff for this
county, then that is my num
ber one priority and my only
job is to do that,” he said.
Blanchard remarked that he
recently closed on the sale of
his resort in Belize.
CRIME STATISTICS
Blanchard said he believes
BCSO crime statistics should
include crimes committed
within all the outlying cities’
limits, something he says has
not been happening for the last
two years.
“If I am the sheriff, then I
believe I am the sheriff for
the entire county,” he said.
“Therefore, I believe in real
crime stats and showing what
we are doing. You have to put
out the proper information in
order to get the feedback and
to know where you need your
resources.”
COMMUNITY RELATIONS
Although Blanchard believes
community service is impor
tant, he does not believe public
funds should be used to build
relationships. Although he is
not opposed to events like tur
key drives, festivals and Christ
mas drives, he believes they
should be fueled by donations.
Sheriff Alfouzo Williams said
he will also be qualifying in
March 2024 for re-election.
He intends to continue seeking
office and serving for the next
three terms, if the people will
have him, he said. He declined
The True Citizen's recjuestfor
an interview.
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