The two candidates spoke with a group of Republican voters last Thursday during a forum hosted by the Barrow County Republican Party at Statham Elementary School in an effort to reach even more potential voters.
SMITH
An officer with the Winder Police Department, Smith is a lifelong Barrow County resident and said “Barrow County is where his heart is.”
“This office is about leadership,” Smith said. “Anyone running for sheriff must possess strong leadership traits. I have a plan for state certification for this office.”
Combating drugs, gangs and illegal immigrants are goals Smith has if elected along with the safety of senior citizens.
“I will be a working sheriff,” Smith said. “I will work with my deputies and detention officers. Many times they feel the administration has lost touch with what challenges they are facing.”
KOGOD
A chief deputy and major in the Barrow County Sheriff’s Office, Kogod said Barrow County has seen tremendous changes in recent years at the population has soared from 24,000 citizens to 67,000.
“That means an increase in crime,” Kogod said.
The sheriff’s office currently has 190 employees, Kogod said, and a department of that size requires someone with the proper background to handle the job.
