Three Republican candidates are hoping to be the next Franklin County sheriff. Current Franklin County Sheriff Rickey Denton is not allowed to seek re-election since he was appointed to fill the remaining term of former Sheriff Anthony Boen.In March, Boen was sentenced to four years in federal prison after he was convicted of using excessive force on two county inmates.All three candidates told 40/29 News it's key to regain public confidence in the Franklin County Sheriff's Department."You have to have a sheriff that is accessible to the public, and that's part of my plan," said Grant Nicely.Nicely told 40/29 News he’s spent the past 26 years working in law enforcement. He currently is a supervisor with the sheriff’s department."I feel that I'm the one with the most experience, my record shows that. I'm currently working in law enforcement and the way the laws change and the changing dynamic of law enforcement, I believe you have to have somebody who's current with the times when it comes to enforcing the law," he said. “I feel that, at least early on, the sheriff should be there at least 50 to 60 hours a week. It's more than being in the sheriff's office, it's about being out in the public," he said.” Johnny Crocker told 40/29 News he spent 22 years in the Army, mostly as a Green Beret. He’s also a reserve officer for the Ozark Police Department and is a member of the SWAT Team."What the sheriff needs to be is a manager. He needs to be a leader. He doesn't need to be a police officer, he has to be the boss, he has to be the leadership position. We need the community to be part of the sheriff's office. I need people to see what's going on and to tell me what's going on," he said. "I'll never lie to you. I'll never break the law for you. I want to know where our problems are and what you need from us."Kevin Hutchison told 40/29 News he served approximately 17 years in the Arkansas National Guard and spent 12 years at the sheriff’s department as a dispatcher, jailer, investigator and court bailiff. "It's very important that they (the public) can go on with their lives and say, hey, our community sheriff's department has our back and we can rely on that. Knowledge is the best thing you have in law enforcement because if you don't have any knowledge of law enforcement or of the sheriff's department, you're just kind of lost and you're relying on somebody else and I want the public to know they can rely on me and not somebody under me," he said.The sheriff's race could be decided during the Republican primary election. In order to avoid a runoff election, a candidate must receive more than 50% of the votes. There are no Democrat candidates running for sheriff in Franklin County.