MDJ Voter Guide, Cobb County Sheriff

Editor's note: The MDJ Voter Guide was published in Saturday's newspaper.

REPUBLICANS

David Cavender

Occupation: Cobb County Police Sergeant

Party: Republican

Age: 47

Residence: West Cobb

Hometown: Riverdale

Family: Married with a 1 year old daughter, spouse Allison and daughter Viviana

Education/military service: Some College, 17 Years in the Army and currently still serving in the Army Reserve. Completed all professional military education for current rank which SFC/E7. Over 4000 POST Credit training hours.

Have you served in elected office before: No

Campaign website: Cavender4cobb.com; Facebook: Cavender For Cobb Sheriff; Instagram: Cavender for Cobb

1. Why are you running for office?

I believe in the sanctity of public office and being a servant to the community. This means that all decisions should be made with a top criteria being, is it what’s best for the community. I listened to and read the campaign promises from 2020 and none of it has been done, in fact most of the issues have worsened. I believe in the meaning of transparency, and will be accessible and transparent to the community when I am elected, not just use those terms as virtue signaling and buzz words.

2. If elected, what would your relationship be with ICE?

I would reinstate the partnership with Federal authorities and reinstate the 287g program. With the border crisis our country has experienced the last 3 years, it is crucial to enforce immigration standards at the local level. This program is structured to investigate CRIMINAL, non-citizens, not a platform to target immigrant communities.

3. Deaths continue to occur in the county jail. What additional measures should be taken to improve inmate safety?

First and foremost, jail staffing should be priority and be at 100% in order to ensure maximum safety standards for Deputies and inmates. Fulton County inmates will be sent back to Fulton County and no longer housed in Cobb. And inmates with known mental health issues should be evaluated to see if they need outside services or if they need to be monitored more closely.

4. What is the greatest challenge your constituents face that elected office would allow you to address? How would you address it?

Having a proper amount of personnel on the road is a huge challenge that most constituents are not aware of. By properly staffing the jail, wait times can be reduced greatly and ensure our partner law enforcement agencies in the county can have their resources where they are needed, available to respond to your 911 calls and not wasting hours at intake. Another huge issue is fiscal responsibility, I would reallocate resources from unneeded units and reduce frivolous spending that serves no benefit to the community.

Antaney Hogan

Occupation: Law Enforcement

Party: Republican

Age: 28

Residence: Smyrna

Hometown: Mableton

Family: Wife, and Son (Isaiah Hogan)

Education/military service: 10 Years military/8 years Law enforcement (State, Local and Federal)

Have you served in elected office before: No

Campaign website: www.HoganForSheriff.com

1. Why are you running for office?

We are facing several challenges such as increases in crime, low manpower, and reckless spending. My vision is to prioritize policing over politics. We cannot afford to look away from these issues

2. If elected, what would your relationship be with ICE?

It will be my goal to enhance the relationship between the Sheriff's office and ICE. I will partner with ALL law enforcement agencies to ensure the safety of this community. We will partner with ICE.

3. Deaths continue to occur in the county jail. What additional measures should be taken to improve inmate safety?

We will create a diversion and pre-arrest assessment to ensure that only inmates who need to be housed will be held. We will revise jail operating procedures to ensure the safety of all inmates,

4. What is the greatest challenge your constituents face that elected office would allow you to address? How would you address it?

The greatest challenge is addressing the reckless spending of tax payer dollars. We would need to conduct audits, including personnel audits for positions that were created for personal gain.

Ricci Mason

Occupation: Director of Security for Eastside Baptist Church and School

Party: Republican

Age: 59 Years Old

Residence: (Marietta, east Cobb, west Cobb, etc.) Acworth

Hometown: Raised in Pittsburgh, 30-year resident of Cobb County

Family: Married to Kim Mason. Between the two of us, we have 4 kids.

Education/military service: I enlisted in the US Marine Corps at 17 years old while still in high school. I then graduated with honor promotion (E-2) and Platoon guide.

I served from 1982 to 1988 in the reserve, landing at the Naval Air Station as prior service recruiter. Honorary discharge as an MP / Corrections E-4.

Have you served in elected office before: No

Campaign website: RicciForCobbSheriff.com

1. Why are you running for office?

In recent years, I've observed a significant decline in our Sheriff's Office. My primary goal is to uplift morale and ensure our deputies know they have my full support. The role of Sheriff encompasses numerous responsibilities, including the prudent management of resources that our community entrusts to us through their hard-earned money. Rather than wastefully spending millions for personal benefit, my focus will be on stewardship and accountability, ensuring that every dollar is used effectively for the public good. By prioritizing the well-being of our deputies and the responsible use of our resources, I aim to restore integrity and efficiency to our Sheriff's Office.

2. If elected, what would your relationship be with ICE?

I will greatly consider reimplementing the 287(g)program that the current administration ended. Additionally, we can leverage state-level legislation to enhance our approach. This combination of federal and state resources could provide a robust framework for addressing immigration enforcement in our community.

3. Deaths continue to occur in the county jail. What additional measures should be taken to improve inmate safety?

I am committed to prioritizing the growth of our jail's manpower, focusing on strengthening our core responsibilities within the facility rather than reallocating staff to field operations. The primary duty of our office is to effectively manage the jail—this is where our main focus should lie, recognizing the complexities and demands of such a commitment.

4. What is the greatest challenge your constituents face that elected office would allow you to address? How would you address it?

One of the most significant threats facing our constituents in the Metro Atlanta area is human trafficking and sex trafficking, particularly given that Cobb is a major hub for these illegal activities, especially along the Windy Hill and Delk Road corridor. To address this critical issue, I propose creating a task force in collaboration with the District Attorney's office. This task force would tackle human and sex trafficking on a large scale, focusing on dismantling these operations and safeguarding our citizens. As the next chief law enforcement officer, I feel a profound responsibility to protect the most vulnerable members of our community.

DEMOCRATS

Craig Owens (incumbent)

Occupation: Cobb County Sheriff

Party: Democrat

Age: 58

Residence: Mableton

Hometown: Fayetteville, North Carolina

Family: Wife, Sharon; three adult children, Craig, Jr., Reshaun, and Reshaundra

Education: B.A. Criminal Justice; M.A. Public Administration; Local Government Management Certificate, University of Georgia; FBI National Academy; Command and General Staff College

Military service: Command Sergeant Major (retired), United States Army Reserves

Have you served in elected office before: I’m currently in my first term as sheriff.

Campaign website: https://craigforcobbsheriff.com/

1. Why are you running for office?

Since assuming office on Jan. 1, 2021, I, in partnership with my leadership team and with input from civic leaders, have implemented a number of reforms and initiatives to improve public safety and public trust in the Cobb County Sheriff’s Office.

Transforming an organization is not a quick project. From emphasizing professional training to technology to recruiting a new generation of law enforcement leaders, there is much more work to do. As I seek re-election to a second term, I remain committed to making our office one of the best law enforcement agencies in the state, if not the nation.

2. If elected, what would your relationship be with ICE?

Today and in the future, if the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement asks the Sheriff’s Office to hold a detainee, we fully comply.

Over the past three years, the Sheriff’s Office has worked diligently to restore trust between Cobb’s diverse immigrant community and law enforcement. Our community oriented approach is helping us fight crime and keep Cobb County residents safe.

The independent U.S. Government Accountability Office has found that ICE has not provided adequate oversight and support for the controversial 287(g) program. Additionally, the nation’s premier law enforcement organization notes, “local police agencies depend on the cooperation of immigrants, legal and [otherwise], in solving all sorts of crimes and in the maintenance of public order.”

As your sheriff, I am fully committed to upholding the law and ensuring Cobb remains a safe, thriving county.

3. Deaths continue to occur in the county jail. What additional measures should be taken to improve inmate safety?

The unfortunate, heartbreaking reality is that deaths will continue to occur in jails and prisons across the country because these facilities have become de facto hospitals.

In my first term as sheriff I have spent energy and resources into finetuning our operations, improving the healthcare system within the Adult Detention Center, and providing detainees with tools and programming to support their mental health and give them a brighter future. If re-elected, in my second term I will focus on systems change outside the jail. Put simply, we need more local, state, and federal support to address social services needs and hopefully reduce the number of individuals entering the criminal system in the first place.

Detainees are booked in with severe medical issues, including substance abuse, terminal illnesses, and mental health disorders. Oftentimes, they haven’t received a medical check-up in years. By the time they come through our doors, the writing is on the wall.

As a county, state, and country, we must fund and increase access to quality, affordable healthcare, and other programs that address the root causes of these issues.

Lastly, jail operations require significant manpower. The hours are long and the job is dangerous. Sheriffs need the budgets to recruit, hire, and retain top law enforcement talent for these difficult positions.

4. What is the greatest challenge your constituents face that elected office would allow you to address? How would you address it?

My campaign for sheriff is centered around restoring and building truth, trust, and transparency between the people of Cobb and law enforcement. We have made great strides over the past three years to show that the Cobb County Sheriff’s Office is moving into a modern age of community-oriented, professional policing. We now host community briefings where the public can engage directly with me and other members of the Sheriff’s Office leadership team. We’ve invested in our community engagement efforts with programming and participation across the county regardless of race, creed, political affiliation and the like. We’ve rebuilt relationships between the Sheriff’s Office and media, inviting reporters and TV cameras into the jail.

Still, building trust takes time and a clear commitment to show up, to listen, and to remain committed to doing the right thing.

Gregory Gilstrap

Occupation: Law Enforcement

Party: Democratic

Age: 61

Residence: South Cobb

Hometown: Austell

Family: Janie (spouse) married 41 years, 3 adult children, 2 grandchildren

Education/military service: Atlanta Area Technical College

Have you served in elected office before? No

Campaign website: gilstrapforsheriff.com

1. Why are you running for office?

I am running for Sheriff because there is a disconnect between law enforcement and the community in which they serve. If elected as Sheriff of Cobb County I am committed to serving our communities with integrity, trust, and transparency. We must collaborate with community leaders to improve and build trustworthy relationships. For us to have healthy relations we must be intentional, not passive. The Sheriff’s Office and the Police Department must work together to find solutions to combat crime. Furthermore, Cobb’s Detention Center inmates’ death and suicide rate needs to be addressed. The safety of inmates is a crucial part of detention centers – along with health and general welfare. If elected I will review policies regarding inmates’ medical care, suicide watch and overall safety. The Sheriff’s office is responsible for protecting our community from violent and predatory criminals, but also charged with assuring the overall welfare of those same persons once in our custody. Using authority and force to correct inmates is necessary but it should only be used after all other measures have been in place. Leadership built on respect and trust often leads to compliance.

2. If elected, what would your relationship be with ICE?

If elected as Sheriff of Cobb County my relationship with ICE will be aligned with State and Federal policies. As required by Oath of Office to protect, support and defend the Constitution and laws of Georgia.

3. Deaths continue to occur in the county jail. What additional measures should be taken to improve inmate safety?

The following truncated measures should be taken to improve inmate safety:

- Annual Sensitivity training for employees

- Training that focus on Suicide Prevention and Mental Trauma

- Divide violent and nonviolent detainees into separate populations/areas

-Prompt response to inmate’s concerns regarding health issues/ illness

-Evaluate incoming inmates for health issues to ensure they receive medical care

-Random searches for contrabands and illegal substance

4. What is the greatest challenge your constituents face that elected office would allow you to address? How would you address it?

The greatest challenge constituents face is trusting law enforcement to be unbiased when confronted. Many citizens are fearful and hesitant to approach law enforcement officers because of negative encounters. Restoring public trust is crucial for law enforcement to have open dialogue with citizens. Having town hall meetings where constituents ask questions, address concerns, and interact with the Sheriff will restore trust. As well as being transparent regarding issues that affect our community. Getting to know the people we are sworn to serve and protect is crucial for building and maintaining healthy relationships.