CRIME, FINES AMONG CANDIDATES' ISSUES

Editor's note: Today begins a series of stories on Adams County candidates.
The first three sheriff's candidates are profiled today in alphabetical
order, with the final two to be published Tuesday.

Crime rates, programs sponsored by the sheriff's office, collecting fines,
economic development, the D.A.R.E. program, drugs and fairness are all
issues the five sheriff's candidates believe are important to this year's
election.

Of the five candidates, four are Democrats with only incumbent Tommy Ferrell
running on the Republican ticket.

Danny Barber

Barber has many top priorities for the sheriff's department, starting with
reorganizing the Metro Narcotics division, reconstructing the sheriff's
office to better serve the community, reinstating the D.A.R.E. program,
assigning a deputy to work at the schools and reinstating the junior
deputy's program.

To help with outstanding warrants and fines, Barber suggested tying the
sheriff's department into the justice court computers so that when an
officer stops someone, the officer will know if there is an outstanding
warrant for the person and can arrest them if so.

Barber said the crime rate is at a stand still. He said high visibility in
neighborhoods would really affect the crime rates. He said drug seems to be
the largest crime problem and there should be more even enforcement across
the board.

For children, Barber suggested reinstating what he said was a defunct junior
deputy program. Also, he said he wants to see the D.A.R.E. program back in
schools along with a deputy to set an example for law enforcement to
children and there is nothing better than education.

He said if he was elected sheriff, he would do all he could to boost the
economic development of the county and would sit down with other county
officials to find his role in that development.

Ronny Brown

Brown said he will work hard as sheriff, have an open door policy to
citizens, fight the drug problem in Adams County and make changes to the
jail.

Brown said he would assign a deputy to work with the courts to collect the
outstanding fines in Adams County.

Brown said crime is too high in Natchez, citing the number of cases going to
grand jury as evidence. Brown said there are more and more cases because of
the drug problem and crimes are on the rise.

Brown said he would start a drug and alcohol court because of the drug
problem and would get criminals back to being working and taxpaying
citizens.

He said he wants to show people there is a better way.

As far as the D.A.R.E. program, Brown plans to reinstate it. He also wants
to utilize the inmates in jail by implementing a work program where the
inmates can work for nonprofit organizations, helping save the county money.

As sheriff, Brown said he would work with other elected officials to boost
the economy. He would lower the crime rate and show a positive attitude to
show people the positive things of the county.

Andrea Drane

Drane's biggest concern for the county is to make sure every citizen is
treated the same -- fairly. Also, Drane believes the sheriff should be a
good role model, which Drane said she knows she can bring to the office.

Drane said she wants someone to be accountable and she can lead by example.
She wants the citizens to be able to come in with ideas or concerns and
wants law enforcement to be the good guys again.

For fine collection, Drane said people should have more time to pay their
fines so they are not just thrown in jail because they do not have the money
right away.

Another main goal for Drane is bringing programs to Adams County schools,
like D.A.R.E. that will teach children to respect law enforcement again.

"We have to start reaching these kids before they end up in jail," Drane
said.

Drane also said it is important to educate the inmates so when they leave
the jail, they have something to fall back on. She said educating them, like
in job training programs, would prevent some of them from returning to jail
by making the wrong lifestyle changes.

This education also would result in a lower crime rate. Drane said educating
the inmates lets them know they are a person and they can succeed.

And with drug offenders, Drane said they should all go through
rehabilitation because just putting them in jail is doing no good.

By making the streets of Natchez safe, Drane said that would bring people
and jobs into Natchez.