Current Phillips County Sheriff Charles Radabaugh announced his intent to seek re-election Wednesday afternoon via the Sheriff's Department Facebook page.
The announcement follows.
I’d like to take this opportunity to announce my intent to seek reelection for the office of Phillips County Sheriff. This first term as Sheriff has been enlightening and also challenging. I am proud of our stand with both the public and area law enforcement that we have taken on illegal drugs within our community. The input and support from the public has been phenomenal and the working relationship with surrounding law enforcement is at its best.
The pursuit of illegal drugs will remain a priority because we believe that illegal drug activity is related to most crimes. Illegal drugs are not a victimless crime as proposed by some, they are directly related to most robberies, thefts, burglaries, disturbances, child abuse/neglect, along with assaults and batteries. To believe otherwise is nonsense and most streetwise law enforcement figures that out very quickly.
On another thought, I believe our Constitution to be an inspired document written by our wise and visionary forefathers. It created a divide and balance of power between state's rights and federal overreach. Times have changed since then over the years and states rights (and the people's rights) have been undermined by the federal government.
One of the most obvious is the federal government's exercise of police authority, the Constitution gives the federal government no such authority. Despite this, the federal government continues to inject themselves into law enforcement through newly created regulations, unfunded mandates, mandatory reporting, and intimidation. Congress has created over 50 law enforcement entities without any Constitutional authority. The money spent on duplicate laws and interference could be used by state and local criminal justice systems to improve local and community conditions.
Only local and locally controlled law enforcement can meet the needs and demands of each community, local Sheriff’s spend local tax dollars and are accountable to local voters. The federal involvement in law enforcement results in a “one size fits nobody” concept. Locally elected Sheriff’s interact with local voters to validate their concerns and values, those that don’t are not in office very long.
Charles Radabaugh
Sheriff, Phillips County