TAHLEQUAH DAILY PRESS — A smaller-than-normal crowd listened Thursday evening as three of four candidates seeking the sheriff’s office and a speaker for U.S. Rep Dan Boren outlined their campaign goals and asked for support in the July 29 primary election.

“Normally we have a lot more candidates here,” said State Sen. Jim Wilson, who served as master of ceremonies with John Price, chair of the county’s Democrat Party.

Incumbent Norman Fisher, the first of the sheriff candidates to speak, said he was brought up being told to work hard, be honest and tell the truth. He said he’s always tried to be fair and help people.

“Four years ago, I told you if you elected me, I’d give you a department you can be proud of,” Fisher said. “I believe I have done that, but there’s still work to be done.”

Fisher, a 40-year law enforcement veteran, said his father instilled strong, hard-core Democratic beliefs in him. His father died shortly before Fisher took office as sheriff.

The sheriff said he worked with the county commissioners to update the department’s vehicle fleet, Cherokee Nation to equip the vehicles and the District 27 drug task force to make some major drug arrests.

Fisher, a lifelong county resident, also said he’s put a resource officer in the schools. He said a private citizen donated 13 hand-held radios to the department for use shortly after he took office. He said he appreciated everyone’s support.

Clint Johnson told the crowd he was training Iraqi police before returning to Cherokee County in February and seeing the need to run for sheriff. He said he’d have deputies out in the county, protecting the residents, and not in the city limits unless requested.

Johnson said he would hire investigators to do the job they were hired to do. He added that the Council on Law Enforcement Education and Training requires officers to have 25 hours of training a year, but he will require 100 hours a year.

“I’m a certified instructor, and we can do some of it in-house,” Johnson said. “I’ll put people to work you can trust, and we’ll talk to their friends, family and neighbors before we put them on the street.”

He said the crime rate has increased during the current administration, and that is unacceptable. Johnson also said deputies would respond to calls, which he said he’s been told is not being done now. Johnson said he questioned that complaint until an incident happened to him Thursday. He said he’d take the “good ol’ boy” system out of the sheriff’s office.

Jack Smithson said he grew up in Henryetta and moved to Oklahoma City, where he and his wife operated the biggest wrecker company in the state before selling it and moving to Cherokee County. He said his wife had family here, and they visited the county often before moving here.

Smithson worked at the sheriff’s office from 1986 until Jan. 3, 2005. He said he sees the economy playing a role in the sheriff’s office because the budget will tell whether additional deputies can be hired. He said he believes response time to calls has slowed. He also said the crime rate has gone up, while arrests are down. He said he’d recommend keeping lists of property serial numbers to aid in recoveries.

“I will work with other agencies,” Smithson said. “I always did, and I will continue. We’ll respond to calls.”

Smithson said people think drugs are the cause of other crimes, and he believes that’s about 99 percent true. He said he won’t promise he’ll stop the drug problem, but he will work on it.

Mac Martin, the fourth candidate for sheriff, did not attend or send a representative to speak for him.

Ben Robinson, a former state lawmaker, spoke for Boren, who is still in Washington, D.C. Robinson reminded those present that Boren is the only Democrat the state has sent to Washington. Robinson said Boren is proud of what he’s accomplished in Congress, such as cutting the student loan rate and helping veterans.

He said Boren appreciates the support he’s had in Cherokee County and the help given him in his campaigns. Robinson said Boren has both a Democratic and Republican challenger, so he will be on the ballot July 29, as well as for the November general election.