Doug Bedford and incumbent Calvin Hayden, the two Republican candidates for Johnson County sheriff, took markedly different approaches as they introduced themselves to Republicans at a Saturday morning event.
To a crowd of about 100 people gathered at the Johnson County Republican Party headquarters in Overland Park, Bedford, a former undersheriff and Navy Seal, took aim at his former boss: “The sheriff should unite and not divide. I’m going to say that again. The sheriff should unite and not divide.”
“Unfortunately I don’t believe the sheriff’s office looks like the one I signed up for and grew up with and the other deputies in this room also,” Bedford added. “We need to get back to openness and transparent law enforcement, so we can lead without having to lead through politics.”
Hayden, who is seeking his third term as sheriff, introduced himself this way: “My priorities are pretty simple. I’m a servant of God almighty and U.S. citizens, and there’s nothing higher than that.”
Hayden also referenced COVID-19 and violent protests before turning to immigration and a recent visit he took to the southern border in El Paso, Texas.
“You should be afraid,” he said, citing an influx of migrants. “This is not the time to change any, any leadership in the sheriff’s office. We have people coming across that border who are scary,” he said, including “Chinese nationals coming through by the thousands.”
The question-and-answer session was an opportunity for voters to see the two candidates side by side before the Aug. 6 primary election.
The winner will face Democrat Byron Roberson, currently Prairie Village Police Chief, in the November general election.
Both candidates were applauded as they answered sharply pointed questions — submitted by attendees on notecards — from the crowd, but Hayden supporters were often louder and there were big Hayden campaign signs in each corner of the room.
Topics included immigration, Hayden’s long-running election investigation and the sheriff office’s poor rating in this year’s community satisfaction survey.
53% satisfied with sheriff’s office
The survey, conducted by the ETC Institute, has been done yearly and asks respondents to rate the importance of and satisfaction with each of the county’s departments.
The sheriff office’s showing in the 2024 survey, completed in March, has been a subject of Bedford’s campaigning.
The survey scored the office as one of the most important provided by the county. However, only 53% of respondents said they were “satisfied” or “very satisfied” with it.
Based on that, county officials should make it a top priority to improve the sheriff’s operations, according to the survey.
“You have to sit at the table, and you need to find out what the problems are and focus on Johnson County,” Bedford said.
“The sheriff’s office at 53% ranked 14th of the 27 other agencies in Johnson County government,” he said, adding that the motor vehicle department and election office ranked higher. “We need to find out what (people) are upset about.”
Hayden countered that 31% were neutral in their feelings about the office. “That’s not bad for law enforcement,” he said.
“It’s not a matter of not being happy with what we’re doing. We’re underfunded,” he said.
The sheriff’s budget this past year, in fact, grew by more than $14 million to nearly $116 million total, driven in large part by salary increases. (Since 2019, the sheriff’s budget overall has increased nearly 28% from roughly $90 million.)
“Maybe we’re just not looking at the right numbers and sending them to the right people,” he said of the survey.
Hayden, Bedford spar over ongoing election probe
Discussion of Hayden’s years-long election investigation devolved into a contentious back-and-forth between spectators and Bedford.
Hayden announced an investigation into the county’ s election process about three and a half years ago and has mentioned it often at various partisan events.
Only one alleged incident of voter intimidation has been referred for charges, which District Attorney Steve Howe said was not based on strong enough evidence to prosecute.
The most recent issue was over a decision by Election Commissioner Fred Sherman to destroy old ballots from 2019, 2020 and 2021. The destruction of old ballots is required by state law six months after an election unless there’s a contested race or races.
Hayden had asked that election officials to delay the old ballots’ destruction, but it went ahead as scheduled after reminders from Republican Secretary of State Scott Schwab’s office.
At Saturday’s candidate question-and-answer session, Hayden said he was about to serve a search warrant for the ballots when they were destroyed.
“As we stand here today, we had a search warrant in hand and had talked with the district attorney, and we were working on getting the documents needed when they decided in a hurry to destroy the records,” he said.
“My officers think there’s something there,” he continued, adding later that “we’re not going to quit until it’s done.”
Bedford said Hayden owed it to county taxpayers to show some results after this amount of time investigating. He said no one has seen any evidence of election violations and that the investigation has cost “millions.”
The comment drew guffaws and interruptions from some in the audience, but Hayden himself said last year in testimony before the Kansas Senate Federal and State Affairs Committee that his office had so far spent “millions” on the election probe.
“The point I’m trying to make is tell us where we’re at,” Bedford said.
It was well known that Sherman, at the behest of Schwab’s office, intended to follow through on the ballot destruction, he said.
“It was in the news. The very next day they should have taken custody of those ballots,” he said. “That should have been done two and a half years ago. That’s what any good law enforcement agency does.”
Now, Attorney General Kris Kobach may render a legal opinion on whether the county had the authority to destroy the ballots as Hayden’s investigation continues.
In a sharply worded letter in response last month, Johnson County’s top lawyer said the process for seeking a formal opinion from Kobach is being inappropriately used for the potential criminal prosecution of Sherman.
Hayden took pointed shots at county commission
There were also some swipes at the county commission, and a question from an audience member that seemed aimed at Bedford’s ethics.
One of the questioners asked whether it was ethical for a candidate who is an agent for the Kansas Alcoholic Beverage Control to have fundraisers in venues under the ABC’s control.
Bedford, who lists the Kansas State Police and ABC on his webpage experience, took issue with the implication.
“Nothing I do in law enforcement is unethical. If somebody makes those allegations, they are lying,” he said. He said he meets people where they are and that many venues now serve alcohol.
For his part, Hayden aimed some remarks at County Commissioner Shirley Allenbrand, Chairman Mike Kelly and the county commission in general.
“They are about as anti-law enforcement as I’ve ever seen,” he said.
He then asked an attendee if they were proud of Allenbrand: “She is a terrible commissioner. I live in the rural county and she doesn’t represent me.”
Hayden said Allenbrand had voted against him “more times than I can count” and is a “mouthpiece for Mike Kelly.” He also called Kelly a socialist.
One questioner asked if the candidates would ever deploy armored vehicles, drones or robots to collect firearms from Johnson Countians or to enforce unconstitutional federal mandates.
Both candidates emphasized that they are pro-gun and pro-Second Amendment.
Hayden touted his office’s record on drug arrests and the drug task force. But Bedford said the sheriff’s office should be doing more to get buy-in from local police departments on the drug task force. Of the 17 cities in the county, only one is participating in the task force, he said.
“We need to get with these agencies. We need to find out why they don’t want to participate in the task force,” Bedford said. “If they are not sitting at the table with us, then that’s wrong.”
Hayden countered that his office regularly works with local agencies. He also turned some of his remarks toward immigration, describing unvetted migrants in other ports of entry as a threat.
“I’ve got 25 different nationalities in the Johnson County jail,” he said, listing Russia, Azerbaijan, Africa and the Middle East. “They’re all right here in Johnson County for really serious crimes,” he said.
Winner of GOP primary will face Roberson
Another questioner wondered what caused Democrats to run a candidate for sheriff in the normally Republican contest.
Hayden responded with criticism of Kelly’s decision to stop streaming and archiving public comments at commission meetings.
“You do not have a nonpartisan commission,” he said, “it is bullying. I can’t stand up there and watch it. It makes me sick.”
“We have Democrats taking over our county,” he said.
Bedford said the answer to the question is in the statistics. Hayden ran unopposed in the past two general elections while Democrats have gained ground in the county, he said.
“So why are they running a Democrat at this time? You know how come? Because they don’t like the leadership. They think they can win,” he said.
“At your eight-year mark, that’s when you should be running unopposed in a general election, because everything is so great, crime is down, drugs are down, everyone’s collaborating together, we have teamwork across the county. The Democrats are running a candidate because that’s not the case.”
“The proof is literally in the pudding,” he said. “If we don’t change what’s going on, we’re going to have a Democrat sheriff in Johnson County.”
Hayden encouraged the audience to compare Johnson County with Kansas City, Missouri, Lawrence and some other “Democrat-run” cities.
“Look what they’re doing to our country,” he said.
“I can beat Byron Roberson,” he said, referencing his own name identification and record. “I’m not sure Doug can.”
