Earlier this summer, the Post asked our readers what issues you wanted to hear candidates in contested races address leading up to the Nov. 5. election.
Based on that feedback, we developed a five-item questionnaire centering the issues most important to residents across Johnson County.
Each day this week, we’ll publish the candidates’ responses to one question. Read the candidates’ responses to the previous question about the budget.
Today, we’re publishing candidates’ responses to the following question:
Several readers noted that outgoing Sheriff Calvin Hayden frequently had combative relationships with other county officials, including some members of the county commission, elections officials and county staffers. Do you see this as a problem? If elected, are there steps you plan to take to improve these relationships and, if needed, regain the trust of residents?
Below are the answers the Post received from candidates on the issue:
Byron Roberson (Democratic)
The Johnson County Sheriff’s Office has ranked among the top five county services most in need of improvement for the last eight years, according to residents in the annual community survey. That includes the time period when my opponent was second-in-command. A big part of that failure has stemmed from a lack of communication between leadership at the sheriff’s office, the municipal police departments, and county agencies. If that’s going to improve, we need new leadership.
As Chief of Police for the cities of Prairie Village and Mission Hills I work with seventeen council members, two mayors and two city administrators between the two. There is not a day that goes by that I don’t collaborate, communicate, or mitigate issues that they or their constituents have. Communication and collaboration with the governing body are essential in the smooth operation of any office or department within Johnson County. Constructive communication does not mean that the Sheriff’s Office will always agree with the BOCC, but the ability to stay engaged and work through difficult problems is paramount in the end. To me this is leadership 101.
Doug Bedford (Republican)
As Sheriff I will return Professionalism back to the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office. The citizens of Johnson County observed the combative relationship between the current administration and other elected officials within county government.
What must happen is to express the goals and needs of the Sheriff’s Office in a professional manner. No one can make derogatory comments to others, and then appear shocked when they don’t want to work toward a common goal. As Sheriff, I will work with the County Commissioners, while not comprising the needs of the Sheriff’s Office. The key is to work toward a common goal, which is for the safety of the citizens of Johnson County.
I’m confident during the conversations with the commissioners or individuals in county government we won’t always get along, however, resolving issues and reaching a common platform is paramount to the success of the Sheriff’s Office. I’m confident this can and will be done in a professional manner.
Coming up:
Tomorrow we will publish the candidates’ responses to the following question:
Johnson County’s Officer Involved Critical Incident Investigation Team, or OICIIT, currently investigates all Johnson County officer-involved shootings. The county’s OICIIT process has come under scrutiny in recent years, particularly for the investigation into the 2018 fatal shooting of teeanger John Albers in Overland Park. Do you think OICIIT currently accomplishes its stated mission of conducting impartial and transparent investigations? What changes or improvements, if any, would you like to see?
