Sheriff’s race: Jail debated
Candidates face the public at forum
By CLEON RICKEL, Herald Senior Writer
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The jail, juvenile detention and patrolling remain the issues in the Franklin County sheriff’s race.
Sheriff Craig Davis faced Democratic challenger and former police officer Byron Goracke for the first time during Tuesday’s candidates forum in Ottawa.
“I don’t want to build a new jail but it’s probably inevitable,” Davis said.
A consultant said that given population projections for the county and the possibility of increases in crime, the Franklin County jail likely will run out of cell space, he said.
And in response to a question about where to put a jail, it likely would be located in the downtown area, Davis said.
“I’m not in favor of building a new jail,” Goracke said. “We can’t afford one.
“It’s probably going to happen but all options need to be exhausted first.”
If the county built a jail, it should be a smaller facility located in a rural area, where land prices are cheaper, he said.
“We don’t need a big monstrosity of a building,” he said.
They also differed on a new juvenile detention facility. The present juvenile detention center is part of the jail complex, which poses problems in keeping juveniles away and out of sight of adult prisoners.
Goracke said he had his doubts on a new facility but even if it’s necessary, the county doesn’t need to build one.
Instead, the county should modify an existing building for a juvenile facility.
“We could even put it right here in the annex,” he said. “... The county shouldn’t be in the rental business.”
Like the jail, the juvenile detention facility has had space issues, Davis said.
“We need to get it away from the jail,” he said. “... It’s probably living on borrowed time.”
Once the facility is moved, it will free up additional space for the jail and ease overcrowding, he said.
As far as patrolling in a time when fuel is above $3 per gallon, Davis said he’s adopted a district plan designed to keep officers out in rural areas patrolling.
However, officers still have to come to the sheriff’s office in Ottawa to file reports, he said.
That will change when patrol cars are equipped with computer terminals and a special computerized records network beginning later this year, he said.
“They can file reports out in the field,” he said.
Goracke said he favors putting small offices and stationing deputies in each of the towns in Franklin County.
That would cut fuel costs while improving response times to emergency calls, he said.
Davis fielded many of the same questions in his three-way Republican primary. Goracke was the only Democrat in the race.
Davis touted his 32 years of experience in the Franklin County Sheriff’s Department and his law enforcement and administrative experience.
“The people I have working for me are dedicated to the citizens of the county — more than you can ever know,” Davis said.
Goracke said he has no particular beef against Davis.
“I’m not saying there’s anything wrong,” he said. “I’m in favor of something different.”
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