3 challenge the Hancock County sheriff for his job. Where do all the candidates stand?

Longtime Hancock County Sheriff Ricky Adam faces three challengers in his bid for reelection in the Aug. 8 Republican primary election.

Voters will decide between Adam and former Hancock County sheriff’s deputies Nathan “Corky” Hoda, Channing Reynolds, and local businessman Johnny Raffeo Jr.

Because there are no Democrat, independent or third-party candidates, whoever wins the primary will be the next sheriff in Hancock County.

In his third term as sheriff, Adam, 64, is touting his accomplishment after taking office in 2012 to encourage voters to elect him to a fourth term. Those include:

• Increasing pay for deputies from $12 an hour in 2012 to $20 an hour in 2023.

• Equipping deputies with mobile and portable radios, body armor, Tasers, body-worn and in-car cameras and laptop computers for efficient record-keeping accessible to other Mississippi Coast law enforcement agencies

• Increasing the number of school resource officers in the Hancock County School District and implementing safety alerts in conjunction with Hancock County School District, with a second one in the process of being installed in Bay-Waveland schools

• Using drug-seized money to purchase a mobile command post for use during natural disasters and critical incidents

• Running the jail that houses up to 300 local, state and federal prisoners, with the Sheriff’s Department receiving pay for housing the state and federal prisoners, something Adams says helps to offset the costs of running the jail

“ I think we have done very well in the last 12 years, and we think we have little more business to take care of in the next four years,” Adams said.

Former deputy and Picayune officer

Hoda, 61, is and a lifelong resident of Hancock County and has a 30-plus year career in law enforcement, with the majority of his service as a deputy in Hancock County.

Hoda is currently a police officer in Picayune and wants to return to the Sheriff’s Department as its chief law enforcement officer.

“I believe there is a lot of room for improvement,” Hoda said. “If I thought Ricky was doing a good job, I wouldn’t be running. Due to my experience, I know how to make the improvements that are needed.”

Hoda followed in his father’s footsteps and got into law enforcement at an early age.

“I wanted to get out and help people,” he said. “That’s the job. I want to put myself between something bad that is happening and the innocent. “

Hoda worked in different capacities at the Sheriff’s Department, in patrols, narcotics and as a local deputy assigned to a federal drug task force investigating drug crimes.

He served as a fatal accident investigator and in other capacities over the years, which he said included working in security and anti-terrorism training

if elected, Hoda is focusing on several issues, such as:

• Improving deputy morale to help with deputy retention instead of the county spending thousands on training the officers only to see them leave a short time later

• Across the board, ongoing training for all deputies on staff to ensure all deputies are trained in the latest law enforcement techniques, whether handling criminal investigations or working patrols

• Reinvesting in community policing by working better with the public to help solve crimes ‘because if you have the community behind you, you solve crimes”

“We have morale issues, which go along with officer retention, “ he said. “If you have a good working environment, people are going to stay where they are. Most are not looking solely at the dollar amount when they take the job. They are looking for a good place to work with a decent salary.”

Local businessman wants to donate his salary

Johnny Raffeo Jr., 48, owns BiggBoy Status Towing, Inc., a towing business in business for 25 years with three locations in Kiln, Bay St. Louis and Picayune.

Though he doesn’t have experience in law enforcement, he said he is qualified for the job because he knows how to run a successful business and put the right team in place to do it.

“You hire people in there who know what going on,” he said. “Your support team — the people in your corner — is the backbone of your business. You’ve got to be money smart.”

And if elected sheriff, he plans to donate the salary back to Hancock County. He said he feels it’s time for change in the county and is the person to do it.

Raffeo points out that, like himself, Adam didn’t have a history of law enforcement experience when he first ran for the job. Adam served sold real estate and served in a local judicial seat before first being elected sheriff.

“The good old boy system has got to change,” Raffeo said. “I believe term limits should apply for those who serve in the sheriff’s seat. I want to see that change happen.”

If elected sheriff, Raffeo said, he wants to look at who is in what position, how much they are paid, and look at their qualifications to determine who is the best person for each job in the Sheriff’s Department.

“There are people in positions they are not qualified for,” Raffeo believes. “You got taxpayers paying for patrol cars that are going outside the county. There are a lot of changes that need to be made.”

If elected, Raffeo said, he will focus on trying to effect change in the Sheriff’s Department. He plans o focus on several issues, including:

• Training officers to have an improved understanding of the laws

• Making changes in staffing and pay based on qualifications

• Improving jail security and cracking down on contraband brought into the jail

• Improving community relations by being more present in the community

• Increasing patrols to crack down on more crime

The bottom line, Raffeo said, is “it is time for a change” because “without term limits, people get too comfortable.”

Former deputy, and local business owner

Channing Reynolds, a former sheriff’s deputy for about seven years and owner of T.C. Reynolds Trucking, LLC, is a longtime resident of Diamondhead in Hancock County.

“I am a proud, full-time father to my 8-year-old boy,” he said, and wants the chance to serve as chief law enforcement officer to make the community as safe as possible.

During his tenure at the Hancock County Sheriff’s Department, Reynolds said he served as a patrol deputy and narcotics agent.

“My proactive patrol style along with a high number of narcotic-based arrests led me to being promoted to the position of narcotics agent,’” he said in his bid for election. During that time, he said, ‘I was able to focus on my passion for removing dangerous drugs from the streets of our community.

In his off time, he coaches football for the Diamondhead Spartans and recently took over the position of president of the Diamondhead Youth Athletic Association.

“I want to take the politics out of police work and put the Hancock County Sheriff’s Office in the hands of the men and women who not only understand the profession but who also serve the community they swear to patrol.”

If elected, Reynolds hopes to tackle what he calls a high turnover rate at the Sheriff’s Department. His other plans include:

• Establishing a community engagement division to improve relations between the community and law enforcement

• Restructure the Sheriff’s Department to increase patrol visibility and reduce response times

• Improve school security by placing a deputy at each school

• Prioritize drug enforcement efforts to reduce violent crime, property crime, overdoses, and access to illegal narcotics

• Conduct quality criminal investigations resulting in more convictions and the recovery of stolen property