Newton endorses Bicknell in race

To the editor:
Dear voters of Jay County. Because of term limits for sheriffs, I will step aside from being your Jay County Sheriff and watch this year’s election. The voters of Jay County will have to make a decision May 6 as to which Republican candidate will represent the party in the November general election.
Like any voter, I have concerns about which candidate will be the very best sheriff for this county. I know there will be some voters that will question my motives on endorsing a candidate, but the reason why is that I have invested a lot of time in the last seven years making the sheriff’s office into what I believe is a great department. I give credit to our employees who work here because without them this department would not be near what it is today.
One candidate does stand out to be your next Jay County Sheriff and that would be Rob Bicknell. Rob and I started with the sheriff’s office in 1991 and worked together on the road. A friendship was formed that has lasted 24 years. When working with Rob, I knew whatever the situation was he would be there to help me. Rob had the same vision I had on where we wanted the sheriff’s office future to go.
This is the reason why I made the decision to appoint Rob as my chief deputy in 2007. Rob is second in charge of the sheriff’s office, and his primary responsibilities are overseeing the daily jail operation and the sex offender registry for Jay County. Rob improved the operation of the sex offender registry even as the number of offenders has increased. I can say our children are much safer now from these offenders. In my absence, Rob assumes my responsibilities until I return. He takes his job seriously.
Rob played a major part in the jail expansion and the renovation of the security center, helping me make sure the taxpayers got what they were paying for.
Rob continues to work with the schools in Jay County to make them safe and played a major part in getting a deputy to work at the high school and the rural schools in our county.
Rob will continue to offer programs to help the offenders being incarcerated at the security center in an effort to make sure they do not return. Rob will continue to generate revenue from housing out-of-county inmates and will work on a contract instead of profiting from the meals.
By voting for Rob Bicknell, you ensure that they sheriff’s office will continue in the right direction to making Jay County a safer place to live.
Ray Newton
Jay County Sheriff[[In-content Ad]]