Sheriff's candidates take cases to public
By JIMMY GALVAN Managing Editor

There were little fireworks when Jasper County's Democratic sheriff's candidates got together Thursday, Feb. 14, at the Democrat Club forum.

Incumbent Ronnie McBride faced off against challengers Paul Brister and Mitchel Newman in a debate held at the Jasper County District Courtroom.

All three candidates battled a case of the nerves as they took center stage at the debate in front of a small crowd.

Brister, 55, the police chief for the city of Kirbyville, took the podium first. Brister has served with sheriff's departments in Orange and Jasper counties as chief deputy.

"My plan, if elected, is to put the officers on the street," Brister said. "I want to beef up the patrol on the streets of Jasper County and actively work the drug problem we have in the county."

Brister said he would call upon other law enforcement agencies to help curb the drug problem in the county.

"I am not going to tell you we're going to clean up the drug problem in the county because that is unrealistic," Brister said.

Brister believes he has the experience necessary to run a department and keep it running with high morale among the officers.

"I am running for this office for one reason - I want to be sheriff of Jasper County," Brister said.

Newman started his law enforcement career at the age of 46 when he went through the police academy.

"I know it's an old age but I made it," Newman said.

Newman believes because of his experience dealing with the residents of Jasper County will help him if elected to the position of sheriff.

"My background will help me communicate with the people of Jasper County," Newman said.

Newman also has set his sights on reducing the drug activity in the county as his main campaign pledge.

"I want to get dope off the streets and out of the hands of our children," Newman said.

He said he would work to achieve this goal by changing the work schedule at the sheriff's department and by implementing a drug task force within the department.

"A sheriff is not only responsible for the public's safety but also his deputies safety as well," Newman said. "And I will be the first to tell you that I plan on surrounding myself with the best people I can possibly find."

Newman promised to have an open door policy to the sheriff's department if elected.

"I would encourage any resident of Jasper County to come and visit me," Newman said. "I promise to listen to all the people of Jasper County."

McBride, who has served a term in office, was the final sheriff's candidate to take the podium.

"As most of your are aware of, the sheriff's office is the only full-time, 24 hour department in the county," McBride said.

McBride pointed out that he was responsible for implementing 12-hour shifts at the department when he took over in order to put more deputies on the streets of the county.

He admitted that the response time for deputies to calls is an issue but can only be fixed with additional personnel being added to the department.

McBride said on a good day with no one out sick or on vacation, there are three deputies on duty during a shift.

"If re-elected, I will petition commissioner's court to give the department more manpower," McBride said. "My primary goal was and is still to provide the best service if possible to the residents of Jasper County."

McBride said he knows drugs in the county are a problem, but added that the problem is a national problem as well.

"It's a world-wide problem," McBride said. "We know drug activity is out there and we just need to keep hitting them and become a deterrent to that kind of activity."

McBride said one issue that he is proud of is that his department works well with other law enforcement agencies and that was really shown during Hurricane Rita in 2005.

"I immediately called for help and we had 200 state troopers and game wardens come in and help us," McBride said.

McBride said his law enforcement experience made him a strong candidate to keep the position he was elected to serve four years ago.

"I bring 40 years of law enforcement experience to this office," McBride said. "If elected, I will work to better the programs that I have started. I can't pull out a magic wand to make things better, we just have to keep plugging at it."

Kathy Waltman questioned McBride on the number of deputies on payroll that live outside of the county that drive to and from work in county vehicles.

McBride said he has three deputies that drive their vehicles home that live outside of Jasper County.

"I have one that lives just barely outside of Jasper County in Orange County," McBride said. "I have one that lives in Corrigan and he drives his car to the Tyler County sheriff's office in Woodville and then drives his personal car the rest of the way. I have another that lives in Zavalla and actually he is closer to the county line than to the sheriff's office."

The Democrat Club held a second forum last night in Buna featuring all of the candidates speaking to the southern end of the county.