Mark Wilson is running to unseat Clay County Sheriff Rick Beseler. Both are Republicans contending in the Aug. 14 primary.
There is no Democrat running, so the winner of the primary will serve as Clay County's sheriff from 2013 to 2017.
Rick Beseler
AGE: 57
FAMILY: Wife, Joan, married 31 years; 3 children, 4 grandchildren
OCCUPATION: Sheriff of Clay County
EDUCATION: Clay County public schools; A.A., St. Johns River Junior College; B.S. criminology, Florida State University; M.S. police management, University of North Florida; graduate 141st Session FBI National Academy; graduate National Sheriffs Institute, Longmont, Colo.; Law Enforcement Executive Seminar, FBI Academy Quantico Va.; thousand of hours of advanced law enforcement training over 39 years
POLITICAL EXPERIENCE: Elected sheriff of Clay County 2004, re-elected in 2008
WHAT DO YOU SEE AS THE TOP THREE ISSUES IN THIS RACE?
- Budget Issues. Balancing declining revenues with increasing demands for services.
- Continuing to maintain our low crime rate and our high crime solving or clearance rate.
- Experience vs. inexperience
HOW CAN YOU HELP VOTERS IN A WAY THAT THE OTHERS RUNNING IN THIS OFFICE CANNOT?
- "My experience, education, and training far surpasses my opponents. I have demonstrated as Sheriff I can meet the challenge of providing first rate public safety with declining revenue. It is not something I am promising, it is something I am delivering."
WHAT WOULD YOU HOPE TO BE REMEMBERED FOR ACCOMPLISHING AFTER SERVING IN THIS OFFICE?
- "To have served with honor and integrity and to have earned the trust of the community."
CAMPAIGN WEBSITE: SheriffBeseler.com
Mark Wilson
AGE: 42
FAMILY: Married, 3 children with a fourth due in August
OCCUPATION: Deputy sheriff
EDUCATION: Public school; St. Johns River Community College; middle management, line supervision, instructor techniques, field training officer, hostage negotiator, K9 handler, diversity centered leadership, active diffusion strategies for LEO, archaeological resource protection
POLITICAL EXPERIENCE: None
WHAT DO YOU SEE AS THE TOP THREE ISSUES IN THIS RACE?
- "Drug, gang and illegal weapons activities are becoming far too prevalent however the county appears to be more interested in writing tickets than going after the real problems.
- "Lack of frequent and visible patrol of our streets and neighborhoods. Cops don't engage the community and don't get involved in the areas they patrol. The influx of child predators and sexual offenders is becoming a major concern however when you ask a patrol officer (if you can get one to speak to you) if they know about the predators in their patrol zone, for too many of them simply don't know.
- "Unbalanced service to the community. The poor and outlying areas of the county do not receive the same attention or quality of service as the affluent and central areas."
HOW CAN YOU HELP VOTERS IN A WAY THAT THE OTHERS RUNNING FOR THIS OFFICE CANNOT?
- "I intend to fulfill my obligation as Sheriff to provide fair, bias-free and constitutionally sound law enforcement services to Clay County. I will serve the community as an active Sheriff. I will expect all of my deputies to take the time to “actively” listen to the community. To provide solutions when possible (ie: child custody issues), direct people to the correct agency/person that can assist them even if it is not a law enforcement matter. I will encourage discretion and using sound judgment over making petty arrests. I understand people who call the sheriffs office often do not know who else to turn to in their time of need. Regardless what the need is (emergency or not), the attitude of the responding officer should be that of solving problems, being knowledgeable and offering solutions to the problem. Our job is not strictly about making arrests and writing tickets. We are public servants and with that title comes a great deal of responsibility. I will place the responsibility of working cases back on the shoulders of investigators and free up my patrol deputies to do actual police work and being proactive in the community. I will additionally require patrol deputies to “follow up” with people he/she has had prior contact with and offer further assistance if needed. There is no reason law enforcement of today cannot be customer service oriented as well as being tactically proficient. Under my administration, law enforcement will be transformed into one which is 100% focused on serving the needs of the citizens of Clay County.
"What would you hope to be remembered for accomplishing after serving in this office?
"I would hope to be remembered as a Sheriff that worked hard for his community, one who rebuilt the public trust and created a stronger bond between the people and law enforcement. Demonstrated a spirit of compassionate, yet firm and balanced justice. A Sheriff who changed the way law enforcement works by combining the best of technology and old-fashioned community policing."
CAMPAIGN WEBSITE: WilsonForSheriff2012.com
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