Sheriff Coons announces re-election bid May 18

Editor: For the past eight years, it has been my privilege to serve as your sheriff. The confidence you placed in me has been an experience for which I am humbly grateful.  Now, as the Primary Election approaches, I am again asking for your vote to continue the progress we have made. My 28 years of experience has been expanded with a team of law enforcement professionals with experience totaling more than 120 years. My time as your sheriff has been hard work, but very rewarding as our entire staff has worked to maintain the level of service you expect and deserve. The sheriff’s office has been able to generate 92 percent of its total operating budget, including all salaries, with revenue that comes through the collection of fees. With the increase in demands for additional personnel, the result has been no increase in cost to the county. We constantly strive to be totally self-sufficient, without the need to ask for supplemental funding from Trimble County Fiscal Court. Over the past eight years, the number of complaints handled by your sheriff’s office has quadrupled. Last year, the sheriff’s office answered more than 3,900 calls for service, which included requests for investigations into accidents, theft/burglaries, robberies, homicides, drugs, domestic violence incidents, public service needs and white-collar crime.  District Court reported handling 400 more cases in 2009 than in 2008. It was important to me, as your sheriff, to put into place qualified law enforcement personnel who had the experience to immediately and successfully handle the serious nature of increased complaints being received. We have continued our relentless fight against illegal drugs. Eight years ago, I requested help from the community in reference to illegal drug activity information. I’m happy to report you are still responding to that request, and the results are many drug arrests during my tenure. These efforts are so rewarding when someone you had to arrest becomes drug-free and a productive member of society. Being involved with the Trimble County School system has been and will always be a high priority. We have been able to increase our positive involvement with our youth, both in and out of school, due to the added personnel.  Since being elected in 2003, one of my long-term goals has been to provide professional law enforcement service 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to meet the ever-increasing needs of the community. So far, we have grown from a staff of two people in my first year to a staff of nine professionally trained individuals. Each bailiff and deputy is certified in accordance with the mandates of the commonwealth of Kentucky. It was equally important to continually move toward meeting this goal without any extra burden to the Trimble County taxpayers, and we have achieved this. We now have a sheriff’s office that is more highly visible than ever before. With your help and support, we can continue to make a positive impact on the citizens of Trimble County. A successful rural sheriff’s office needs community support and involvement. As of this date, many of you have offered your help, information and suggestions, and this has made a tremendous difference over the past eight years. I welcome your comments and seek your input on the serious issues the county faces. Due to my responsibilities as your sheriff, lately it has been very difficult to visit each and every one of you. Your vote is very important and is not taken lightly. I appreciate the opportunity to serve in this capacity and I want to continue being your sheriff. Thank you in advance for your thoughtful consideration in the May 18 Primary.   Tim Coons, Trimble County Sheriff Bedford