Democratic Links
Useful Links
Save The Date
Tues. Feb 26th
Democrats 21st Century 7pm
Margaret Donnelly Guest Speaker
Fundraiser for Mary Spence in the 44th district
Wednesday, February 27
Tanners Bar & Grill
7425 Wornall Rd.
6:30 - 8:30pm
Thurs. Feb 28th
Delegate Selection Mass Meetings
7:30 location Varies
Fundraiser for John Bullard for Sheriff
6-8:30 pm at the Fraternal Order of Police in Raytown
visit his website for more information
Candidates be sure to let us know of your events, so we can share them!
Wed. March 5
GKCDFA @ Californos in Westport
Candidate Forum
To all clubs and organizations please let us know of your events so we can share them.
JCDC offices are located @
308 W Maple suite 101
Independence, MO 64050
816-833-5232
Our next Candidate forum will concentrate on the 44th House District, featuring:
Amy Coffman
Jason Kander
Mary Spence
We are always looking for volunteers to help out in the office an dwith the Coordinated Campaign. Give us a call!
Would you like our Chairman or Executive Director to speak at your function? Please call the office. 833-5232
We are forming a RAPID RESPONSE team for the general election, please call us if you can help! 833-5233
If you would like to help us with our newsletter or website please contact us! 833-5232
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Making Missouri Blue Together
Jackson County Democratic Committee
Online Candidate Forum
Beginning with this issue we are going to be turning our attention to some of the local and statewide primaries, qith an online candidates forum. This will be a great opportunity to engage in a conversations with the Democrats running for office in Jackson County and Missouri. This issue we begin with the Jackson County Sheriffs race. We asked the candidates the same questions and gave them all an opportunity to answer, we hope you enjoy this opportunity and will count on you to participate in the future.
Here are the 3 questions we asked, the candidates answers in their own words follow.
In alphabetical order
1. What are your qualifications to be sheriff?
2. What are your top priorities for the Sheriff's department?
3. Do you support unions and collective bargaining for public employees?
1.What are your qualifications to be sheriff?
33 years of Law Enforcement experience in all areas of Law Enforcement. The experience of running a state wide organization with over 4,000 members. The experience of actively participating in the legislative arena by lobbying city councils, the State Legislature and members of Congress.
2.What are your top priorities for the Sheriff’s Department?
Better communications internally and externally. Building and fostering cooperation and coordinated efforts between the different public safety agencies within Jackson County. Actively pursuing federal and state grants to bring Jackson County Taxpayers money back to Jackson County in the form of better equipment, better technology. The ultimate goal of making Jackson County a safe, secure community.
3. Do you support unions and collective bargaining for public employees?
I have been a union member for 33 years and have held the various offices within the Fraternal Order of Police including Local and State President. I support collective bargaining and binding arbitration for public employees.
Check out John's website by clicking on his name to learn more about him and how you can get involved
1.What are your qualifications to be sheriff?
I have been in Law Enforcement since 1982, 15 years of full time service, 13 at the Sheriff's Department and since leaving full timestatus I have maintained an active reserve commission and have been an active member by putting in time in various divisions of thedepartment.Since leaving the department I returned to the county in the Planning & Zoning Department where I have been responsible for theDevelopment of Land in unincorporated Jackson County, through the zoning, platting, construction, stormwater, budgeting,administration, development and reorganisation of a building & zoning codes division. I am a member of the Jackson County Tiff Commission, I serve as the County representative on the Jackson County Stormwater Commission, and I serve the Jackson CountyPlanning Commission & Board of Zoning Adjustments as an advisor in my areas of responsibility. As a result of my ability to get things done in county government and the reputation I have gained by doing so, it has provided me with the opportunity to serve in statewideand nationally where I currently serve as the Vice-President of the Missouri Floodplain & Stormwater Managers Association and as theNational Co-Chairman of the Stormwater Committee for the National Association of Floodplain Managers Association. For the past 20+ years I have taken an active role in my community where I have serve as president of many local civic organizations, various Masonic Bodies, Lee's Summit R-VII School District CAC, Chairman of the Cost Containment Committee,President of John Calvin Manor Retirement Center-Lee's Summit, MO., former member-Lee's Summit Beautification Committee, Jr PastPresident of Blue Springs Shrine Club. Co-Chair of the Fox 4 Love Fund Horse Show, Horse Show Official of the Missouri State FairSociety Horse Show.
So in summation with over 25 years in county government. law enforcement and administration, no other candidate can bring this required experience to the Office of Sheriff of Jackson County. When you read through what I am really about you will find that I have dedicated my life to making quality of life better for the people of Jackson County.
2.What are your top priorities for the Sheriff’s Department?
It has come to a point in time that Sheriff's Department needs to take a step back and re-evaluate all of the resources and responsibilitiesthat have been given it and develop a new approach that can meet the requirements of the department and in turn provide better services to county and the citizens of the county. Once this has been completed, there are areas of criminal acts that I don't feelas many citizens do, have been as aggressively attacked and has to do with burglaries and car thefts. And yes continued support in the fight against drugs and alcohol abuse. As you are aware there are many programs already in place to deal with these issues throughCombat and many other local, state and national agencies and program. many of which I will take and active roll.
3. Do you support unions and collective bargaining for public employees?
I support this avenue as a place where people can turn to voice there concerns and obtain a better working environment and provide abetter lifestyle for themselves and their families. I am not in favor of emergency service providers having the ability to strike. Theseare who we the citizens turn to in a state of our own personal emergencies and fully expect them to be there when we need them.
Check out Tom's website by clicking on his name to learn more about him and how you can get involved
1. What are your qualifications to be sheriff?
I am a 36-year law enforcement veteran and have run a successful securitybusiness for 15 years. I believe to lead the office requires a mixture of law enforcement, business experience, and political sense. I have theexperience to keep our families safe and ensure taxpayers are getting thebest service for their investment.
2.What are your top priorities for the Sheriff’s Department?
Keeping our families safe is my number one priority, and the Sheriff'soffice has not had the resources necessary to do this effectively. Moreoffenders are added to the list and an increasing number of sex offendersalso are going underground. I will fight for the resources necessary totrack down sexual predators, put their photos online and keep them awayfromour families.I will improve the office's relationship with citizens by speeding up theresponse time and follow up to citizen reports and calls. Citizensshouldn'thave to visit or call the sheriff's office for most issues. They should beable to report crime tips and find accident reports online. I will improvecommunication with the public by putting more services and informationonline. This will provide faster service for citizens and free deputies tofocus their time on crime prevention.
3. Do you support unions and collective bargaining for public employees?
Yes. I am a former member of the Teamsters Local 541 and Laborers Local 663, and I believe every employee should have the right to collectivelybargain.
Check out Mike's website by clicking on his name to learn more about him and how you can get involved.
1. What are your qualifications to be sheriff?
- Masters of Arts Degree in Management
- Bachelor of Science Degree in Administration of Justice
- FBI National Academy Graduate
- 26 Years with the Kansas City Missouri Police Department, retiring a Police Major.
- 3 ½ Years as the Grain Valley Missouri Police Chief
- Skilled Law Enforcement Executive with 15 Years of Command Experience
- Experienced in Working with other Law Enforcement Agencies, Elected Officials, Civic Groups, Business Leaders and Community Groups
- Proven Background in Leadership, Administration and Problem Solving
- Overall Commander of Police Personnel that assisted the United State Secret Service with 3 Presidential Visits to Kansas City, MO
- Extensive Background in Emergency Management that included Overall Commander of the Emergency Services Response to the 1993 Kansas City Flood
2.What are your top priorities for the Sheriff’s Department?
- Develop a deployment strategy to ensure that there are adequate deputies on duty 24/7
- Assess the Department from top to bottom (that will include input from all personnel) to develop of a plan of action to optimize the overall operation of the Department
- Raise the Departments Level of Professionalism
- Work to raise salaries that are far below Law Enforcement Agencies of like size
- Development a comprehensive set of policies and procedures that apply to all employees of the Department from top to bottom
- Look into alternatives to upgrade the Department’s Communication Unit
- Work more closely with other law enforcement agencies and elected official (particularly the County Executive and the Jackson County Legislature)
3.Do you support unions and collective bargaining for public employees?
I don’t necessarily support or oppose unions and collective bargaining for public employees. I say this because I believe it is the responsibility of the Sheriff, be it a union or non-union work environment, to work toward providing for the employees of the Department the best salaries, benefits, and working conditions that are competitive with like law enforcement agencies.
Check out Gary's website by clicking on his name to learn more about him and how you can get involved.
1. What are your qualifications to be sheriff?
I believe that my 26 years of experience as a Kansas City, Missouri, police officer plus a background in firefighting, and 18 years as a successful business owner, make me the clear choice to serve as the elected leader of our County’s central public service agency.
I represent my family’s fourth generation in law enforcement. I graduated from Central Missouri State University in 1981, with a major in Fire Science and a minor in Criminal Justice. While in college, I also served as a volunteer firefighter with the Lee’s Summit Fire Department.
I was a full-time Kansas City police officer from 1981 to 1983, a reserve officer from 1983 to 1999, and a reserve Homicide Detective from 1999 to 2007. During my years as a reserve officer, I worked as a construction supervisor from 1983 to 1989, and was a successful Lee’s Summit business owner from 1989 to 2007.
I feel that I am the most qualified person to serve as Sheriff – as an experienced law enforcement officer, as a successful manager, and as someone who is determined to work with, and serve the needs of, the Sheriff’s deputies and employees.
2. What are your top priorities for the Sheriff’s Department?
I have consulted with current Sheriff’s Deputies, and have developed a plan:
- My vision is that, 10 years from now, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department will be the support unit – the go-to agency – for all law enforcement in the county.
- One of my key countywide priorities is the registry of sex offenders. This is a crucial public-safety issue, but getting them registered and keeping the information up-to-date takes time and energy – which I pledge to provide.
- There are ways to improve the morale and quality of life of the Sheriff’s deputies and employees without spending much money, but increasing employee pay is the most effective way. Despite the county’s budget problems, I intend to do everything I can to improve pay.
- One low-cost way to provide better law enforcement is to increase the use of reserve deputies, volunteer help and retired officials from other agencies. As a Kansas City Police reserve officer for 24 years, I know that these part-time employees can be qualified, experienced officers doing such jobs as Courthouse security and serving warrants, so our full-time deputies can be on the road, fighting crime.
- Two other important personnel and management issues: We need additional staff in Communications, and we need to restructure the Investigative unit.
- The Sheriff needs an office at the County Courthouse Downtown. I intend to keep the Department’s priorities before the County Legislature and the public.
- I will consult regularly with other agencies in the county, to achieve better cooperation and more effective law enforcement.
3. Do you support unions and collective bargaining for public employees?
Yes, definitely. Throughout my service as a police officer and firefighter, I benefited from union membership and fully support those unions. My mother was a 17-year member of the Communications Workers of America, and my father was a member of Pipefitters Local 533. My uncle, Doug Sharp, was an organizer for the CWA, and my cousin, Dan Manley, is president of the Lee’s Summit IAFF local.The one qualification I would add is that while I support collective bargaining rights for public employees, we must work within the framework of existing state law.
Check out Mike's website by clicking on his name to learn more about him and how you can get involved
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