All candidates were given the opportunity to respond, and responses were received from two candidates listed below. A copy of the letter can be found HERE

Question 1: If elected Sheriff, what role do you believe the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office should play in the future of the 24/7 Sobriety Program?

The 24/7 Sobriety Program works, and the Sheriff’s Office should be one of its strongest advocates and active partners. Alcohol and substance abuse are at the root of a disproportionate share of the crime we see in Fremont County. DUI, domestic violence, assault, property crime. The 24/7 program holds offenders accountable without automatically defaulting to incarceration. That matters for two reasons: it gives people a real path to change their behavior, and it keeps the detention center from filling up with people whose primary problem is addiction rather than violent criminal intent. As Sheriff, I would fully commit the office to making the program as effective as possible. That means consistent enforcement of testing requirements, clear consequences for violations, and close coordination with the courts, prosecutors, and treatment providers. The program only works if there are real teeth behind it, and that is the Sheriff’s role. I would also push to expand its reach. Too many people who would benefit from this program are not in it. Working with judges and the county attorney to increase enrollment, particularly for repeat DUI and domestic violence offenders, would have a direct impact on the crimes our community experiences most. The 24/7 program reduces crime, reduces detention costs, and gives offenders a chance to get their lives right. That is not soft on crime. That is smart on crime.

Question 2: If elected Sheriff, what role do you believe the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office should play in sustaining and expanding the Fremont County DUI Task Force and its Multi-Jurisdictional DUI Enforcement Team?

The DUI Task Force and the Multi-Jurisdictional Enforcement Team are exactly the kind of cooperative effort that makes Fremont County safer, and the Sheriff’s Office needs to be a full and committed partner in both. Fremont County has a serious DUI problem. It is not unique to one city or one part of the county. It crosses jurisdictions, which is precisely why a multi-agency approach makes sense. When the Sheriff’s Office, Riverton PD, Lander PD, tribal law enforcement, and the Highway Patrol are working together toward the same goal, we are more effective than any one of us working alone. As Sheriff, I would make sure the office is showing up. That means dedicated personnel participating in task force operations, not pulling deputies at the last minute because we are short staffed. It means sharing information and intelligence across agencies in real time. And it means being at the table when decisions are made about how the team operates and where resources go. I would also push to grow it. Grant funding exists specifically for multi-jurisdictional DUI enforcement and I would direct our grant writer to pursue every available dollar to expand the team’s capacity, equipment, and training. DUI is not a minor traffic issue in this county. It kills people. The Sheriff’s Office should treat it that way.

Question 1: If elected Sheriff, what role do you believe the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office should play in the future of the 24/7 Sobriety Program?

I support expanding the 24/7 Sobriety Program to include the Lander area, which will make the program more accessible throughout Fremont County. Expanding this program will improve compliance and reduce traveling to other areas for testing. The Sheriff’s Office should work closely with the courts, probation, and treatment providers to make sure the program is running consistently and effectively. As Sheriff, I would support regular communication, joint planning, and information sharing with judges, prosecutors, treatment providers, probation, and other agencies to make sure offenders are held accountable but are getting appropriate treatment when needed. A big challenge is addressing the causes, which includes substance abuse and mental health issues. To be successful it would require improving access to treatment, improving collaboration among partner agencies, and making sure of consistent participation and accountability. Continued grant funding, training for our staff, and public education will also be important. I think that success should be measured by more than just arrests, I believe the program is successful when DUI crashes go down, repeat DUI’s decrease, offenders successfully finish the program, and more people enter treatment and stay sober.

Question 2: If elected Sheriff, what role do you believe the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office should play in sustaining and expanding the Fremont County DUI Task Force and its Multi-Jurisdictional DUI Enforcement Team?

Throughout my career, I have developed strong working relationships with the Shoshoni PD, Dubois PD, Lander PD, Riverton PD, Wyoming Highway Patrol, BIA, prosecutors, and other public safety partners. As Sheriff, I will continue to strengthen these relationships. I believe that we also need to develop a stronger working relationship with mental health treatment providers including agencies like the CAST Program with Treatment Courts of Fremont County. As Sheriff, I would authorize other agencies to conduct DUI enforcement operations within the county. I am committed to providing that leadership and making sure needed agencies have the authority and support they need to work together across jurisdictional boundaries. My priorities will include high-visibility DUI enforcement, expanding the 24/7 Sobriety Program throughout Fremont County, including the Lander area, supporting education, and connecting repeat offenders with treatment options. I think that in order to reduce impaired driving we need strong enforcement and long-term solutions that address substance abuse and repeat offenses. The effectiveness of the Task Force should be measured by reductions in impaired driving crashes and repeat offenses. By maintaining strong partnerships and focusing on results, I believe Fremont County can continue to be a statewide leader in impaired driving prevention and enforcement.