Stephens announces sheriff candidacy

RED OAK — While the general election may be more than nine months away, a race has formed from within for the office of Montgomery County Sheriff.

Sgt. Chris Stephens, a sheriff’s department veteran since 1992, believes the office needs a change in leadership.

“Its nothing personal about Joe,” Stephens said. “But there are things that aren’t getting done and I have ideas … that might work for us.”

Stephens points to the department’s finances and potential revenue sources as areas that could use addressing.

“If elected sheriff, I would make sure the money that is budgeted for the sheriff’s office is spent wisely,” Stephens said. “I would think outside the box to find ways to purchase equipment that would make our agency more efficient and effective.”

Stephens specifically mentioned pursuing grants for in-car repeaters and computers as means of improving law enforcement for the county.

“Grants … they are out there and we aren’t taking advantage of them,” he said.

Stephens, the father of five girls ranging in ages from six months to 22, graduated from Stanton High School in 1985 and joined the Army as Military Police the following fall.

After a two year deployment in Germany on the East German side of the Berlin Wall, he served as an MP at West point for more than three years before returning to Montgomery County in 1992.

After his hiring as deputy by Sheriff Jeff Smith, Stephens was later named chief deputy by Sheriff Tony Updegrove.

He decided to run for sheriff in 2008, and after his defeat, he was deployed four months later for a second tour of duty in Iraq.

Knowing his deployment was pending a few months after the primary, Stephens said he didn’t put a lot of effort into campaigning.

“I felt if Joe or I got it, the county would be served well,” he said. “It’s not.”

One new aspect of his campaign is something he would use as a resource for the department if he’s elected.

“Why don’t we have a facebook page?” he asked. “We could put up information on arrest warrants to help locate suspects, or post warning notices. Its just another resource we aren’t using.”

Whether it’s facebook, new grants, or training exercises, Stephens believes the department has stagnated and is not adapting to an ever-changing world.

“You should be learning something new everyday,” he said.  “We aren’t doing that.”

He said drug enforcement and investigations would be at the forefront of everyday operations, as well as increased visibility.

“You don’t know how much crime you can stop just by being seen,” he said. “You have to be more proactive than reactive.”