11/22/07
Election
Garrett announces 2008 run for Sheriff
By Jerriod Grizzle

Manning Chief of Police Randy Garrett formally announced his intention to run for Clarendon County Sheriff at a small gathering of friends, family and supporters Tuesday night.

Garrett, a 33-year veteran of law enforcement with the last 10 years as Manning Police Chief spoke about communication and how he hoped to improve it as Clarendon Country Sheriff.

A crowd of about 30 people enjoyed food, friends and company and Garrett only asked one thing in return.

“I have everything a man needs to do this job, except one, and that is your commitment. I need your help to make the office accessible to the people we answer to everyday,” he said.

Garrett emphasized teamwork as a hallmark of his law enforcement career.

“Nothing has been done in Manning that has not been a team effort. The things that have been done in Manning can be done countywide,” he said. “Together, everyone achieves more.”

Garrett used the analogy of pulling a wagon, calling on the city and county to join him in an effort for change.

“If everyone works a little, no one has to work a lot,” he said. “If everyone pulls that wagon we can pull it up that hill, but it’s going to take team work. Everyone has to work together, not just law enforcement but the entire community and its business people.”

Garrett said that as sheriff, his experience in law enforcement and his dedication to work with everyone in the county and the city would be his greatest assets.

“Our accomplishments in the city are a proven fact and they work. We listen to the community that is who we serve – not just every four years – but all the time, ” he added.

Garrett promised as sheriff he would listen to the citizens of the county.

“There is not a farmer or a business person I can’t work with,” he said.

Garrett portrayed himself as just another person in law enforcement, calling on his past record of working just as hard as the officers that are working with him.

“I promise to go to work everyday. I try to set an example,” he said. “I wouldn’t ask any of my officers to do something I wouldn’t do myself. If that means working until three or four in the morning, I’m going be there,” he said. “We are going to stay on the case until it is solved.”

Garrett recalled how his friends and family had been there for him and pledged that citizens would be happy with the kind of leadership he would bring.

“I can build you a sheriff’s office that will be on the same page with the people that it serves,” he said.
Billy Barnes, the former Sheriff of Florence County, highlighted Garrett’s career.

“Randy and I have been friends for a long time. Manpower is a critical thing in law enforcement and if you get along with the rest of the law enforcement community, you get all the manpower you need,” he said.

Garrett said he had one major plan for the future and that was to improve communication around the county to cut down on crime.

“I would like to have a representative from every law enforcement agency in this county sit down and meet once a week,” he said. “I have no doubt that there are people who officers pass every day with outstanding warrants and officers don’t have a clue due to lack of communication.”

Garrett said he wouldn’t let his personal feelings to get in the way of law enforcement.

“The reason you get into law enforcement is to keep the good people of your community safe,” he said. “That is what they deserve. Too many times people let their personal feelings rule what is best.”

Garrett said another initiative he wanted to achieve was getting all law enforcement on the same 800 megahertz frequency that the Manning Police Department uses now.

“One thing we have done is acquire the 800 MHz radios. We equip the Dept. of Natural Resources with these radios so if they are at the lake, they can know what is going on. I would like to do that with the entire county.”

Garrett suggested a solution to the high crime rates would be to implement the cameras and wireless networks that have been placed within the city.

“We have nine cameras in the city placed in strategic locations. It can be implemented county-wide so that officers don’t have to come back to the station every time they do a report,” he said. “They can sit there in a marked car and do their reports. If that is where the crime is, that is where they need to be. When they get back to the station it uploads automatically.”

Garrett said the cameras for the county would cost $4,000 per car but told his audience that he believed he could easily find the money in grants. He said the cameras would cover five miles and could be controlled by the officers.

“The cameras work. They keep the officers in the field and not in the office,” he said.