Butler County Sheriff
Term: Four years
Salary: $94,690.96 annually
Richard K. Jones
Age: 59
Residence: Liberty Twp.
Education: Associate Degree in Corrections from Hocking Technical College; Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice from Wilmington College; Master’s Degree in Corrections from Xavier University
Current Employment: Butler County Sheriff
Political Experience: Two terms as Butler County Sheriff
Party: Republican
Dale Richter
Age: Did not disclose
Residence: Trenton
Education: Degree in criminal justice from University of Cincinnati
Current employment: City of Springboro police officer
Political experience: None
Political party: Independent
Butler County Sheriff Richard K. Jones is seeking re-election to a third term in November and his challenger is a a familiar one.
Jones, a Republican, ran against Springboro Police Officer Dale Richter in 2004 and 2008. Richter ran as a Democrat in previous elections but is running as an independent this year.
A Hamilton native who lives in Liberty Twp., Jones has worked in Ohio’s criminal justice system for 36 years — 16 years with the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections, 12 years as the sheriff’s office chief deputy and eight years as sheriff.
Jones pointed to managing the department through a financial financial crisis, spearheading consolidation of services and shedding light on illegal immigration issues as achievements of his tenure as sheriff.
“During my tenure I’ve managed the office though the biggest financial crisis since the Great Depression,” Jones said. “The process has been exhausting and although we’ve lost staff and eliminated programs, the men and women of my office still provide a high level of services for our citizens.”
“I spearheaded the effort to construct a county-wide 800 megahertz radio system to serve all public safety operation,” he said. “The system allows interoperability between public safety agencies facilitating safer and more efficient services.”
He added, “In that same light, I’ve been a driving force behind consolidation and sharing of resources, some of which include our narcotics task force, traffic reconstruction team, tactical team, swift water rescue team and bomb squad.”
Jones said illegal immigration is still an important issue in Butler County and the nation.
“…We are a country of immigrants, but we must have comprehensive immigration reform and we must secure our borders. Each day I see the destructive nature that unfettered illegal aliens cause with drug trafficking and other criminal activity, ” Jones said. “I’ve focused on the serious issue of illegal aliens and the problems associated with our governments lack of progress to construct a solution. As a result, the Butler County Sheriff’s Office now has a great working relationship with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. We house illegal aliens in our correctional complex and we also assist with their deportation. The federal government pays for the housing and transportation of federal inmates which in turn creates millions in revenue for the county general fund.”
Richter, a Trenton resident, has worked for the past 22 years as a street officer, detective, shift commander and undercover officer for the Springboro Police Department in Warren County.
In information provided for the Cox Media Group Ohio Voters Guide, Richter said he is “greatly concerned about the continuity of leadership under our current Sheriff Richard K. Jones.”
“I sincerely believe the only way to the top law enforcement position in the county is to earn it. As sheriff of Butler County I will be committed to excellence in service and committed to the service of my fellow officers,” Richter said. “My top priorities will be the implementation of readily available advanced law enforcement technology and procedures and National Accreditation of the Butler County sheriff’s department by the Commission on Accreditation of Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc.”
Richter said a recent county performance audit “clearly shows Sheriff Jones needs to get his fiscal house in order.”
He added, “As sheriff I will be accountable for every dollar and once it is determined where the money is going, changes will be made accordingly. With my practical experience in law enforcement, more boots on the street will be a top priority. I will trim the fat by consolidating responsibilities as supervisors and keeping the officer to supervisor ratio within the industry standards. … The Butler County Sheriff’s department budget can be greatly reduced by focusing on our sworn local law enforcement duties and not interfering with the federal law enforcement agencies.”
Jones said he is committed to maintaining the department’s revenue stream and holding the line on costs.
“I’m committed to working for the future of Butler County by being a partner in balancing the budget and creating financial stability county-wide,” Jones said.
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