Two candidates vie for sheriff’s seat

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MARTIN COUNTY - Voters in Martin County will find three contested races on the Mar. 3 Primary ballot for Sheriff, Commissioner Pct. 1, and Commissioner Pct. 3. The Martin County Messenger put a series of questions to all six candidates and over the next three issues, will publish their answers.

This week’s edition will introduce the two candidates for Martin County Sheriff, incumbent Brad Ingram and candidate Randy Cozart.

Our questions and the candidates’ answers follow starting with incumbent Ingram:

Why did you decide to run again?

What do you hope to accomplish?

What do you perceive as the duties of this office?

What do you perceive are the major issues in this race?

How do you stand on those issues?

Are there any other changes you would like to implement?

Where do you hope to see the office in four years?

What experience do you have in this type of work?

Educational background?

Family background?

The only response offered by Sheriff Ingram to all the questions was “Thanks for the offer of the newspaper questionnaire. After reading the list I believe I have already addressed most of the questions on social media and will address the remainder either on social media or in newspaper ads. Thanks again for asking. Sheriff Brad Ingram Martin County, Texas” Candidate Cozart

Why did you decide to run again?

I want to come back to Martin County and get back to helping people like I used to. The daily work I do in the oilfield is not personally fulfilling. After receiving several phone calls and having many conversations with the citizens of Martin County who expressed their wishes that I return as sheriff, I decided it was the best decision for me, my family, and Martin County.

What do you hope to accomplish?

I want to lower the crime rate, increase the rate of closing cases, and get the drug and theft problems out of Martin County. I want to make it where the criminals think twice about coming to Martin County to commit crimes.

What do you perceive as the duties of this office? First and foremost, my duty will be to listen to the citizens of Martin County through my open door policy. To have a strong working relationship with the commissioners, judges and all elected officials of Martin County. To protect the citizen’s investment in this county with a fiscally responsible office. Do everything in my power to make the county a safer place for our children and their futures.

What do you perceive are the major issues in this race? I perceive there to be a lack of communication between the sheriff’s department and the citizens of Martin County. The visibility of the deputies in the rural areas of the county.

How do you stand on those issues? I will bring back the communication by answering every phone call and take every concern seriously. My door will be open as well as my deputies’ doors. I plan to make the sheriff’s office more inviting by using a more personable approach by talking to a person faceto-face and not by intercom.

Are there any other changes you would like to implement?

When elected I will ask the commissioner’s court for an office for me and/or a deputy at the court house. It will serve as court house security and it would be more accessible for the community and allow the citizens to come in, sit down, and discuss their issues over a free cup of coffee.

Where do you hope to see the office in four years? The Martin County Sheriff’s Department used to be one of the most revered offices in the state. By the end of my first term I want to have that reverence restored.

What experience do you have in this type of work? I came to Martin County in January of 1993 as a night deputy and was promoted to chief deputy in 1995. I ran for and was elected sheriff of Martin County in 2001 and served two terms before joining the private sector. I am currently employed with a major oilfield company and as a deputy with the Andrews Sheriff’s Department.

Educational background? Klondike High School in 1980. I graduated from South Plains Association of Government in 1992. Receiving 400 hours of law enforcement training. After this, I attended numerous schools on crime scene search, drug interdiction, civil laws, criminal profiling, criminal investigations, child and sexual abuse, jailer school, homicide school and family violence. I continued to attain education hours as required by TCOLE and received my master peace officer’s license in 2013.

Family background? My wife Carol and I have been married 39 years and lived in Martin County since 1993. We raised two daughters, Mandy and Lacy, in Stanton and have three grandsons, Graham, Evan, and Ryder, who all currently attend Stanton Elementary School.