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Crime control will focus on three major problems: See www.voteandylee.com

1. How to identify and ultimately eliminate criminal street gangs that make their obscene and illicit profits from crimes such as the manufacturing and selling of narcotics, trafficking in illegal weapons and vehicle theft rings.

2. How to properly utilize the federal 287 g program in order to cross-train Benton County Sheriff’s deputies as federal Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents.

3. How to identify and deport illegal aliens, particularly those who continue to engage in criminal enterprise.

Crime prevention will include: See www.voteandylee.com

• Construction of a new Juvenile Detention Center that will allow us to reach troubled youth before they become hardened criminals,

• Support of the Children’s Advocacy Center to stop child abuse through vigorous investigation and prosecution of apprehended suspects,

• Support of the Women’s Shelter to deal with the tragedy of domestic violence, relying on the very deputies I had specially trained when I was your Sheriff.

My lovely wife of 34 years, Holly-mother to our four children and matriarch to our 12 grandchildren-will be Benton County’s special crime prevention weapon, working hand-in-hand with me and my staff on such issues that unfortunately first and foremost impact women and children, but over the long haul impact all of us.

You may be asking yourself why I have decided to rejoin the war against crime by seeking to become your Sheriff again after a 4 year absence. That’s easy! When I chose to not run for reelection in 2004, I did so because I believed I had not only accomplished all of my goals, but also believed I had raised public safety to a high enough level that it would be an easy one for my successor to maintain.

Unfortunately, that has not been the case. Although I began identifying criminal street gangs in this county, and attempting to deal with them, as early as 1993, my successor still claims there are no gangs in Benton County. This is frightening, especially when you discover that the City of Rogers, alone, has at least 42 different identifiable gangs.

I’m not going to lie to you and tell you that all of this will be a fast, easy fix. It won’t be. For example, we are going to need the help of the Arkansas Legislature if we are to get rid of gangs. We need simple, straightforward legislation that will declare it a crime to knowingly be a member of a criminal street gang.

Please understand something. The Sheriff’s Office enforces the laws the legislators write. Therefore, if dangerous conduct isn’t a crime, there is nothing that any law enforcement agency can do about the problem. But, I vow to work closely with lawmakers to guide them on legislation I believe is needed to effectively deal with one of the biggest safety problems facing us today.

But, before I can do any of that, I need to be back in office as your Sheriff. With God’s help and your courage and vision, we both can and will do that. I am Andy Lee and I want to be your next Sheriff. 

Thank you and please visit www.voteandylee.com