It has been one extremely, interesting campaign for sheriff in Ben Hill county. The citizens of Ben Hill county have seen many articles in the local news paper, facebook rants, and plenty of gossip around town about the two candidates. The two men running for election are current sheriff of Ben Hill county Bobby McLemore and Lee Cone, who has over twenty years of law enforcement experience.
Obviously, Bobby McLemore has experience being sheriff... much the way Barack Obama has experience being president. I think we've all learned that experience doesn't make you the best man/woman for the job.
So, now that the argument of "he's experienced" is out of the way; let's move on to character.
After speaking with many local law enforcement officers it is clear who they trust the most. That person is Lee Cone. What is sad is the fact that every officer I spoke with did not want their name mentioned because they were scared of being fired by sheriff Bobby McLemore. What does that say about the man's character? Sheriff McLemore apparently has a track record of punishing and firing deputies without really getting both complete sides to a story. It is also easy to see that he doesn't mind bashing his political rival by using false information, and he doesn't mind playing bully politics against a man who is running an honest campaign.
Every time I have spoken with Lee Cone he is very professional. He doesn't bash or spread lies about the current sheriff. What is truly amazing is how almost every law enforcement officer I have spoken with says they are backing Lee Cone, and that Lee Cone will be the man to run the Ben Hill county sheriffs department in a professional manner.
Just the fact that the overwhelming majority of local law enforcement officers trust Lee Cone and want him to be the next sheriff sends a message that it is time for change in Ben Hill county. The position of sheriff is not a career or a life-long position. It is a position where honorable men can serve the people. It doesn't matter if a deputy who worked for you decides to run against you. That is their American right! Get over it!
So, Honorable Sheriff Bobby McLemore, stop with the lies and the insults. Maybe it's time to stop being so much 'Sheriff' and to start being a little more 'Honorable'.
