A Berryville police officer is challenging Carroll County Sheriff Bob Grudek in the Nov. 4 general election.
Randy Mayfield has 14 years of experience with the Berryville Police Department and 20 years total in law enforcement. He worked for five years for the Harrison Police Department and one year at the Benton County sheriff's office.
Name: Bob Grudek
Party: Republican
Incumbent: Yes
Age: 71
Residency: Eureka Springs
Family: Wife, Pam, 3 children
Employment: Sheriff since 2007
Prior political experience: First elected sheriff in 2006
Education: Bachelor’s in math and master’s in physics, both from Central Missouri University in Warrensburg, Mo.
Military experience: U.S. Air Force, 1962-66
Name: Randy P. Mayfield
Party: Democrat
Incumbent: No
Age: 52
Residency: Berryville
Family: Wife, Kristi, three children
Employment: 14 years with Berryville Police Department
Prior political experience: None
Education: Senior law enforcement certificate
Military experience: U.S. Navy, 1982-86
Mayfield, a Democrat, said he believes he can improve law enforcement in Carroll County. One way to do that, he said, is to concentrate less on traffic enforcement and more on criminal matters.
"We the citizens already pay the state police and highway patrol to work the highways," Mayfield said. "I feel like some services aren't as adequate as they could be."
Grudek, a Republican, has been sheriff since 2007. Grudek said he has 36 years in law enforcement, including 23 with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and five years as credit card fraud investigator with MBNA Bank.
Grudek said he has been fighting for better pay for his deputies, who earn $12,000 to $20,000 less annually than police officers in Berryville and Green Forest. Starting pay for a Carroll County deputy is $21,000 a year, the sheriff said.
"We make two-thirds of all the arrests in the county, but we only have one-third of the officers," said Grudek. "Plus, we cover 650 square miles."
Grudek said he has been trying to get Berryville and Green Forest to reimburse the county for services it provides at no cost, including dispatch and criminal records research.
Grudek said it would make more sense for the cities to pay the sheriff's office for services than to cut services or raise taxes.
"I would like to have another term to finish what we started," he said.
Grudek said his background in management and administration makes him well suited for dealing with the financial issues involved with running a sheriff's office. Mayfield's background is as a patrol officer, the sheriff said.
"If you have an individual who has only been a patrol officer, who has never had any administrative experience or any managerial experience, it's going to be very difficult for him," said Grudek. "We're providing administrative support for the cities."
Mayfield said he can handle the administrative duties of the job and within the budget set out by the Carroll County Quorum Court.
"My administration will operate under the budget the Quorum Court provides," said Mayfield. "There are a lot of checks and balances in county government. The Quorum Court is working on the budget now. I know I can work within the framework of county government."
NW News on 10/21/2014