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Earl Mack,
who’s running as an independent, has nearly four decades of law
enforcement experience. The former liquor control agent also
served as deputy director of Ohio Homeland Security. Mack is the
only African American candidate among the three sheriff
hopefuls.
Mack rose to regional director positions in both Northwest Ohio
and the Cincinnati area during his tenure with Ohio Liquor
Control. Following the 9/11 terrorist attacks, he served as a
member of the FBI’s
Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) Executive Board as part
of his Ohio Homeland Security duties. Mack was responsible for
over 9,000 critical infrastructure sites across Ohio and was the
agency’s principal coordinator to protect Ohio from terrorist
attack. The U.S. Army and Vietnam War veteran retired from
government service in 2012 and now runs his own private security
firm.
Mack was
inducted into the National Law Enforcement Officer Hall of
Fame in 2018 and received a Jefferson Award for Outstanding
Community Service last year. The community service award comes
largely because of Mack’s current role as
Toledo chapter president of the
Buffalo Soldiers, a motorcycle club that is largely focused on
helping children and other charitable causes across the region.
As far as a new jail, Mack maintains voters have spoken that
they want a new county lockup to be located in downtown Toledo.
But the independent candidate wants to develop a coalition from
the courts, law enforcement, county commissioners, citizen and
business representatives to “resolve the issue” of exactly where
it would be located and how to pay for it.
Oregon Police Chief Mike
Navarre,
a Democrat, is likely the most well-known of the trio, mainly
because he also served as Toledo’s police chief before moving
his career to the suburbs.
Navarre has been a cop for 43 years, 34 with the Toledo Police
Department, the last 13 as police chief. He has spent the last
nine years as the top cop in Oregon. The worst problems that
community has are break-ins and shoplifting at the Oregon
Walmart. Navarre has had the time to lend his experience and
expertise to some state boards and commissions as a result.
Navarre gained statewide notoriety as a leading proponent of
police reform, particularly training, when he served as one of
12 members on
Ohio's Task Force on Community and Police Relations appointed by
then-governor John Kasich. The group issued a number of
recommendations in a 2015 report, which included developing a
model policy on the use of deadly force to be adopted by Ohio
law enforcement agencies.
Navarre announced his candidacy just before Christmas, but did
not seek the Democratic Party endorsement. He beat several
challengers in the primary, including Toledo City Council member
Gary Johnson—a Latino who was later charged in federal court on
bribery charges.
The new sheriff will have to sell the idea of a new jail to the
public, after voters soundly rejected a tax increase to fund a
new county lock-up in 2018. Navarre has said the new jail will
have to be downtown and be built vertically like the current
one. But the new lock-up would be funded by bonds, be smaller
and more energy efficient, inmates separated from
addiction and mental health programs. There would be a need for
fewer jobs, likely cut through attrition.
Brett Warner,
a Republican, is currently serving with the Lucas County
Sheriff’s Office as the drug prevention officer, a post he has
held since he joined that department in 2003. Warner also served
a decade with the
Waterville Township Police Dept. Warner added community affairs
duties to his role when he was promoted to a command officer
position.
Warner retired as a master sergeant
from the Air Force in 2008 after 23 years active duty, National
Guard and reserves. The sheriff’s deputy is no stranger to
politics, serving the past nine years as a Waterville Township
trustee.
Warner started and
currently supervises the Youth Explorer Post in law enforcement
and provides training opportunities to its members, many of whom
later seek to become police officers. He also focuses on youth
safety as part of his community service role, presenting
programs such as stranger danger, internet safety and awareness
and serving as a Safety Town instructor. Warner officially
launched his campaign for sheriff last March.
Warner has made clear his thoughts
that a new jail is needed. But he told a Burroughs Neighborhood
Organization forum last March voters should ask Lucas County
Commissioners instead of him where a new jail will be built,
“because that’s their call.” He admitted he would have input as
sheriff, but stated it would not be his decision.
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