Upcoming elections could be a referendum on local law enforcement. But it hinges on all voters – including Republicans – voting a Democratic ballot, supporters said Saturday.
At a meeting of the Richmond County Republican Party, the two officers opposing Richmond County Sheriff Richard Roundtree in the May 21 Democratic primary were highly critical of the sheriff.
The two, as well as the independent seeking to unseat him in November, drew rounds of applause.
Gino Rock
Eugene “Gino Rock” Brantley, a sergeant with the Richmond County Marshal’s Office, oversees the evictions detail for the marshal. He is one of two Democratic candidates running against Roundtree in the primary.
Since leaving the sheriff’s office seven years ago, Brantley said he’s seen it quit responding to calls, and leadership lack “empathy and perspective” for deputies’ sacrifice.
Today, more than 200 sheriff’s office positions are vacant, he said. A police shortage is nationwide, but for Augusta taxpayers currently contributing $35 million in salaries for officers, “what are we getting?” Brantley asked.
His answer was for the Republican third of Richmond County voters to vote for him on the Democratic primary ballot.
“The only way you’re going to have a voice to make Augusta great again is to pick a Democratic ballot and vote on that day,” Brantley said.
Richmond County GOP Chairman Steve Sanders said he was unsure he could make that choice. The May 21 Republican ballot includes picks for statewide and area Republican seats.
“I don’t know. I’ve never voted Democrat in my life,” Sanders said.
Richard Dixon
Richard Dixon, who ran the state police academy here and in Athens for 17 years, is gathering signatures to get on the Nov. 5 ballot for sheriff as an independent.
Dixon has a master’s degree in Human Resources and said he’d trained over 5,000 police officers for the road.
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Dixon said he is “very confident” in his campaign strategy, but that it hinges on voters correcting sheriff leadership in the primary.
“We’ve had got to get the current administration out of there,” he said. “If either one of these gentlemen wins, I’ll be glad to beat them in November.”
Bo Johnson
Clarence “Bo” Johnson is the third former Richmond County Sheriff’s deputy seeking to unseat Roundtree.
The grandson of former Richmond County commissioner Jesse Carroll, Johnson said he’s lived in south Richmond County his “whole life.” After leaving the sheriff’s office decades ago he worked years as a federal air marshal, including undercover work after 9/11 to prevent hijackings, he said.
“Right now, the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office is a circus, and it’s being run by the clowns,” Johnson said.
As an example, Johnson said one of his sons was in a class of 15 officer trainees that Richmond County paid to educate. After three years, only two remained with the department.
His son’s response was, “they don’t care about any of us at all,” Johnson said.
“If you can’t go to your people and show them how much you appreciate them, then you’re not a leader,” Johnson said.
Johnson said he has top-notch law enforcement ready to come aboard with him, such as a former Georgia State Patrol post commander and a grant-writing expert.
And Augusta has a ready supply of young public safety professionals exiting Fort Eisenhower who still have the “sense of pride” that exists outside the Richmond sheriff’s office, he said.
Johnson questioned why the sheriff’s office was unable to use vacant position salary funds to make repairs to the jail and why contraband at the jail was a constant problem. Anyone – prisoners or staff – should be fully searched on arrival, he said.
After a recent campaign event in Sand Hills, Johnson said he surprised a community center director by coming back.
“I’ll be the most visible sheriff that people have ever seen in Richmond County,” he said.
Amber Brantley
Roundtree and Augusta Circuit District Attorney Jared Williams did not attend Saturday. But career prosecutor Amber Brantley, who is an assistant district attorney in Columbia County challenging Williams, did.
Brantley warned of the danger of releasing dangerous accused felons out on bond, such as the gang suspects accused in the death of 8-year-old Arbrie Anthony, who was killed while petting a horse at an Augusta housing project.
“I’ve been a career prosecutor my entire life,” Brantley said. “I vow to hold people accountable. That office just doesn’t care. My passion is for victims.”
Brantley said it was “unorthodox,” but asked Republicans in the room to pick a Democratic ballot and vote for her.
“We all have to work together in order to see change in this community,” she said.
Susan McCord is a staff writer with The Augusta Press. Reach her at susan@theaugustapress.com
