News
Athens County Sheriff Rematch Set
By: Cheri Russo
Posted on:
It will be like a case of dejavu when Athens County voters go to cast their vote in the sheriff's race.
That's because, once again, both Pat Kelly and Steve Kane are vying for the office.
Last time, the Democrat, Kelly, won. But, Kane doesn't think that will happen again.
Kane, a Republican, announced his run saying, “I have the experience and training to lead the Athens County Sheriff Department the next four years, it is time for a change and I believe in a value system of integrity. Sheriff Patrick Kelly claims he has brought back integrity to the Athens County Sheriff’s Department. I disagree!”
Kane is 57 years old and is from Shade.
“I have over 20 years of management and supervision experience in my 35 years of my law enforcement career,” says Kane. “My law enforcement career started here in Athens County with Sheriff Paul Brown, Athens Police Department, Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI), and I currently supervise the Meigs County Major Crimes Task Force.”
Since taking office, Sheriff Kelly says his department has cracked down on drug-related issues in the county and has communicated much of what is going on with the department through social media, like Facebook.
But, Kane says Kelly should be focusing on issues inside the department, as well.
"Our Sheriff continues to have conflicts with ethical issues within his term. Internal investigations not handled properly from his handpicked officers who abused the system. The public needs to know this information," says Kane. “I will face the department problems, not Facebook the problem."
Kane says the department needs "team-building enforcement task forces" to deal with the county's growing drug problem.