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Sheriff�s race gets off to early start Three candidates already say they want the job in two years By Jessica Smith Jackson County Sheriff Bob Kennedy won�t leave office for more than two years, but candidates already are lining up to take his place. Sheriff�s Capt. Ed Mayer, Medford police patrolman Nate Banry and former Oregon State Police trooper Mike Winters all say they want to be the county�s next top law enforcement officer. "It�s been a goal of mine to end my career as sheriff," Mayer said. "I think it would be a great way to go out." So does Kennedy, who plans to retire after 33 years with the sheriff�s office when his term expires in December 2002. The next sheriff will take office in January 2003 after a November 2002 election. "It�s been a great job," Kennedy said. "But I don�t have to run again. Somebody else can do it and I�m going to support Ed Mayer. "He�s credible and he�s honest and he has a high degree of integrity," Kennedy added, "and I think the community can bank on that." But Mayer isn�t the only candidate who�s worn a sheriff�s star. Banry, who has worked as a patrolman with various departments since 1965, has the support of former Sheriff C.W. Smith. "When you elect a sheriff, you look for someone who�s involved in the community and cares about the community," Smith said. He said Banry is just that sort of person. Like Banry, Smith ran for sheriff while he was a Medford patrolman. "The quantum leap from being a police officer to sheriff isn�t quite as bumpy as some people think," Smith said. "The key element is how you work with your staff." Banry, who hasn�t advanced in rank as an officer, points to his leadership experience at his church and in other police-related activities as proof that he could run the sheriff�s department. Banry sits on the Medford Police Department�s promotions committee and he has represented union coworkers in contract negotiations. He also was a member of the Central Point school board. The 57-year-old grew up in the Rogue Valley and said he decided to run for sheriff to combat a diminishing police presence in rural Jackson County. "I don�t want to knock the people who are doing it now, but rural people don�t get much coverage," Banry said. "So I would just like to give it (the sheriff�s race) a shot." Mayer, 48, said he also wants to ensure rural residents receive regular police coverage. Mayer said he also plans to draw from his 25 years with the sheriff�s department � he worked as a patrol deputy and commander of the Jackson County Narcotics Enforcement Team before becoming captain, the next highest rank under sheriff � to ensure a balanced approach in law enforcement. "My reputation and my experience � I�m ready to put that on the line because I think this job is that important," said Mayer, who�s lived in Medford since he was a child. Neither Mayer nor Banry have filed for Kennedy�s seat. According to the Jackson County Clerk�s Office, only the third candidate, Winters, has filed campaign committee papers. Winters could not be reached for comment. Candidates will first vie for Kennedy�s seat in a May 2002 primary election. The November election would be bypassed if one candidate received more than 50 percent of the votes cast in the primary. Obituaries | Sports | Business | Classifieds | Tempo | Prime Times | So Oregon Sites | Outdoor Journal | Subscribe | Contact | Movies | Advertise | Real Estate Showcase | Archive | Editorials | Letters to the editor | Religion | Wake-up Call | NIE | Cyber Chef | Job Network | So Oregon Weather | WSJ Northwest | Forums | AP Wire | AP Money | F.A.Q. | Awards Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. The Community Newspaper Subsidiary of Dow Jones & Co, Inc Copyright �The Mail Tribune 2000, Medford, Oregon USA