Pubdate: Sun, 23 Sep 2007 Source: Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal (Tupelo, MS) Copyright: 2007 Journal Publishing Company Contact: http://www.djournal.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/823 Author: Errol Castens VETERAN LAWMEN VIE FOR PONTOTOC SHERIFF POST PONTOTOC - This county has suburban-style subdivisions, small towns and rural areas that not only provide lifestyle advantages for residents, but also pose varying public safety challenges. Three veteran lawmen, all longtime Pontotoc County residents, will compete Nov. 6 to be the man facing those challenges, succeeding Sheriff Leo Mask, whose bid for a third term ended in the Democratic primary. The winner will take office in January. While the candidates differ in enforcement styles, they agree on the biggest challenge facing the election winner: drugs. - - "Our reputation is pretty well one of drug problems," said Neal Davis, the Democratic nominee. "A lot of people say we're No. 1 in the state in crystal meth." - - "The Toyota place coming in is going to bring quite an addition to crime in the way of drugs (and) drug-related crime," said independent Frankie Daniels. - - "Most of the other crime in our county in some way relates back to drugs - theft, burglary, assaults, homicides," added independent Mickey Puckett. Several Pontotoc County residents informally polled were unanimous in their agreement. - - "Drugs ... lead to burglaries and most of the other crime," said Wells Russell of Thaxton. - - "I guess they're doing all they can do, but it looks like the drugs are winning," Billy Willard of Pinedale added. - - "They've got to get rid of this drug stuff," said Marjorie Warren of South Pontotoc. "It hits almost every family." All three candidates also say they hope to win the confidence of Pontotoc Countians and for them to help combat crime. "No one knows what is going on in their own community better than the people in that community," Puckett said. "If they can provide us with information, we will intensely and immediately investigate these crimes." "It's going to take county people letting us know where the problems are, being involved in helping us clean up their own areas," Davis echoed. Daniels added that residents "can be the eyes and ears" of the Sheriff's Department. "They see a lot of things we can't see; they hear a lot of things that we don't hear. If they got confidence in us, they'll tell us, and we can take it from there." - --- MAP posted-by: Derek