KC Bohrer, Wade Shambaugh and Ronnie Stotler are candidates for Morgan County Sheriff.
They will be on the Republican ballot on May 10. There are no Democratic candidates running for Sheriff. That means the only people who will be able to vote for sheriff will be Republicans and independents (no party) who request the Republican ballot.
During the last Republican primary for Morgan County Sheriff in 2012, only 1,839 people voted. That might be higher this year because it will be a Presidential election year — it might be as high as 2,500 voters voting for Morgan County Sheriff. But since it’s a tight three way race, perhaps as few as 800 votes might win it.
In interviews over the course of the last couple of weeks, the candidates laid out their platforms.
Shambaugh is now Chief Deputy in the Morgan County Sheriff’s office. His cousin Vince Shambaugh is currently the sheriff. Wade Shambaugh says if elected, he will hire Vince Shambaugh as his Chief Deputy.
Shambaugh says — things are working fine, why change things?
“We would just keep right on working,” Shambaugh told This Week in Morgan County with Russell Mokhiber. “We would switch jobs. He would become Chief Deputy and I would become Sheriff. Why throw away all the good work we have done? Vince is still a young guy, has a lot to offer and has his finger on the pulse of this county. It would be foolish not to use him and keep using him and let him work here and build on the success that he’s had.”
On the heroin problem in Morgan County, Shambaugh says that “the big dealers have pretty much been put out of business — the guys who come up from Baltimore, people who are making a lot of money off of it. We did controlled buys, we worked it, pretty much put them out of business.”
“The heroin situation in Morgan County now — you have twelve or fifteen addicts going to Baltimore, getting enough heroin for them and their friends. That’s where our burglaries come from — it’s mostly addicts. That’s where our larcenies come from — mostly addicts. It’s a popular thing to say now — you have to stop arresting addicts, you need to get the dealers. Here it’s a local problem. Our dealers are addicts.”
“The current sheriff has made tremendous headway. We used to indict so many dealers we took them to jail in a school bus.”
“We are never going to eliminate the problem. But just because your lawn grows back doesn’t mean you don’t keep cutting it.”
When asked about the other two candidates, Shambaugh said “I’m the only one with any significant law enforcement experience in Morgan County.”
Shambaugh was asked about his opponents.
“Mr. Stotler has never worked a day of law enforcement in his life — he worked as a prison guard,” Shambaugh said. “Mr. Bohrer has a long extensive career, great looking resume. He has never worked in a small community like this.”
Stotler said he would bring leadership and accountability to the sheriff’s office.
“The current sheriff doesn’t have a policy patrol manual,” Stotler said. “We would introduce a manual that would serve as a guide for the officers, both on and off duty. It will tell the officers what they can and can’t do.”
Stotler said he has heard from Morgan County residents that “when people are pulled over — deputies are cursing at them, treating them with disrespect.”
“Just because you are wearing a uniform doesn’t mean you have the right to disrespect another person,” Stotler said. “You actually have to be the professional. You are wearing a uniform. We have paid money out on some of these cases and staff continues to have their jobs. No accountability.”
Stotler said he would also create a Citizen Advisory Board that will meet once a month with the sheriff.
Stotler currently works at a state prison in Cumberland.
“I have a sign in my office MBWA — manage by walking around. I walk around the institution,” Stotler said. “A lot of time just presence deters criminal activity.”
“I hear people say — we never see anybody in Paw Paw. No one patrols in the Woods. I would like to keep patrols in all areas of the county.”
He would also introduce body cameras into local police work. Stotler says that studies show a 41 to 53 percent reduction of abusive incidents and 65 percent reduction of citizen complaints.
KC Bohrer applauded the work of his opponents but said that Stotler “is a corrections officer” and “I don’t see how a corrections officer is a good fit for sheriff.”
“You are not a police officer. I don’t think Morgan County has the time to train someone on the job. They need to be able to go in on day one and make arrests, supervise the staff.”
As for Shambaugh, Bohrer said that West Virginia three times has decided via referenda to put term limits on sheriffs. Vince Shambaugh is term limited from running again.
“Change is often better to bring in new ideas,” Bohrer said. “While the Sheriff’s department has done a good job, I would steward the sheriff’s department in doing a better job.”
Bohrer worked for many years in the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Department and is currently working in Frederick County. He chairs a Quad State Intelligence Board. It meets bi-monthly.
“I’ve been chair of that group for many years,” Bohrer said. “I have a handle on what’s going on. Morgan County has less crime than Berkeley, Hagerstown or Winchester. Heroin is not made in Morgan County. We need to be prepared for what is going to happen next. Berkeley County has the largest crime rates in West Virginia. We are right in the center of these problems. You have an awareness of what is going on in your region. You do a lot of education with your citizens. We need to be proactive not reactive. Let’s be prepared.”
“We have a heroin problem. We don’t know the extent of the problem. It’s cloak and dagger. Mainstream society doesn’t see it. Nationwide, one percent of the population may be using heroin. That means we may have 175 users of heroin in this community.”
Bohrer would also create a Citizens Advisory Board.
“I have worked with citizen advisory boards. It’s a passion of mine. People have come and told me their problems. I want the advisory board to meet twice a month. I want them to come and see me and tell me what they need. The public will let you know what laws they want you to enforce. You have to invite the people in. You become an organization where it’s not just the sheriff or the citizens — it’s the sheriff and the citizens.”
When asked about reported abuse of power at the sheriff’s office, Bohrer said “abuse of power sickens me.”
“I’ve been an internal investigator. I have investigated, arrested and fired law enforcement officers. It sickens me. I consider myself a professional. When that sort of thing happens, it’s not only an infringement upon the law, it’s an infringement on my ethics and beliefs. You can avoid that through training and accountability and transparency. If you are good leader, you will have good subordinates. If you are a strong leader, you will have strong subordinates.”