Jackie Runion
Miller County sheriff
Biographical Spouse and children: Wife Vicki, sons Michael and Marc, granddaughter Jaden Age: 63
Years a Miller County resident: 60 Political party: Republican
Highlight your top three degrees and/ or educational achievements:
3,400 hours training and education from Texarkana College, East Texas State University, Texas A&M, Arkansas Law Enforcement Academy, Arkansas Game & Fish 16-week Academy, Homicide Investigation, Incident Command FBI
Training in all aspects of law enforcement—administration, supervision, CID, terrorism, active shooter and jail crisis response
List your current job and employer and your top three occupational
achievements: Miller County sheriff. Retired lieutenant, Texarkana, Ark., Police Department, 1997
Retired captain, Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, 2016
I have served the citizens of Miller County for 44 years and feel my greatest achievement to date is serving as Miller County sheriff.
Highlight the top three examples of your civic or community service:
Coordinated efforts in 2017 for hurricane relief in Houston. Two tractorloads of supplies were taken from the Sheriff’s Office to the disaster area
Hunter and boating education instructor working with youths promoting safety and ethics
Shop with a Cop
Arklatex 100
Pink Behind the Thin Blue Line
St. Jude Children’s Hospital
Highlight the top three examples of your political experience:
My only political experience is being elected sheriff. I do feel my many years of public service have fostered a good working relationship with local law enforcement agencies, state and federal judicial districts and county government. I also work closely with our volunteers and first responders throughout the area.
Political
Why did you run for office?
I have deep roots in Miller County and consider the people here my friends and neighbors. I am committed to keeping our county as crime-free as possible and feel as sheriff you must understand the problems we face as a society and have the ability to instill teamwork and dedication in order to protect the people he serves.
What are your top three goals, if elected?
Continue to increase patrol visibility out in the county and continue to provide professional investigations after a crime has been reported. We have seen a positive impact, with B&E arrests up 500 percent, with burglary and drug arrests up 200 percent. I will strive to maintain a safe, secure and economically viable jail.
What are the three greatest issues facing the county?
From my perspective, drugs and drug-related thefts, limited funding and revenue along with limited manpower and keeping the detention center safe and secure with an ever-increasing number of inmates. We live in a time when most counties have limited resources.
What do you propose to address these?
In 2017, I promised to increase visibility of our patrol deputies and enhance the professional operation of the Sheriff’s Office. I began my first term by working with my agency to solve problems. Manpower allocations, responsiveness to crime and fiscal management were focal points. My patrol and criminal investigation divisions are working hand in hand, with drug and property crime arrests up tremendously. I am committed to building on the successes of my first term, providing responsive law enforcement to our citizens. Planning and fiscal oversight remain critical in the safe and responsible operation of the detention center. The Issues
What items, if any, would you like to see deputies equipped with, such as protective gear, crime-solving equipment and body cameras or armor? How would you propose paying for these?
My first year, we purchased new pistols, patrol rifles and optics for our deputies. Working with my staff in conjunction with the prosecuting attorney, these items were purchased with drug-seizure funds. I would like to see equipment upgrades to prisoner control and transport, which we can accomplish via budget management.
How do you propose using manpower when deciding what and where to patrol?
We have implemented an electronic briefing system, where deputies know immediately when and where a crime has been reported. Accurate and quick reporting and follow-up enables deputies to look for patterns and suspicious activity. Reports can now be filed in the units, enabling deputies to stay out on patrol in Miller County.
How will you run the office when it comes to fiscal responsibility and accountability?
I came in under budget my first year in 2017 while making improvements in both the detention center and law enforcement. I feel there is a responsibility to maintain a facility and to keep a safe working environment. A sheriff should strive to save but keep a high level of service where public safety is concerned.
Some believe the pay for Miller County deputies is lower than neighboring law enforcement agencies’. Do you believe this, and if so, what steps would you take to improve the pay scale?
The Sheriff’s Office and detention center cannot recruit and keep well-trained and experienced employees due to the low pay scale. We are in a constant state of hiring and then training new employees for other agencies. I will work with the citizens and Quorum Court to try to come up with a plan to solve this issue.
What would be your strategies and protocol for operating the jail?
The detention center has undergone operational, procedural and added policy changes to promote safety and security. Maintenance issues have been addressed, with no serious incidents occurring in 2017-18. Jail administrators with state and federal prison experience have been hired, improving day-to-day operations.