In the Republican primary, Holliday and Mounsey will battle for Wells County’s votes
Why have you decided to run again for office?
The vision I have always had is to make Wells County safer by reducing crime and drugs from our community, renovating the jail, reducing recidivism, improving collaborative efforts, updating department policies, and connecting with our community on social media. Despite all we have accomplished, we still have much work to do.
The Sheriff’s Office needs clear vision and leadership that can communicate that vision with a focus on relevant issues: mandates are not decisions that fall under the role of sheriff, as they are not law and will not be enforced by me. It is crucial that the leadership at the sheriff’s office is focused on the real issues effecting you every day. Under my leadership, we can continue to keep Wells County safe for all.
What do you believe your qualifications are for the job?
Wells County needs a sheriff’s office with clear vision, and I can say with confidence I am the most qualified person running for this office.
In my 20 years working in law enforcement, I have spent many years developing leadership skills as a deputy sheriff, detective, chief deputy, and sheriff. This experience has allowed me to see the importance of collaboration and teamwork. I understand the unique challenges law enforcement officers and administrators encounter today. I value the American spirit and way, so no matter what I accomplish, all my decisions start with the values of faith, family, free enterprise, law and order and hard work.
If elected, what do you hope to accomplish while in office? What do you consider your priorities?
When re-elected, we will finish the jail renovation, saving taxpayers money. We will implement body-worn cameras, providing transparency and accountability. We will continue to explore new ways to be involved in our community, being accessible to you. We will continue to train our employees, making them prepared for all aspects of law enforcement. And most importantly, we will continue to fight to protect the freedoms of Wells County citizens.
Is there anything else you’d like to share?
When re-elected, I will continue to serve, protect, and listen to you. I will uphold the Constitution of the State of Indiana and the United States of America. I fully support the Second Amendment and will fight to protect your right to bear arms. I will work constantly to improve the professional standards of the Sheriff’s Office. I am committed to the utmost professionalism by using the latest technological advances, providing good coaching and mentoring, and engaging community partnerships to sustain a safe and peaceful way of life for all of Wells County.
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Why have you decided to run for office?
I have always enjoyed serving and protecting the citizens of Wells County face to face, door to door. From solving and preventing crimes, to helping people in their time of need, to assisting with medical emergencies and so much more.
Three years ago a new sheriff was elected and some of us at the Sheriff’s Department had great expectations. However, things turned out differently than many had anticipated. I watched the morale of the Wells County Sheriff’s Department drop to a low I’ve never seen. I have seen unfair and inconsistent promotional practices. Many Deputies have not felt supported by our current sheriff. They have concerns over some of the policies and procedures that have been implemented that micromanage their ability to simply protect and serve our community. Some fear being inappropriately reprimanded or written up, which can affect their careers and open them up for civil lawsuits or worse. Having a sheriff who backs and supports his or her deputies is paramount. Every law enforcement officer already sees on the news where our brothers and sisters in law enforcement are being unfairly mischaracterized, judged by the media before receiving their “day in court,” sued, arrested, attacked, and even murdered. We put our lives on the lines every day to protect the citizens of Wells County. Employees at the WCSD need to know at the very least, that the sheriff has their back. This ensures greater productivity to serve the citizens of Wells County.
I have watched weak leaders hurt others by not standing up for what is right during these past few years. We all witnessed how our state and federal government violated our personal freedoms and started misusing law enforcement to do this. The governor of our own state was going to make it a B Misdemeanor (criminal offense) to not wear a mask when he created the mask mandate until he got pushback. A pastor in Florida got arrested after having church services. Seriously? Is this what law enforcement should be doing? I think otherwise and will stand against and not enforce these types of unconstitutional actions. We need laws, but they must be constitutional.
It has never been my personal goal to be the sheriff of Wells County but observing all of this and more these past three years, I started to pray about whether I should run for sheriff. I felt a peace about taking this step and want to give the citizens of Wells County a choice for strong conservative, consistent, leadership.
What do you believe your qualifications are for the job?
I believe there are several things that make me more than qualified to be the sheriff of Wells County. I am a lifelong resident of Wells County. Much of my family and extended family live in Wells County as well. I graduated from Southern Wells in 1996 where I attended K-12. I graduated from Indiana University with an associate of science degree in criminal justice. I served as a reserve deputy for one year. I have now served 19 years as a full time deputy sheriff. I served as a field training officer for 10 years.
If I am elected as your sheriff, a major benefit will be that I have spent all my time as a deputy sheriff on the road. I know firsthand what our community cares about, is concerned about, and what deputies and jail staff need to be able to perform their jobs well. If I am elected as your sheriff, I still plan to spend some of my time working the road so I can still feel the heartbeat of Wells County and our deputies at the Wells County Sheriff’s Department. I am 100 percent pro-life. I believe that every person has value given to them by God Almighty. I believe all lives are sacred, from conception to natural death. Most importantly, I am a follower of Jesus Christ and live my life, although not perfectly, by the Bible. This affects how I treat everybody, from citizens, to employees, to inmates.
If elected, what do you hope to accomplish while in office? What do you consider your priorities?
If elected, I will restore the morale at the Wells County Sheriff’s Department, which in turn will benefit our community with deputies and employees who feel free to serve our citizens using their God given abilities. I want to serve and protect, with common decency and respect. I plan to work quickly to allow access to the Gideons, who have been denied access to minister to the inmates. This will help inmates as they begin to rebuild their lives responsibly as they prepare to reenter our community. My priority is peace and safety in this community, where I am raising my family. I will protect the rights of law abiding citizens to keep and bear arms as stated in our Constitution. I will fight against federal government overreach from unconstitutional acts like vaccine passports, mask mandates, and other similar issues.
With this being an election year, COVID response is not being discussed as much as before. However, we can be sure that either COVID or some other form of a “pandemic” will return at some point and some in power will use it to attempt to take our rights away. We have always had sicknesses to deal with in society, but people need to determine for themselves how to best protect their families and shouldn’t have to sacrifice their freedoms to an overreaching government. I am thankful that our government is looking for cures to illnesses, but we have to decide as individuals what we put into our bodies. We need strong conservative leaders not only on the federal level, but also on the local level as well to protect and fight for our freedoms.
Is there anything else you’d like to share?
I hope the citizens of Wells County understand the importance of every election. At the very minimum, we need to vote in the primary and general elections. We are so blessed here in America to have this right, but it’s not guaranteed that we always will. Please research and pray about the candidates first, and then vote for the most God honoring, Constitutionally minded conservatives whose lives and actions best match their words.
For more information, check out my website at MounseyForSheriff.com
