(Editors Note: This is the second in a series of podcasts and articles featuring the candidates running for Cleveland County Sheriff. The interview can be streamed on Apple Podcast, Spotify or over www.clevelandcountyherald. com)
RISON - Vance “Lee” Freeman said he wants to bring his nearly 30 years of law enforcement experience, especially in drug enforcement, to the position of Cleveland County Sheriff.
Freeman is one of three Republicans who will be facing off for the job in the March 3 primary election. The other two candidates are Keden Shrum of Rison and Brad Young of the Rowell community. Early voting begins Feb. 17.
Since there are no other candidates who have filed for the race, the winner of the Republican primary will be unopposed in the November general election.
A1994 graduate of Rison High School, Freeman said he joined the Marines shortly after graduation as a way to get a jump start on a career in law enforcement. He said he had always wanted to be a police officer and was even part of the Police Explorers, a program that provides hands-on experience for young people age 14 to 20 wanting to be in law enforcement.
After finishing up his four-year stint with the Marines as a military police officer, Freeman said he went to work for the Arkansas Department of Correction before landing a job with the Pine Bluff Police Department, where he remains today. During his tenure at Pine Bluff, Freeman started as a patrol officer but eventually moved into narcotics. After gaining some experience there, he was hired to work narcotics for the federal Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), a job that took him to locations across the state and the country. Freeman said he worked for DEA for about 19 years before returning to Pine Bluff about a year ago as a narcotics detective. Freeman said he has a personal disdain for drugs, which he de (see (continued from page 1) scribes as “poison,” and wanted that to be the focus on his law enforcement career. He said he considers it to be the biggest issues facing Cleveland County.
“We are riddled with drugs and thefts... Those two go hand-inhand,” he said.
Freeman said people addicted to drugs often resort to theft to get the money to satisfy their habit. He said he prefers to get those people treatment for their addiction, pointing to groups like the John 3:16 Ministry near Batesville that specializes in helping men overcome drug addition.
Since he announced his bid for sheriff, Freeman said he had a woman tell him she would like to start a similar outreach program in this area.
While he said treatment is suitable for those addicted to drugs, Freeman those dealing the drugs need to face prison time.
“There’s a difference in addicts that need help and the people that are pushing this poison,” he said.
“When that money greed gets in (the dealer’s) head, that’s all it’s for, it’s money... They don’t care they’re pushing that poison to you. All they care about is that money (being) put in their pocket,” Freeman said. “You can’t help them. I mean, how can you help greed.”
Staffing
Freeman said manpower is another important issue facing the sheriff’s department. Like most departments in small, rural counties, Cleveland County struggles to offer a salary that is competitive to what larger cities and counties can offer.
“Let’s face it, I’m not going to come in my first, second, third year to ask for a tax to do this, give us raises, because this county is taxed enough,” he said.
One idea Freeman for putting more officers on the ground is to utilize the existing constables in the county. State law describes a constable as a “conservator of the peace” that has the power to arrest, write citations, and respond to accidents. A 2007 law placed training requirements on constables that want to carry a gun on duty and have access to the Arkansas Crime Information Center.
“I would like a great working relationship with the constables,” Freeman said. “That way they are there if we get a call on one side of the county and the guys are on the other side, call the constable.”
“I’ve been in touch with a couple of constables, and they’re all about it,” he said.
Freeman pointed out that the sheriff has no authority over a constable in regards to training, but he said he would set up some training sessions for them.
In another move to get more officers on the streets, Freeman said he would like to bring back the reserve deputy program, which is essentially a program where people can volunteer to be a part-time deputies. Freeman pointed out that reserve deputies have to work with a certified officer.
City Police Contracts
In regards to fulfilling the sheriff’s department’s police contracts with Rison and Kingsland, Freeman said he would review the contracts and the budget to see if a deputy could be assigned primarily to Rison.
“Even if it is enough to hire one deputy for the city, you know, let him stay in the city,” he said. “If we could, let him bounce backand- forth between Kingsland because I know Kingsland pays too.”
Freeman acknowledged that deputy could be used elsewhere in the county, if needed, but he prefers that officer be assigned mostly to city duty.
Freeman said he would also go out into the field to handle calls to help free up deputies.
Management Style
When it comes to managing the department, Freeman said he wants to create an atmosphere were the deputies want to work for him, noting that he does not like to “micro-manage” other officers.
“What I would absolutely love to do is take one of the deputies, and assign him or her up to the DEA as a task force officer,” Freeman said.
To accomplish that, Freeman said he would have to get approval from the quorum court to fund the extra salary needed for the overtime. He pointed out that money would eventually reimbursed to the county by the DEA. The benefit of that, he said, is that having a DEA affiliation gives the county a portion of the money and/or resources seized from drug enforcement.
“But what that does is bring in money because if they go out and get a seizure then the sheriff s department would get up to 80 percent of that seizure,” he said.
While that money can not be used for salaries, Freeman said it can be used for anything else related to drug enforcement, whether it be money to make undercover buys, purchasing equipment, or holding drug-prevention programs at the schools.
Policing Philosophy
Freeman said he is an advocate for community policing, pointing out one of his first assignments with the Pine Bluff Police Department was working with the bicycle patrol. He said officers would ride around on bikes in their assigned neighborhoods to get to know the community better. While bicycles are not a practical idea for Cleveland County, Freeman said he would like to have similar community outreach program with the sheriff’s department.
When it comes to interaction with suspects and the public, Freeman said he likes to treat everyone with respect.
“So yes, and it may sound stupid, but y'all remember the Roadhouse movie - be nice until it’s time not be nice,” he said.
“Seriously, I’ve dealt with it. If you come in with an attitude these people are calling you for a reason, they need help. Why come up and automatically have an attitude?,” Freeman added.
“I disagree with that 100 percent,” he said. “If you treat people with respect, I don’t care if they are Johnny Thug on the street, if you treat them with respect I promise you get respect back. That’s been my experience almost my whole 30-year career.
“That’s my philosophy: be nice until it’s time not to be nice,” he said.
Campaign Pitch
At the end of the interview, Freeman was given the opportunity to give his campaign pitch. This is what he said: “I’ll tell it just like I’ve been telling people is just do your homework on each candidate. Don’t vote for somebody just because your friend is. If there is another candidate that you think you like better, better resume; vote for that person.
“But a lot on this campaign trail, a lot of what I’ve heard is we need a change. We need a regime change... From the vast majority of the people I’ve talked to, (they) want to see a complete change,” Freeman said.
“This good old boy system... just because you’re name is this you don’t get in trouble - they want that gone,” he said. “I told my daughter, if you get in trouble, you’re on your own. I’ll bail you out once.
“All I ask people is, if I do win, don’t get mad at me for doing my job,” he said. “You get mad at your family member for making be do my job.
“So, as far as why vote me is a change; my experience I can bring to the table; the contacts I’ve got all over Arkansas and everywhere else,” he said. “It’s time