RISON - All three candidates for Cleveland County Sheriff participated in a political forum organized by the Cleveland County Republican Committee held last Thursday evening in the Family Life Center at Bethel #1 Missionary Baptist Church near Rison.Lee Freeman and Keden Shrum, both of Rison, and Brad Young of the Rowell community had an opportunity to introduce themselves to a crowd of about 75 people as well as respond to five undisclosed questions presented by moderator Cody Robinson, pastor of Rison Baptist Church.Each candidate was given about a minute and a half to respond to each question. The order of the responses rotated between questions.Here is an overview of the forum:IntroductionsAfter graduating from Rison High School in 1994, Freeman said he immediately joined the Marine Corps, which is where he began his law enforcement career. After completing his duties with the Marines, he said he worked a few odd jobs before joining the Pine Bluff Police Department, where he has worked for nearly 25 years. He started off with a neighborhood bike patrol before moving into the drug task force, where he spent 19 years working with the federal Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). He serves on the executive board of the Arkansas Narcotics Officers Association. “I detest drugs,” he told the audience. “There are tons of drugs here in this county. That’s my focus.”While he currently serves as the minister for the Rison Church of Christ, Shrum said he does have law enforcement experience. He said he started as a reserve deputy before working as a jailer and dispatcher. Eventually, he said he became a part-time deputy for a sheriff’s department in Oklahoma before moving into a full-time position. From there, he worked his way up the ranks to become a lieutenant before leaving the department to pursue full-time ministry. Shrum said he decided to run for sheriff when the opportunity presented itself, a...
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