Mathews Sheriff’s Office candidates April Edwards and Sid Foster participated in a forum last Thursday sponsored by the Gwynn’s Island Civic League at the organization’s civic center. The room was packed with residents eager to learn about the candidates they’ll be voting for in the November election.

Edwards and Foster, both current employees in the sheriff’s office, delivered statements about themselves and their candidacies and answered questions after eight of the nine candidates for the Mathews Board of Supervisors had completed their remarks and answered their questions (see related article).

Moderator Tyrone Hudgins asked the two candidates questions that he selected from a number submitted by the public.

Why do you want the job?

Asked why she wanted to be sheriff, Edwards said she wants to make sure the sheriff’s office continues offering the level of service needed to keep the community safe. She said she has “put away pedophiles and murderers,” and that a community is only as good as its safety.

Foster said he wants the community to have a partnership with the sheriff’s office and he wants to protect property and help Mathews remain in a better, safer place for Mathews citizens.

Retaining current personnel

The candidates were asked if they plan to retain all current personnel if elected, and Foster said the sheriff’s office is small and “it hurts if we lose one person.” He said everybody will have a chance to retain their job. “I hope we can keep them all,” he said.

Edwards replied, “Absolutely. I’ll retain every single one.” She said there’s no reason to get rid of anybody. “I told Sid if I were to win, I’d guarantee his job,” she said.

School resource officer

The candidates were asked if they would prioritize establishing a full-time school resource officer for the schools and what their plans were for school safety. Foster said it was a priority and that the safety of the schools, faculty, and workers was “of the utmost importance.” He said he would possibly like to have one at each complex.

Edwards said there’s a need for more coverage and that there are lots of grants for school security. She said she would volunteer her time to help obtain such a grant. There’s only one deputy on the road at night, she said, so school security can be handled by staff while the SRO handles criminal matters.

Something you’re proud of

Each candidate was asked to name something they’re proud of about the sheriff’s office, and Edwards said she’s proud of the level of service and training that the current administration has brought into the county. She said she owes everything to Sheriff Mark Barrick, who is retiring, and Major John Williams, now retired, and the things they taught her, and she’s proud to pass along the things she’s learned.

Foster said he’s very proud of the Triad program that’s been assisting seniors in the county since 2001. He said it had expanded every year. The opioid crisis can hurt seniors because people take their medications, he said, adding, “They’ve given everything to us, so we need to take care of them.”

Improvements you’d make

Asked what improvements he would make and how he would do it, Foster said he would like to improve morale. He explained that when personnel are lost and those still on the job have to work overtime, “it takes a drain on you.” He said morale would improve once the office is fully staffed again.

Edwards said she would like to provide more advanced training for every person. There’s only one person assigned to drugs, she said, and it wouldn’t hurt to have everybody trained in that area. “Everybody needs to be versatile,” she said. “We need to be trained to do each other’s jobs.”

Experience in investigations

In response to a question about experience with major criminal investigations and search warrants, Edwards said she had worked all major crimes since 2016, obtaining and executing the search warrants. She said she had worked such crimes as embezzlement and extortion, putting together the evidence in such a way that the cases could be prosecuted. She said she had probably handled a few hundred felony and major crimes over the past 15 years.

Foster said he had spent six months in investigations at the beginning, but had found he was more comfortable in patrol. He said in the two investigations he worked, he learned what could be done with a Q-tip and water. “Everybody does a little investigation,” he said. He said he had been on the drug task force for a while and had assisted with at least two or three arrests.

Constitutional rights

The candidates asked what they would do if a federal organization such as the FBI tried to infringe on the constitutional rights of Mathews residents.

Edwards said if the question was about the 2nd Amendment, “I wouldn’t let your neighbor violate your constitutional rights or any member of the sheriff’s office violate your constitutional rights, and certainly not the federal government.”

“They’re not going to take my gun,” she said.

Foster said the sheriff is the only law enforcement officer elected by the citizens and will be the one to protect their constitutional rights. “I believe in the 1st Amendment and the 2nd Amendment,” he said. He said he took an oath to preserve the constitution, and he would not let anyone come in and take people’s arms.