Photo: From left, NFL Officer Sarah Thomas, Sheriff’s Department Candidate Thomas Tugel and Monroe County, Arkansas. Sheriff Michael Neal. (Bob Buchan/desotocountynews.com)
DeSoto County Sheriff candidate Thomas Tugel spoke to supporters about his stance on certain issues at a fundraising dinner at Gin in Nesbit on Thursday night.
Tuggle said if elected, he will aggressively fight crime to ensure all safety in DeSoto County. Tuggle also suggested that a school resource officer at DeSoto County schools might not be enough.
His message to supporters was simple, “Help is on the way.”
The candidate, a veteran law enforcement officer with 30 years of law enforcement experience who served as director of the Mississippi Law Enforcement Training Academy to run for sheriff, is running alongside current DeSoto County Supervisor Michael Lee , the latter also has a background in law enforcement. The election for the Republican nomination, without a Democratic challenger, is likely to be the general election in August 2023, with 11 months to go.
Tuggle said he would upset criminals if they tried to do business in DeSoto County.
“If criminals want to pursue or seek to grow an organization or business, be warned,” Tuggle said. “We plan to create a hostile work environment for you. We plan to be very high profile, and I plan to be decisive.”
Tuggle believes a unified law enforcement front across multiple agencies is important to put fear in criminals. He referred to the recent shooting in Memphis, where Ezekiel Kelly, now 19, is in jail and facing murder charges. Kelly is accused of shooting seven people and killing four earlier this month and live-streaming some of his attacks.
Tuggle believes Kelly’s mistake was entering Southaven and eventually arrested before he returned to Memphis, thanks to the county’s tough stance on crime.
“If he hadn’t crossed DeSoto County, I’m sure they would have never caught him, but he made a mistake and came to Southhaven,” Tugel said. “I think when he crossed the state line, he realized there was something burning in his body in order to cross the border, and that’s what he did.”
On another issue, Tuggle said one school resource officer per school in DeSoto County may not be enough. He would like to see an officer assigned to each grade, third through ninth grade in each school. The officer will stay in a particular grade through ninth grade and then back into third grade to develop confidence in law enforcement and build better relationships with students.
At the same time, Tuggle wants teachers to learn skills to deal with bullies and students with self-esteem issues. The former Marine said teachers would benefit from the Marine Corps Educator Workshop program offered in Parris Island, South Carolina, and the Marine Corps assured him about 12 spots are available for those wishing to attend. teachers participated.
“I plan to meet with every principal in DeSoto County,” Tugel said. “It’s free for DeSoto County.”
Aggression against crime has been a theme for both candidates. Lee spoke about the cancellation of early release for violent criminals in his social media posts about the Ezekiel Kelly shooting. Lee called it an example of how soft crime-fighting policies and weak leadership have encouraged lawlessness in the country.
“The early release must stop, the doting of criminals must stop,” Lee wrote on his Facebook page. “Criminals – know this: In DeSoto County, our suburbs will not be tolerated as a place of flight or criminal activity.”
Thursday’s dinner was the first step for Tuggle, who provided more details on how he would run to win the position now held by Sheriff Bill Rasco, who will retire at the end of his current term .