BENTON COUNTY -- Three men want to earn the chance to replace Benton County Sheriff Kelley Cradduck, who seeks re-election to a third term.
Siloam Springs Cpl. Timothy Filbeck, Sheriff's Office Maj. Shawn Holloway and Lowell Police Lt. Paul Pillaro are Cradduck's opponents in the March 1 Republican primary. Early voting is underway. The winner will face Glenn Latham, an independent candidate, in November.
Filbeck, Holloway and Pillaro each say a change in leadership is needed at the Sheriff's Office, and each one believes he is the right person for the position.
Cradduck is charged with tampering with a public record, a Class D felony; and tampering, a Class A misdemeanor. His arraignment was scheduled for 8 a.m Feb. 22 in Circuit Judge Robin Green's court.
Cradduck declined to be interviewed.
"Anything else I say is going to be overshadowed by the paper's focus on the unsubstantiated and negative claims that I plan on fighting to the bitter end," he said.
Holloway, who spent 17 years with the Rogers Police Department, said he is the only candidate among the challengers who would be ready to serve as sheriff on the first day. Holloway, who oversees the operations side at the Sheriff's Office, said his experiences the last three years -- especially working on the budget -- are why voters should favor him.
Holloway said he already has a personal relationship with most of the police chiefs so it would be easier to rebuild relationships with those departments.
Filbeck said one of the reasons he is the best candidate is that he has the most experience in public safety.
"I've dedicated my entire life to public safety either as a firefighter or in law enforcement," he said.
Filbeck began his public safety career as a firefighter and became a battalion chief. He was an arson investigator and decided to switch to law enforcement. He began as a jail deputy in Butts County, Ga., and eventually was promoted to lead the office's criminal investigation division. Filbeck said he's also the only candidate who has worked for a significant period in a jail.
Pillaro said he believes his passion for the job separates him from his opponents. Pillaro said he will bring that passion and commitment to the job if elected sheriff.
Pillaro has had family members murdered as result of domestic violence, and it is one of the reasons he went into law enforcement, he said.
"That's what gets me out of bed each morning," he said. "I want to serve the people, and, if I can stop one person from going through what my family did, then I have done my job."
The candidates have been asked at forums about the Sheriff's Office's relationship with other law enforcement agencies and deputies patrolling more in unincorporated areas of the county.
"It's not an issue of deputies coming into cities," Pillaro said. "It's an issue of there being no cooperation between the Sheriff's Office and police departments in the county."
Filbeck and Holloway agreed a new sheriff would need to address the issue.
Pillaro said he understands possible rivalries among law enforcement agencies, but they should remember to work together to protect the public. Pillaro favors forming a task force to tackle some crimes so agencies are not investigating the same crime.
Filbeck said he's not against deputies patrolling in cities, and, as a Siloam Springs police officer, he likes seeing a deputy in the city. Filbeck said some deputies have to go where crime occurs, especially those assigned to specialized units. However, he said there needs to be better communication and the police chiefs need to be informed when deputies have operations within cities.
"The problem is that some people want to be ruler over everything instead of going to agencies and working together," Filbeck said.
Holloway said there needs to be a better line of communication between the Sheriff's Office and other police chiefs in the county, adding he doesn't want to have territorial battles with other agencies.
"Whose ball park is it?" Holloway said. "It's all of ours."
If elected, Filbeck plans to start a BB Club and DARE program to aid young people in the county. He also wants to start a highway safety program where the Sheriff's Office teams with other agencies. He also wants the office to handle its own jail commissary program instead of using an outside company.
Holloway, if elected, wants to expand the Police Athletic League that began under former Sheriff Keith Ferguson and to resume the diversion alternative program that was used in juvenile court, he said. Holloway also wants to start a Sheriff's Explorer Program, a co-ed program under the Boy Scouts of America that would reach 15- to 18-year-olds who have an interest in law enforcement, he said.
If elected, Pillaro said he plans to work with other agencies and municipalities to target domestic violence. He also supports the PAL program. He said he would work to get the Benton County Jail nationally accredited.
Cradduck has said at recent forums he wants to increase the size of the Cyber-crime Division and also wants to begin teaching online safely lessons to children.
Cradduck also has said he has lived up to all his campaign promises and there has been an increase in drug arrests and a retention of deputies.
About the Candidates
Sheriff Kelley Cradduck
Incumbent
Age: 45
Residency: Rogers
Employment: Benton County Sheriff
Education: Rogers High School graduate
Political experience: Serving second term as sheriff
Timothy Filbeck
Age: 49
Residency: Siloam Springs
Education: Attended community college
Political experience: None
Shawn Holloway
Age: 44
Residency: Rogers
Education: Graduated from University of Arkansas
Political Experience: None
Paul Pillaro
Age: 44
Residency: Lowell
Education: Centerville (La.) High School graduate.
Political experience: None
Early voting
Early voting runs through Feb. 29.
Benton County early voting locations for the March 1 preferential primaries and nonpartisan general election:
• County Clerk's Offices at 215 E. Central Ave., Suite 217, in Bentonville, 1428 W. Walnut St. in Rogers and 707 S. Lincoln St. in Siloam Springs will hold early voting from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday-Friday; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Feb. 20 and 27; 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Feb. 22-26 and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Feb. 29.
• Iberia Bank, 706 S. Walton Blvd. in Bentonville: 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday-Friday and 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Feb. 22-26.
• Riordan Hall, 3 Riordan Road in Bella Vista: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday-Friday and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Feb. 22-26.
• Intrust Bank, 3300 Market, Suite 130 in Rogers: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday-Friday and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Feb. 22-26.
• Gravette Civic Center, 401 Charlotte Street S.E. in Gravette: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday-Friday and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Feb. 22-26.
• Rogers/Lowell Chamber of Commerce, 506 Enterprise Drive in Lowell: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday-Friday and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Feb. 22-26.
• Centerton Fire House, 755 W. Centerton Blvd. in Centerton: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday-Friday and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Feb. 22-26.
• NEBCO Community Building, 17823 Marshall St. in Garfield: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday-Friday and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Feb. 22-26.
Source: Benton County Clerk's Office
General News on 02/24/2016