The race for Allen County sheriff

LIMA - Allen County will have a new sheriff in January but who that man will be is up to voters.

The two men seeking the job as Allen County's top cop are both long-time veterans of the sheriff's office. Steve Hoverman and Sam Crish, both Independents, sound a lot a like on many issues but they do have some differences.

The Lima News sat down with both men earlier this week to discuss their candidacies, platforms and police philosophies.

The war on drugs

Both men, without hesitation, say drugs are the county's No. 1 problem. Both said drugs are the root cause of many other crimes, problems and issues.

"We're not going to stop all drugs from coming into Allen County. That is never going to happen. We're going to have drugs in this community but this community is small enough we can certainly put a huge dent in the drug problem," Crish said.

Hoverman said 90 percent of all crime in the community is linked to drugs.

"When we start attacking the drug problem you will see the spin off of that because it drives the majority of all crime. Like a theft offense, somebody is stealing to get money to buy drugs," Hoverman said.

While both men agree drugs are the county's biggest problem, both see different solutions. Hoverman puts more stock in going after the middlemen who supply street-level dealers while Crish is for going after the street dealer as hard as the middleman.

"The problem with hitting crack houses is the amount of time we put into those verses the results we get. These are the street dealers when you're dealing with the crack houses. They are replaced almost immediately afterward," Hoverman said.

Teaming up

Both men agree there needs to be one centralized drug unit, particularly Lima police and the sheriff's department, instead of working apart. At one time, both agencies did work together and were under one roof, but as Sheriff Dan Beck and police Chief Greg Garlock butted heads, so did the cooperation.

"It has to be under one roof," Crish said. "One agency is not going to do it alone. We don't have the manpower."
There are five drug agents for the entire county under the sheriff's operation, Crish said.

Both men want to bring in not only Lima police but other departments. Crish wants a representative from every police agency in the county, even if it's part time. The main objectives of the task force would be decided by the fulltime task force members through a vote instead of having one person calling all the shots, he said.

"I don't have all the answers. For me to walk into a meeting and say here's my plan and this is the only plan we have, that's not going to work," he said.

Hoverman said both agencies sometimes are targeting the same drug house or person without knowing it. That can be especially dangerous if the sheriff's office has an undercover person in a house and Lima police raid it, he said.

"We need to work together," he said.

The definition of winning the war on drugs is subjective. Both men are realists and say drugs will not be completely eliminated, but they say the problem can be controlled. Success will be measured in lower crime rates, less violence, shootings and murders, the men said.

Drug raids and Third Street

Both men were careful when discussing drug raids especially anything related to the fatal Lima Police SWAT shooting of a mother holding her baby earlier this year on East Third Street. Crish said officers take into consideration many factors when deciding to conduct a drug raid such as how big the dealer is they are going after.

"We're going off information we can get. We're not just going in kicking in doors just to kick in doors," he said.

Hoverman said officers always have to weigh the benefits against the risks, which can be hard especially when circumstances change between the time officers get a warrant and the time the raid is conducted.

Crish was apprehensive about talking about the fatal SWAT shooting since he did not know all the facts about the case.

Hoverman, although cautious, said releasing some facts may have led to a better understanding and prevented the public from being so upset when nothing but rumors were known.

"If that would have been a sheriff's office operation, I know how we would have handled that. We would have gotten the family together and said we made a terrible mistake. Right up front because if you don't let people know what's going on they will make up what they want people to know," Hoverman said.

Cooperation with others

With Beck and Garlock at odds, many people just want to see a sheriff who gets along with police. Not only with the war on drugs but for everything that would be beneficial for the agencies.

Crish said he has a history of working with Garlock and others in the department.

"Certainly we're going to have disagreements but I think the important thing is we're going to do what is best for this community. You have to give and take," Crish said. "I have the ability to work with anybody."

Hoverman said he is always willing to listen with an open mind and admits he doesn't have all the answers.

"If you got a better plan, come talk to me about it. Because if I agree it's better, my God, that's what we're going to do," Hoverman said.

Hoverman said he knows Garlock well and would have no problem working with him or anyone at the police department.

"I have known him a long time. We have a relationship built because of our past experiences," he said.

Even though both men are confident they can work with other police officers, what remains to be told is how well they can work with the mayor of Lima, especially if there is a change in that job after the 2009 election.

Although Beck hasn't announced he's running for the spot occupied by David Berger, few doubt he won't run. Both Beck and Berger can be very strong willed and not willing to budge from their decisions.

"I'll work with whoever becomes the mayor," Crish said.
Crish said he plans to deal with the chief of police more than the mayor since his issues will pertain to law enforcement.
Hoverman said he obviously knows Beck, his boss for the past 16 years, but also knows Berger and would have no problem working with either man.

Running the show
Both men said they have spent a lot of time in supervisory roles managing people, departments, programs and budgets.

Hoverman said he has spent the past 10 years as operations captain handling programs such as staff training. He collected ideas from the staff then sought out programs and training.

As sheriff, Crish said he would be more of an administrator and leave the day-to-day operations to deputies and the lieutenants who run the shifts.

"That's where you need to rely on the people you put in supervisory status," he said.

But before either could do that, the one elected will have to win back those who backed his opponent. Both said they are willing to forgive and forget, but anyone who works for them must be in it for the betterment of the department.

"That needs to be told to the sheriff's office at the beginning. The election is over," Crish said.

Hoverman said he would get the message out before the start of his term.

"As long as they do their job, I don't have a complaint," he said.

Both recognize that the current state of the economy poses a challenge for anyone taking over. They said they will be required to get the job done while working with less, which means changing a few things. But that should not mean a sacrifice to public service and both want more deputies on the road.

Both men support diversity in the department. Hoverman said he would recruit minority candidates from his relationship as an academy instructor.

"What I want to do when I hire someone is I want to pick the best person I think is right for the job. I don't care what color they are," Hoverman said.

Crish said he would recruit minorities through job fairs, visiting the high schools and promoting the sheriff's office to the community.
Both men also support some type of physical fitness requirements for deputies although that would have to be worked out and accepted by the union. Crish also wants additional testing to determine if someone is a good candidate but Hoverman said that already exists with interviews and background checks.

Part of the administration of duties would include how the department is run and that starts at the top.

Crish wants to get rid of the two positions of major and have a chief deputy under the sheriff. Lieutenants would run the shifts and the detective bureau. He would utilize special deputies, who volunteer their time, as much as he could.

Hoverman's plan is similar but he would keep one major position and let lieutenants run shifts and the detective bureau.

Crish, 44, said he would like to serve at least three terms. Anything more than that might be too much, but he wouldn't rule it out.
"When you get into that fourth term, not all sheriffs but with some sheriffs, it seems like you start going down hill," Crish said.
Hoverman, 52, said he would continue to seek reelection as long as he's healthy.

Crish's residency

Crish has held a press conference to show off his house and said his wife and son still live in a home in Lakeview where he lived until nearly two years ago when he decided he was running for sheriff.

Hoverman disputes that and has been pushing the issue saying Crish's true residence is in Logan County making it illegal for him to run for the job. He also said Crish told him a different story early this year.

"He told me, 'I'm in the county five days a week. I only go home on weekends.' I said you need to confess to somebody else," Hoverman said.

Hoverman said he hasn't sought a court action to try to disqualify Crish because of how it may be looked upon. By educating voters, it will give them the final say, he said.

"To me, it's an honesty issue," he said.

Crish also defended his voting record, or lack of, since he hasn't voted in 10 years, something Beck blasted him for this past week.
Crish said he decided not to vote during the more than eight years he lived in Logan County since he knew he would eventually run for sheriff.

"They're going to paint me with this picture, look you voted here, here and here, look he has forgotten about Allen County," Crish said.

Hoverman said voting is an obligation more than a right.

"I look at voting as a right I have to try to pick the people who are going to be the best leaders for my community. Now here I am trying to be an elected official. If I hadn't exercised that right to try to make a better community, then who am I to want to seek that office," he said.

The men behind the candidates

Hoverman leans on Beck ally John Brentlinger for advice. He also relies on his sister, Lisa Deters, he said.

"John came to me early on and said, 'You got anybody helping you? And I said, 'I'm pretty much doing this on my own.' He just started giving me some advice and the little things he said made sense. Pretty much, he just helps me, that's all," Hoverman said.
Lynn Mohler is Crish's campaign manager. Crish's top lieutenants are former sheriff and police officials. Retired Maj. Larry Van Horn, retired Lt. Larry Garlock and retired Lt. Matt Redick are on his team as are retired Lima police Majors Larry Winegardner and Jim Thorburn.