Space Coast Daily Endorses Sheriff Wayne Ivey for Reelection Based on Extensive Experience, Successful Track Record

OUR OPINION

After months of review and consideration of the two candidates for Brevard County sheriff, the choice is clear – one candidate is a 40-year law enforcement veteran recognized nationally for his proactive crime-fighting initiatives and techniques; the other candidate has never worn a badge.

The Republican candidate for sheriff is the incumbent Sheriff Wayne Ivey, who is a proven law enforcement leader with more than 40 years of extensive experience in all areas of his profession.

He began his career at the bottom and has worked his way to the top during his distinguished career. Sheriff Ivey has worked in every capacity of his profession – as a patrol deputy, corrections deputy, investigator, and national law enforcement and community leader.

In fact, Sheriff Ivey’s services are in such high demand that he was recently offered the job as Commissioner for the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.  Fortunately for Brevard County citizens, and to the detriment of Space Coast area criminals, Sheriff Ivey respectfully declined the offer to remain serving as Brevard County sheriff.

When Sheriff Ivey first ran for sheriff he promised to decrease the crime rate. Now, almost eight years later, Brevard’s crime rate is down almost 42 percent – and there are fewer victims of crime than at any time in the past 40 years.

The alternative to Sheriff Ivey is Democratic candidate Alton Edmond, a 31-year-old local criminal defense attorney.

Mr. Edmond has been practicing law for about five years and was fired by Eighteenth Judicial Circuit Public Defender Blaise Trettis for gross misconduct, including recording coworkers and leaving a loaded gun unattended in his office. Mr. Edmond said the termination was based on him wearing a tie in the courtroom with a Black Lives Matter image.

Mr. Edmond also posted controversial comments on social media, saying that rioting and looting are sometimes a necessary evil. The post was later deleted from his social media platform when he announced his candidacy for sheriff.

Simply put, Mr. Edmond does not have the minimum requirements or experience for the highly demanding and important job as Brevard’s chief law enforcement officer. He has no law enforcement state certification, no law enforcement training, and most significantly, no law enforcement experience.

Additionally, Mr. Edmond has no leadership experience that is essential to run a complex operation like the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office. In our opinion, a seasoned leader is needed for such a critical role, as Brevard County is the 10th most populous county in the state and its citizens deserve a sheriff who supports them, their businesses and even their pets.

In 2014, Sheriff Ivey was asked by the Brevard County Commissioners to assume the failing Animal Control responsibilities, which he quickly accepted and transformed into a national model of success with a no-kill status.

Sheriff Ivey has an extensive resume of leadership, management, experience and significant accomplishment in all areas of law enforcement. His quality of character defines him as someone voters can continue to trust and take pride in knowing he is their sheriff.

Past performance invariably predicts future performance, and Sheriff Ivey’s performance over the last eight years has earned him the first-ever endorsement in the history of Space Coast Daily to continue to serve as our Brevard County sheriff.

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