Archive for Thursday, January 29, 2009

Incumbent sheriff to face three challengers

Wyandotte County race features lots of experience

By Melissa Treolo

January 29, 2009

Donald Ash

Donald Ash

LeRoy Green, Jr.

LeRoy Green, Jr.

Joe Pierceall

Joe Pierceall

Bob Whisman

Bob Whisman

Wyandotte County Sheriff LeRoy Green, Jr., who formally announced on Jan. 27 his intention to run for a third term in the upcoming sheriff elections, may be facing some stiff competition from three other candidates.

Bob Whisman, of Piper, Donald Ash, of Kansas City, Kan., and Joseph Pierceall, also of Piper, have all filed as sheriff’s candidates with the Wyandotte County Election Office. The three have a long list of credentials running the gamut from management experience to experience working with the FBI, but Green said he wasn’t too worried about getting re-elected in April.

“I don’t put any concern on who’s running against me,” he said. “We have a job to do as sheriff, and that’s the main concern, is doing our job and serving the taxpayers as best we can.”

Whisman, a retired FBI agent and former Kansas City, Kan., police officer, would like to see, as he puts it, a “more efficient and effective law enforcement in all of Wyandotte County.” Currently serving as safety and security program director for the United Methodist Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, Whisman abides by a simple but familiar motto: To serve and protect.

“That’s what I’ve done my entire working career, is protecting people,” Whisman said. “That’s what I do, and that’s what I want to do.”

If elected, one of Whisman’s main goals is to strengthen the Kansas City, Kan., Police Department in the areas where he believes it is needed most. He said that adding more officers would help to expedite arrests, and dramatically decrease response time to calls. He would also like to see more officers added to specialized units such as the KCKPD Narcotics Unit, which he believes to be considerably understaffed.

“I think the Wyandotte County Sheriff’s Department can make the streets of Wyandotte County safer by augmenting the other law enforcement agencies in the county, which I don’t think they are doing now,” Whisman said.

Though Whisman has never been politically active before, he said his 33 years in law enforcement made him more than capable to take on the position of sheriff.

Ash also has extensive experience working in law enforcement and has worked as a KCKPD officer for 35 years. Despite taking his pension in January 2007, he said Wyandotte County residents hadn’t seen the last of him yet.

“I’m not ready to be retired,” he said. “I want to continue in the field.”

One main goal Ash hopes to achieve if he becomes sheriff is to create solid relationships with groups throughout the county.

“I think the Sheriff’s Department can partner a little with citizen groups to make (the department) a better operation,” Ash said. “Neighborhood groups, business associations, whatever. I don’t think it’s possible to govern without listening to the people.”

Unlike Whisman, who has worked in Denver and Chicago, Ash has only worked in Kansas City, Kan. He believes this experience of working solely in Wyandotte County makes him “better suited,” as he says, to fill the position of sheriff.

“That sets me apart in terms of experience and qualifications,” Ash said.

Still, he alluded to a bit of uncertainty regarding the next few months.

“I don’t think it will be an easy thing to unseat the incumbent sheriff,” he said.

Pierceall, on the other hand, seems to have no misgivings about the upcoming elections. The park ranger and U.S. Air Force veteran is confident that he will be the next sheriff.

“I will be a park ranger until I become sheriff,” he said.

If he is elected as sheriff, Pierceall’s main objective will be to strengthen, in terms of manpower, the police departments outside of Kansas City, Kan. He claims the current sheriff’s department isn’t putting enough focus in Bonner Springs and Edwardsville.

“Eighty-five percent of all law enforcement presence is in Kansas City, Kan., alone,” he claims.

Pierceall’s primary work experience has been in business and retail management; he ran his own business for 15 years. He became a park ranger six years ago, but he said the skills he learned from management, such as hiring and firing staff, are what will set him apart from those with more law enforcement experience.

“I plan on surrounding myself with excellent people,” Pierceall said.

Incumbent sheriff Green started working for the Wyandotte County Sheriff’s Department in 1978 as a jailer. Should he be re-elected to his current position as sheriff, he said he will be focusing on raising salaries for police officers in Wyandotte County and improving conditions in the Wyandotte County Jail — two goals he has set for himself and two goals he plans to follow through on during the next four years, despite the competition.

“I think positive and plan to be here and finish the job we started,” he said.

The primary election for Wyandotte County sheriff will be Tuesday, March 3, with the general election on Tuesday, April 7.

Comments

  1. MrsBRCakes (anonymous) says…

    GO JOE!!! Wyco Joe for sheriff.

    "he said the skills he learned from management, such as hiring and firing staff, are what will set him apart from those with more law enforcement experience."

    The biggest role of sheriff is a desk job, one that requires management of employees, budgeting experience, and human relations. First and foremost, we need to KEEP deputies in the jail system. Joe is best suited for this job.
    My vote on March 3 is for Joe Pierceall.
    www.wycojoeforsheriff.com

  2. Ultraglide (anonymous) says…

    The sheriffs race in Wyandotte county is more important this time than any other current race. The mismanagement of funds by the current sheriff should be investigated. I have known Joe Pierceall nearly thirty years. I have known his wife and her family over fifty years. There is no one I know more dedicated to the betterment of Wyandotte County than Joe and his family. Joe will dedicate his experiences to making the sheriffs office and jail system top notch. I am convinced that his election to this office will enhance the department’s role to meet future needs. Joe once told me that useless laws weaken necessary laws, so if you can't describe what you are doing as a process, you don't know what you're doing. That's what is happening with the current sheriff and his administration. That is why I fully endorse Joe Pierceall for this office

  3. michlajo321 (anonymous) says…

    i'd first like to make a correction. i was present for the interview by the young Chieftain reporter when Joe Pierceall met with her. Joe NEVER stated anything about his experience in "hiring and firing" people making him qualified to be sheriff. In fact, Joe Pierceall recognizes the "necessary evil" that "firing" someone may be, but has always exercised compassion in his efforts to not be forced into placing an employee in such a terrible position as to be unemployed. I would like to have the record reflect that Joe Pierceall is a good and compassionate man, and he would never lay, as his claim to qualification, hardship on another person or family. what he said was that his ownership of a successful international company better prepared him for the administrative aspects of managing the duties of the Office of the Sheriff as a result of his extensive experience maintaining budgets, personnel, accounts receivables & payables. and other "business" oriented responsibilities. in addition to that, he also can boast a respectable law enforcement credential, which i believe tags Joe Pierceall as the most broadly and intellectually qualified candidate in the race for Sheriff.

  4. jmcdonald (anonymous) says…

    “I don’t put any concern on who’s running against me,” he said. “We have a job to do as sheriff, and that’s the main concern, is doing our job and serving the taxpayers as best we can.” Can you believe this man actually said that! wow! i guess if he really believes that crap, we should have a new sheriff this year. huh? this leroy green guy has got to be kidding us. if he were interested in "doing his job; as sheriff" he would not be using his position to exploit the female extramarital bank of UG employees for his own personal pleasures! i noticed that he filed for reelection using an address other than the one he claims to live at. turns out his WIFE still lives there while mr. adulterer (our sheriff) is living with a certain subordinate of his from the county treasurers office and her little children. I hope you aren't boasting about being one of God's right hand men this election year. seems he has time to raise HER children while he abandoned his own son only to become a accused rapist. oh, and speaking of his "look a like" SON. . . while leroy was busy doing his "job as sheriff", his SON was booked into his jail FIVE times over the last 6 or 7 years and released every time on his own recognizance; FREE! did i forget to mention that while leroy junior was enjoying his free passes from his daddy's jail, his young victims only had his return for more abuse to look forward to. mr. green you should be ashamed of yourself! i guess the only children you have an interest in is those of your young hottie that you were chasing all over the courthouse when you were busy "being sheriff"; eh? a child learns what he lives, aint that right mr. green?

  5. jmcdonald (anonymous) says…

    we need to get rid of all those ex cops and politicians that keep running the sheriffs office down, and costing us more taxes for their mistakes. answer this. . . why did leroy green get a 40k pay raise this year when so many other people are hurting financially? wonder what that is going to cost us? better think of that wyco!

  6. kcntv (anonymous) says…

    It seems to me that there are many things that are important when looking for a sheriff, but with the history Wyandotte County has had I would like to see a new sheriff that is qualified and can do more. A stronger presence is needed both on the street and in the management of tax payer money. I believe that when you look at fixing the overall organization of the department there is no better candidate than Joe Pierceall. So Vote wyco joe for sheriff!!!!