Current Mitchell County Sheriff Donald Street (right) glances over at challenger Dean Corn before the April 12 forum began in Buladean.
The two candidates vying for Mitchell County Sheriff went head-to-head on Tuesday, April 12 during a candidates’ forum hosted by the Buladean Community Foundation at the former Buladean School.
Current sheriff Donald Street and challenger Dean Corn are on the ballot for the May 17 Primary Election. During the forum, they addressed voters.
The two each gave a brief opening statement before questions began.
Street boasts 39 years of service at the Mitchell County Sheriff’s Department while Corn has more than three decades of experience in various law enforcement capacities including work with multiple state sheriff’s departments, the North Carolina State Highway Patrol and the North Carolina Department of Public Safety.
The forum opened with Corn being asked about fighting drugs in the county.
Corn said utilizing community resources is key.
“It’s up to the community to be a part of it, too,” he said. “I see a lot of stuff that I feel like is overlooked.”
Street flashed a rebuttal card and said that his officers work hard fighting drugs daily and that the fight will never completely end.
“We’re out here working these drugs,” Street said. “We’re doing it daily.”
Corn used a rebuttal card of his own and said identifying drug activity within neighborhoods would be a key move. Using community watches, he said, is typically effective.
Throughout the forum, Street leaned in on keeping everything running as it is at the department if he’s re-elected. The drug fight, he continually added, will always continue.
“I’ve not got a whole lot of goals in mind,” Street said. “We’re running smooth.”
Street said he would like to improve rehabilitation programs for those re-entering society after being incarcerated, citing programs like Freedom Life as important assets.
Corn said repeatedly he would not enforce future mandates and lockdowns and added he’s a defender of the constitution, especially the Second Amendment.
Corn said if elected, he’d also keep a focus on fighting drugs.
“I think it’s widespread,” Corn said about the drug problem. “I think it’s bigger than people realize.”
Corn was asked about the importance of basic law enforcement training and shrugged off the importance of BLET certification for a sheriff. He pointed out that he has extensive “specialized training” in other areas that he feels makes him well-qualified for the post.
“I don’t know everything about being a sheriff, but I’m sure I could do the job,” he said. “I want to work with these people, support these people and do the best I can for them.”
Street used a rebuttal to say 99 of the state’s 100 sheriffs are BLET certified, including himself.
“As a sheriff, I learn something every day,” Street said. “I started at the bottom and worked my way to the top.”
Corn was also asked if the current sheriff’s department staff would support him and if he planned on firing anyone if elected.
Corn said he would “like to think” that he would be supported by the current staff, adding that he considers many of them friends and has worked with some of them in the past.
He said he has no intentions of firing anyone.
“You can’t replace the experience these guys have,” he added. “I’ll say that publicly in front of everybody.”
Street was then asked how many people he’s arrested in his career to which he said more than 750, but added that as he has risen in the ranks, arrests have become fewer.
“I’ve arrested my fair share and I’ll gladly do it again,” Street said.
Corn was asked the same question.
“I’ve not arrested anybody, but how many times do you see a sheriff out there making an arrest?” Corn said. “They’re supervisors. Really, how many times do you see a sheriff out there actually arresting people?”
Street quickly held up a rebuttal card and said that if his deputies are making an arrest and they need help, he can jump in.
“I didn’t start at the top,” Street said. “It’s a very serious job.”
Each candidate then gave a brief closing statement. The forum was live-streamed by current commissioner Harley Masters and is available to view on her campaign Facebook page, Harley Masters for Mitchell County Commissioner.