Andy Dunklin

The lone challenge to the incumbent for the position of Smith County Sheriff, Andy Dunklin, says it is time for a change in leadership and that means a more hands-on approach to meet the needs of citizens.

Dunklin faces incumbent Sheriff J.B. Smith in the March 4 Republican primary.
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Andy Dunklin, 49 and a Flint resident, said if elected he would run the department and not count on others to do a job he feels the person elected should be doing.Dunklin has worked in law enforcement in the Texas Department of Public Safety and Mineola and Whitehouse police departments.He also worked for Trinity Mother Frances as a director of security, but lately Dunklin said he has been running his own business called Pressure Clean of Tyler.

He is married and is a graduate of Chapel Hill High School and has 60 hours of classes at Tyler Junior College and more than 3,000 continuing education classes in law enforcement.

"The reason I'm running this time is the same reason I ran last time: I believe the administration of the sheriff's office is the problem.I don't see the problems as the people who work for the sheriff's office ... there are hundreds and hundreds of fine individuals who work there," Dunklin said.

Picking up on a comment his opponent Smith said at a debate Thursday night, Dunklin declared he would be a "hands-on" sheriff.

Smith told an audience Thursday night his employees count on him the most during election time and Dunklin said he believes this means the sheriff collects a salary and nothing more.

"When the sheriff says he turns over the operations of his department to his employees, I believe you are electing me to run the department," Dunklin said."The citizens of Smith County pay the sheriff $75,000 to run the office, and I believe he needs to be more hands-on."

Dunklin said he sees the biggest problem facing the sheriff's office being the need for a new jail, but he disagrees with previous plans saying a more conservative jail plan is needed.
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Dunklin said he believes the sheriff should play an active role in the design of the jail and should be looking at cost-effective plans and not dreams.

"Who better than the sheriff to say what we need?"he said.

He also said he believes the jail could be built for as little as $50 million for 600 beds at the current Low Risk facility site on U.S. Highway 69 north.

Dunklin said he knows there are problems with the current office facilities for the sheriff office, but added that was part of working for the government.
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Dunklin said if voted sheriff he would follow the recent smoking ban passed by Tyler and would eliminate smoking in the jail.He also said he would terminate cable television and have inmates watching instructional or therapeutic videos.

"Right now, the problem with criminals is they lay in bed, smoke, and watch Dr. Phil.I want to cut out smoking.The ventilation systems in jails are inherently poor.If I pay $1 a year for (medical care for) an inmate with respiratory infection because of smoking, that's $1 too many," he said.

Dunklin said he wants citizens to feel they have a part in their government on the local level and he believes he could offer that to everyone.

Dunklin to Run for Sheriff
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Andy Dunklin announces his candidacy for Smith County Sheriff for the March 2008 Republican Primary at the Rose Garden Center today.Andy Dunklin announced today he is running for Smith County sheriff.

During a news conference and in materials presented to reporters, Dunklin said he believed the county should erect a tent city to help deal with jail overcrowding.He said the state has approved of a county housing inmates in tents.

He said housing some inmates in tents would help Smith County save money, by bringing back inmates being shipped to other jail facilities, until a permanent solu-tion is achieved.

He also said he would work to combat illegal immigration crimes, reduce the use of patrol deputies serving civil papers and establish a central reporting system so law agencies could better share information.

A Republican, Dunklin, 49, unsuccessfully ran for sheriff in 2004 against longtime incumbent J.B. Smith.

Dunklin is the owner of an outdoor cleaning company, and before that worked for many years as a Department of Public Safety officer.He and his wife have three children.
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Dunklin to Run for Sheriff -10/25/2007 12:00 PM
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Sergeant Andy Dunklin is a drug agent with the Texas Department of Public Safety Narcotics Service.The department employs approximately 400 drug agents statewide, but only 5 of them actively investigate medical professional practice.Sergeant Dunklin spends about 50% of his time investigating professionals for alleged violation of the Texas Controlled Substance Act.Investigations may involve physicians, nurses, pharmacists, veterinarians, or other individuals who prescribe, administer, dispense, or otherwise handle controlled substances.He also investigates individuals who are not licensed and are suspected of obtaining controlled substances through fraudulent means.The remaining 50% of Sergeant Dunklin's time is spent investigating cases of interstate smuggling of controlled substances.

Smith, 61, has not had an opponent in 18 years; now, former lawmen Richard "Andy" Dunklin, 45, Flint, and Paul L. Black, 51, Whitehouse, are vying for the sheriff's job.
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Dunklin worked for three East Texas police departments and was a narcotics officer for the Texas Department of Public Safety.He is now security director for Trinity Mother Frances Healthcare Systems.
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Dunklin said he would get all of the federal surplus he can get and said the program is very good for the county if administered and used right.He said he will follow state and federal laws and keep track of the location of surplus property.

On the issue of inmate labor, Smith has asked for an investigation into allegations brought by a county inmate who said he worked on personal vehicles for county employees.

Deputies who made sworn statements to a Texas Ranger investigating the allegations apparently confessed to committing felonies but were no billed by a grand jury.Smith said he is concerned about it.
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Dunklin said under his administration inmate labor will be scheduled according to law.It will be used for government business only with no exceptions.

Dunklin says the "good ol' boy system" in Smith County must go.

"I want people to know I will be accountable," Dunklin said.

Richard "Andy" Dunklin, a security director at Trinity Mother Frances Health System and former peace officer;

Incumbent Smith County Sheriff J.B. Smith delivered an energetic defense of his 27-year record as the county's top lawman, decrying recent accusations as "trash" and forcing a sharp delineation between his two opponents, Andy Dunklin and Paul Black.
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Dunklin, a corporate security director and former Department of Public Safety narcotics officer, has staked his campaign on restoring the accountability and ethics he says are lacking from Smith's administration.
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Dunklin fired back, suggesting Smith had knowledge of misuse of county labor and property and saying the race comes down to a matter of trust.

Surrounded by family and friends, Andy Dunklin, 45, announced his candidacy from the steps of the Smith County Courthouse.

"I'm announcing my Republican candidacy for the office of sheriff of Smith County," Dunklin said.
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Dunklin, a former lawman, began his career as a jailer for the Smith County Jail while he attended college.He later worked for the Whitehouse, Mineola and Hawkins Police Departments before going on to the Texas Department of Public Safety.

He is presently employed by the Trinity Mother Frances Health System as a system director overseeing security, valet and drug control, as well as law enforcement liaison.

Throughout his career, Dunklin has served in roles ranging from beat officer to trooper and later narcotics and clandestine drug investigations.He is married and has three children.Dunklin said much of his focus will be on money and personnel.

"This is a law enforcement agency with a $13 million budget," he said of the sheriff's office.
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Dunklin said he is aware that officers are lacking in equipment, resources and training opportunities - areas that should be examined with a fresh set of eyes and perspective.

"Regardless of who the sheriff is, those things are important," Dunklin said.

Andy Dunklin - Republican Candidate for Smith County Sheriff