Clarke County Democrat

Michael Hunt running for Clarke Co. sheriff



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Michael Hunt

Michael Hunt

Michael Hunt has qualified as a Democratic candidate for sheriff of Clarke County.

Hunt grew up in Gainestown and served 41 years, 1978 to 2019, in the military — first in the U.S. Army and then in the Alabama National Guard.

After being discharged from active military service he worked for the Alabama Department of Corrections at Holman Correctional Center in Atmore for four years. He went to work with the Jackson Police Department in 1989 and would work there for 30 years until his retirement in 2019. He’s been a radio dispatcher, a patrolman and worked the largest part of his career with the police department and the Drug Task Force.

He was reactivated for military service in Operation Desert Storm in 1990 and 1991.

Hunt has a large family.

He and his wife, Pamela McClain Hunt, have five grown daughters ranging in age from 30 to 37.

Why is he running for sheriff? Hunt said, “I see things that need to be done that aren’t being done. I had a friend tell me, ‘If you see something that needs to be done, you need to run yourself.’ So I am.”

Hunt believes deputies and jailers are underpaid. He said police officers working in area municipalities make far more than deputies do. Both have hard jobs and deputies’ jobs are compounded by the large area they have to work.

“I don’t believe a law enforcement officer should have to take a part-time job in order to survive financially; they should be adequately paid,” he said.

He believes deputies should be visible in all of the communities in the county.

“We need to be patrolling the county more and answering calls in a timely manner.” He said it shouldn’t take hours to respond to a call.

As part of the better visibility, he believes officers should be professionally dressed. He said the uniform doesn’t make the officer but appearance goes a long way toward achieving respect from the public.

“I believe residents deserve a professional in the office of sheriff,” Hunt said. “I think I can make a difference and make our county a safer place to live, raise a family and work.”

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