Everett Rice on the Patch Podium: Experience

We're asking each of the Pinellas County sheriff candidates a question each week that's important to you, the voter, so you can be informed come ballot time. This week, we asked:

If elected, how will your past work and life experience contribute to your role as sheriff?

 answers:

"In the years I was at the sheriffs office I was promoted to and served in every supervisors position; sergeant, lieutenant, captain and chief of detectives. No other candidate received any promotion nor did they attend the FBI Academy as I did. As your sheriff I held every leadership position in the state sheriffs association, including president. As a leader in the state association we passed many laws resulting in the reduction of crime. I authored the 85 percent law (stop bill) requiring convicts to serve 85 percent of their sentenced time. 

"As your state legislator, I coauthored the Jessica Lunsford Act, making Florida the toughest state on sexual predators. 

"As your sheriff, I cleaned up the office and made it a recognized agency for advances in technology and professionalism. 

"As your sheriff, I merged six police agencies, including Dunedin, into the sheriffs office, saving tens of millions of dollars in local tax dollars.

"These are only a few of the things in my experience that I will bring to the job. 

"The voters trusted me time and time again and they can trust me now. I am the only politician to make and keep a term limits promise and I am the only politician to pledge their earned pension to charity."