University Daily Kansan, October 16, 1984
CAMPUS AND AREA
Page 7
Sheriff duel offers contrasts
By MARK HUTCHISON Staff Reporter
With more than a badge at stake, this year's Douglas County sheriff's race may be characterized as reorganization versus past performance.
The election, pitting 20-year Republican incumbent Rex Johnson against Democrat Merle Rothwell, a race between two longtime Douglas County residents and law enforcement officials. Both men ran unopposed in the August primary election
Rothwell has said that the sheriff's department under Johnson is outdated and needs to be reorganized. Overlapping functions and blurred lines of command are preventing the police from being able to best possible law enforcement, he said.
"We are pushing for reorganization," he said. "I want to set up a more modern, updated chain of command. When one person is in charge of so many functions, information and it costs taxpayers money."
THE PAST DECADE, the sheriff's office has been built on a political basis rather than efficiency. Right now, I believe that there are over 50 employees in the sheriff's department.
"And that department is still under a system in which the sheriff supervises all employees." Rothwell said. "Even Superman would have trouble supervising more than 20 employees."
Johnson said recently that the sheriff's department had been efficient under his leadership and did not need many changes.
"I don't know where he's coming from," he said. "We've been recognized as one of the finest departments in the state. We have 51 employees here, and I personally believe that we have one of the best staffs that can be put together.
"I've tried to keep politics out of the clerifery's office. The less politics involved, the more I succeed."
Johnson, 52, has been sheriff since 1964. He thinks he is still the best man for the job.
"I WAS BORN and raised in Douglas County, and I'd wanted to go into law enforcement for a long time," he said. "Ever since 1606, Ive been to be sherif. I would be running an arrest if I didn't think I could do the job."
Rothwell, 39, also has roots in the county. He is manager of Trinity Foster Home, a Lawrence group-care organization that ages in the state by the stage.
Rothwell is no stranger to Douglas County law enforcement. He is a former KU Campus Police patrolman and member of the department's special assignment team. He has worked with Lawrence police.
"I am well acquainted with the officers in Dougallow County," he said. "I have worked with the Lawrence Police Department some 450 hours, and I have ridden with just about every officer at one time or another."
IF ELECTED, ROTHWELL said, he would require all sheriff's deputies to undergo emergency medical training. Under the present system, he said, most of the deputies are not certified in EMT.
"I believe there's only two or three certified deputies with EMT in the whole department," he said. "The sad part about this is that training officers offered at no charge to all deputies and it has been turned down."
Johnson doesn't argue that most of his 20 officers are not certified in EMT.
"All of our officers have had training in first aid," he said. "We coordinate all of our training with the Lawrence Police Department. And although not all of our officers have been trained, most are refused. If the deputies want to take EMT, they're given the time and the availability of the sessions."
EMERGENCY MEDICAL TRAINING involves treatment of signs and symptoms of illnesses and is more complicated than first aid, said Brian Lawrence, assistant director of the Douglas County Service and instructor-coordinator of the Lawrence EMT program.
"EMT involves a wide range of treatment from CPR to poisonings to hypothermia," he said. "First aid training deals more with injury-oriented accidents such as cuts and fractures."
The candidates said voter turnout in the Nov. 6 election would be high because of the presidential election and several hotly contested county races. The sheer is race will be the said, but each candidate is confident of victory.
"I HAVE THE ability and knowledge to restructure the whole department," Rothwell said. "I believe that the people will vote for me because I've got good issues. I want the department to go back to serving the people, instead of the people serving the department."
Johnson said, "1' base the past success of this department on good hard work. Just look at our record. I would put our department up against the state. Kansas, or any department anywhere for that matter.
ON CAMPUS
TODAY
A SEMINAR, "The Gospel of John for Today," will meet at 4:30 p.m. at Ecumenical Christian Ministries, 1204 Orave Ave.
A DEPARTMENT OF GERMANIC Languages and Literatures Colloquium will begin at 3 p.m. in the Engel Library, 209 Wescoe Hall. Henry F. Fullenwider, associate professor of German, will speak about "A Fresh Look at Two Poems by Paul Fleming."
THE KU SWORD AND SHIELD Club will meet at 7 p.m. in the Walnut Room of the Kansas Union.
THE SUA STRATEGY AND GAMES Club will meet at 7 p.m. in the Trail Room of the Union.
THE ADVERTISING CLUB will
meet at 7:30 p.m. in the Party Room of the Frank R. Burge Union.
THE KU GUN CLUB will meet at 7:30 p.m. in 217B Snow Hall.
THE CAMPUS CHRISTIANS will meet at 7:30 p.m. in room 305 of the Burge Union.
TOMORROW
THE SACRED ORDER OF UNIVERSAL LOVE, SOUL, will meet at 7:30 a.m. on the hill below the Campanile south of Memorial Stadium. The group will meet again at 8:30 a.m. in the Wainut Room of the Union.
A UNIVERSITY FORUM will begin at 11:45 a.m. at Ecumenical Christian Ministries, 1204 Oread Ave. Philadelphia, PA 19103. Staff International, will speak about
"The Arab-Israeli Conflict." For luncheon reservations call 843-4933 before noon today.
THE KU AMATEUR RADIO Club will meet at 5 p.m. in the lobby of the Burge Union
THE OFFICE OF STUDY ABROAD and the KU Student Honors society will have a meeting for students at 7 p.m. in Nunene maker Center
THE KU STUDENTS FOR A LIBERTARIAN SOCIETY will sponsor a talk by Douglas A. Merritt, U.S. senatoral candidate from Kansas, to Hyman Hawk Room of the Union. Merritt will speak about "The Poverty Tran."
THE SUA DUNGEONS AND DRAGONS Club will meet at 7 p.m in the Trail Room of the Union.
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