The North Carolina Board of Elections has qualified Independent Candidate Calvin Williams as a write-in candidate for the upcoming November 2022 election for Craven County Sheriff. North Carolina requires Independent candidates to qualify as a write-in. Independent affiliates are not recognized as a primary party. You will be required to write-in the name “Calvin Williams” on the blank line under the heading for Craven County Sheriff and darkened the circle in order to vote for him on the November 2022 ballet.
Calvin Williams has been a small business owner in Craven County, NC for over 15 years. He said, “I am neither Democrat nor Republican, and as an Independent candidate, I owe no allegiance to any party, and I will guarantee fair and equal treatment under the law. I don’t care if you are rich or poor, white collar or blue collar, employed or unemployed. The laws were written for everyone, and everyone is, or should be, equal under the law, but this is so seldom the case. Craven County residents have been calling for change and the time is now.”
He believes the Sheriff should be the administrator of the department and not be in the field on patrols, etc. Field work and patrols should rest with the deputies. The Sheriff should not be directly involved in these matters unless specifically required to do so to mediate or defuse a situation. The sheriff must be free to administer and supervise the department and to enforce the laws and departmental policies and guidelines.
Williams said, “I will institute an “open door” policy for the public and especially for the deputies. The public must have trust in the sheriff’s office and know their interests will be foremost in his administration and that they will be able to approach him openly with their concerns; this is especially important for the deputies who already have a stressful and difficult job to do. As the manager/administrator of the department, the Sheriff should be boosting the morale of the department and backing his deputies in all legal, ethical, moral, and official matters.”
He believes, “Many of the problems in Craven County arise from what can be called “the good ole boy’s” network. This means that most of those in positions of power, political or financial, come from “old money”. While I am not part of this “good ole boy’s” network, I was raised here and have lived here my entire life and have been a proud blue-collar worker. I will stand with and for ALL citizens and not just the “elite” of Craven County. The North Carolina Sheriffs Standards Commission set out the ethical, legal, and moral obligations of a Sheriff. I intend to ensure that all standards are met with openness and in clear public view. The law is supposed to be applied to all equally; it rarely is. There is far too much favoritism at all levels. Elimination of the issues plaguing the citizens of Craven County must begin at the local level, and I pledge to pursue this goal to the best of my abilities.”
Williams also said, “I have been approached by many of our citizens who have concerns about the Craven County Sheriff’s office and it’s elected officials. For a long time, these citizens have reached out to me with their comments and complaints about the current administration, and they feel they are not being heard and protected. The citizens of Craven County need a voice, and those who know me know I will say what needs to be said, and the outcry has motivated me to run for this office. I seek to give all Craven County citizens a voice. The current administration is more concerned about media attention for their efforts in the war on drugs and not the everyday crimes of theft, property destruction, trespass, etc. that plague our communities daily. These too are, in fact, crimes and should be considered just as important with regards to safety in the community for its citizens as well as the war on drugs. A crime is a crime, and there is no differentiation. There is much to be said with regards to the Hughes administration’s lack of attention on other crimes being committed on the citizens who have lived here all their lives, built generations of families here and deserve to be protected. The public outcry for assistance is heavy, and I intend to ensure the safety of all.”
As an Independent Candidate, he seeks to continue the prosecution of individuals for animal abuse, stating, “As an owner of special needs rescue animals, myself, this was an area that begged the County’s attention, and this issue continues to be a problem in Craven County.”
Further, Williams stated, “It will be my goal to bridge any gaps that exist between the citizens of Craven County and the Sheriff’s department. One way to accomplish this goal would be to ensure the use of body cameras by all deputies. The majority of the surrounding law enforcement agencies including New Bern Police Department have body cameras for its officers. Why not the Craven County Sheriff’s Department? I would seek to better utilize and/or restructure the spending of monies within the Sheriff’s Department.”
He said, “The current Sheriff has caused the community to raise questions regarding the need for additional fully equipped vehicles when there are vehicles that are fully equipped being utilized by non-sworn personnel as well as administrators when those vehicles could be better utilized in the field. Additionally, there is a fleet of military vehicles that are sitting in the Sheriff Department’s surplus, that the federal government felt the need to discontinue dumping money into, so why has our county’s Sheriff Department decided that would be the best use of the county’s money. The Hughes administration built their campaign on utilizing “current resources” to improve the Sheriff’s Department and yet the spending habits of the department are questionable. Our current economy requires us to not only protect our citizens from crime but also to properly utilize the public’s hard earned tax dollars and department funds. Properly allocating funds is another important way to build trust within the community.”
Williams continued, “Public trust and safety also come into question with the number of “accidental releases” or escapes from custody that have occurred at the Craven County Sheriff’s Department during the Hughes Administration. The exact number is not known at this time because it has been overshadowed and not publicly reported. The question is why? The citizens of Craven County want to know why there are issues that they are not privy to under an administration that built their campaign on “transparency” and yet leaves the public in doubt.” As an Independent candidate for Craven County Sheriff, Calvin Williams’ only allegiance is to the people of this county. If you want change, cast your write-in vote for Calvin Williams.
Calvin Williams has formerly served his community as a volunteer fire fighter. His wife also served the community as a volunteer EMT in their local district for four years and is now employed with the district. Calvin Williams’ passion for his community and for Craven County as a whole is what drives his candidacy today. So, vote for “Calvin Williams” by writing in his name on the line for Sheriff of Craven County in November 2022 and have your voice heard! If you have comments, questions, or concerns, please email The People for Calvin Williams or visit our Facebook page.
By The People for Calvin Williams