Opinion -- Adam James Announces Run for Nodaway County Sheriff

By Adam James

I, Adam James, proudly announce my official Republican candidacy for Nodaway County Sheriff.  Seeking this office was not an easy decision and one that I do not take lightly.  I believe it is a privilege and not an entitlement to hold such office.  I fully accept the responsibilities that come with earning your respect and trust each day. 

My journey as a law enforcement officer has been guided by a desire to serve the community and make a positive impact both on and off the job.  With hard work, dedication, and unwavering commitment, I am confident in my ability to lead and protect the people of this great county. I believe there is room for growth in how the Nodaway County Sheriff’s Office currently serves the public.  

I am excited to take on this new challenge and serve the residents of the county as diligently as I have the residents of Maryville.  I am passionate about people, our community, and its future.  I consider myself to be a purpose driven public servant.  Now more than ever, we need strong leadership that is focused with a purpose to serve others above self.  

All citizens within Nodaway County deserve to live in a safe community and be served by a law enforcement agency with the highest standards and values.  As your next Sheriff, my first priority will be implementing a standard of performance in all staff. This will be built upon a commitment of top-down accountability, standard of excellence, hard work, doing what is right, showing respect for others, being fair and consistent, having integrity and being transparent.

I will be a Sheriff that holds others accountable, including those that work for the office. Transparency is a term we hear a lot now days but is not seen in government very often.  I will be a sheriff that will be involved every day, lead my staff, and not turn a blind eye or ignore problems.  I WILL be available to meet with citizens when requested. 

I will not only be a working Sheriff, but a hard-working Sheriff. I will spend time in patrol cars with deputies.  I will not just work a typical day shift Monday through Friday.  Although I do understand the role of Sheriff is an administrative role, I firmly believe there is an abundance of time to get out and work hard in the county.  This includes skipping some day shifts and working some evenings, overnights and weekends.   

Public Safety is truly my life’s calling.  Although the role of law enforcement is to protect and not punish, I ensure my office will put in the work needed on each call to present the best possible case for proper prosecution and closure.  No matter how small your problem may be in the grand scheme of things, you will clearly recognize your problem is our number one priority and we will take it serious.  We will accomplish this together as a team along with our partners on the local, state, and federal level when necessary.

There will be times major cases or incidents will occur in our community.  I have built those critical relationships far and wide and will never be too proud to reach out for help if needed.  I have a great working relationship with all law enforcement agencies that surround us.  This includes our neighbors to the north in Iowa.  

A few highlights over the course of my career: 

--I have over 16 years of law enforcement experience.

--I have over 800 hours of documented training since graduating the academy in 2006.

--I have countless hours of additional training that were not POST approved trainings, but have still aided in my working knowledge of law enforcement. 

--I have over 600 arrests without being named in a lawsuit or defending wrongdoing.

--I have attended and completed two separate interview/interrogation week long courses.

--I have attended and completed two separate investigator week long courses.

--I have completed training to become a Certified Voice Stress Analysis Examiner. This is an instrument used during an investigation to determine if a suspect is being deceptive or truthful.  I am one of two that holds this certification in our area.

--I have completed intense training to become a Certified Cellebrite Operator and Cellebrite Physical Analyst which has been used to assist in clearing some of the worst crimes in Northwest Missouri.  This is high end computerized equipment for the forensic examination of digital evidence such as cellular phones.  I have been doing such work since 2009.  I am the only one in our area and have been for many years that holds this certification.  

--I have recovered nearly $750,000.00 in monies through the years in which people were defrauded by means of scams, fraud and embezzlement.  These are cases that take a lot of time and attention to detail.  One case alone can require numerous subpoenas and search warrants to find where that money is hiding and recover it.   

--I have successfully worked cases ranging from homicides clear down to incidents of simple property damage.

--I have a very high clearance rate on cases and investigations.

--I have been called on repeatedly to assist with complex cases by outside agencies such as the Nodaway County Sheriff’s Office, NWMSU Police Department, Holt County Sheriff’s Office, Atchison County Sheriff’s Office, Rock Port Police Department, Tarkio Police Department, Worth County Sheriff’s Office, Gentry County Sheriff’s Office, and the Taylor County Iowa Sheriff’s Office.  

--I have successfully worked with outside agencies, prosecutors and judges to secure search warrants in their jurisdiction and assist in serving them to clear cases that originally occurred in Maryville.

--I have rose through the ranks at Maryville Public Safety achieving the current title of Detective at the rank of Sergeant.   

--I am a recipient of numerous letters of commendation professionally and by members of the public.  

As a candidate for Nodaway County Sheriff, I encourage everyone to put their family first and take a hard look at each candidate. Do not take a quick look, but really dig around.  You will then see who has the most diverse experience, who has the most training and who truly has worked well with others.  

If you will do that, then I have no doubt you will agree and support me as the best qualified candidate for Nodaway County Sheriff.

The Sheridan Express welcomes letters and opinion pieces from all candidates for Nodaway County Sheriff along with their supporters. They do not necessarily reflect the views of the Sheridan Express, the Sheridan Express cooperative, its Board of Directors, or any organizer. Publication does not mean endorsement. All letters must be signed; we cannot accept anonymous letters for publication. The Sheridan Express reserves the right to edit or reject submissions. 

Editorial -- Sorry, Folks, Joe Biden’s Too Busy

On Wednesday, Second Harvest just announced that they would make massive cuts in its popular Fresh Mobile Pantry that delivered food to a number of area communities. Reducing poverty and hunger is key in reducing the number of mass shootings in this country. Poverty and gun violence are directly related. Unfortunately, Joe Biden is too busy to care that inflation, rising fuel costs, and the fact that people are cutting back on giving is creating the groundwork for even more gun violence and mass shootings. He’s too busy trying to figure out new ways to stick it to the Russians.

Recently, the City of Maryville announced that due to supply chain issues, work on the road that links up Hy-Vee with 71, South Avenue, had to be postponed from July 5th to July 25th. Supply chain issues were the reason. But don’t ask Joe Biden to care. Again, he’s too busy finding new ways of sticking it to the Russians.

On July 5th, the Maryville Forum published an interview with Sheriff Randy Strong in which he said he was angry that there was no coordinated national effort to address school safety following the mass shooting in Uvalde (TX), like working to provide each school in the country with a dedicated security officer. While it would not stop all shootings (Uvalde had a security officer), it would help.

Mr. Strong said, “And I’m just gonna say what I think a lot of other people are saying too: Shame on our government, in both parties, that have not come together to put somebody in our schools to deal with this. We could put air marshals in aircraft after 9/11, but where are we now? I think that’s an immediate quick response that you could do, that you train people, and you put them in there, and that’s their sole purpose – is to protect the children and our teachers in the schools.”

The Sheriff is doing all he can to protect the schools in Nodaway County, including Northeast Nodaway and North Nodaway, Deputies who are not on call will begin rotating among the six school districts outside of Maryville. But there is a reason why the government won’t come together to stop the madness. Joe Biden is too busy finding ways of sticking it to the Russians to care. 

These are just a few of the many real life consequences of Joe Biden’s obsession with Russia at the expense of the rest of us. I’m sure he would say that these issues are just a few of the many sacrifices that we all have to make so that we can stick it to the Russians. But Mr. Biden completely misses the point.

Back in 1928, American Legion State Commander Nee, speaking at the dedication of the new Grant City Legion building, talked about the sacrifices that 4 million young men made during World War I. This includes 80,000 who laid down their lives. (Editor -- More recent statistics put US war deaths at 116,516. This includes deaths of all causes.) Millions more made similar sacrifices in World War II. Many gave their lives, and many were so scarred that they literally had nothing more to give. What politicians like Mr. Biden don’t understand is that these young men did not make these sorts of sacrifices in a vacuum. They did so in order that their children and grandchildren would never have to fight such wars again. Mr. Biden’s boss, Barack Obama, got it right before the folks at the Military Industrial Complex got hold of him.

Maybe there is one glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel. It is estimated that rebuilding costs for Ukraine will be at least $750 billion to $1 trillion after the war. The corporations and billionaires who stand to profit are going to want a piece of the action as well. They need the shooting to stop in order to begin.

Nodaway County Sheriff’s Office Hiring Jailers

The Nodaway County Sheriff’s Office is currently accepting applications for full-time Jailers. The applications are being accepted to establish a one year eligibility list.

The Jailer is required to make inquiries, enter warrants, missing persons, stolen property and other computer entries. Starting salary is $13.37 per hour.

Jail primary duties include processing and booking inmates, releasing inmates and overseeing care and safety of inmates. 

Training will be provided by the Nodaway County Sheriff’s Office. Eligible candidates must be available to work all shifts, weekends and holidays, possess a high school diploma or GED and have no criminal history.

Applications must be picked up at the Nodaway County Jail, 404 North Vine Street, Maryville Missouri 64468. Or you can go to our website at nodawaycountysheriff.com to print one out, but the application must be turned in at our office. Applications sent online or on Facebook will NOT be accepted. You must come to the office.

Man Wanted in Illinois Arrested in Nodaway County

On October 5th, the Nodaway County Sheriff’s Office was requested to check a residence on Sunset Lane outside of the city limits of Maryville for a person wanted on an arrest warrant issued in Henry County, Illinois. At about 4:40 PM, a Deputy took Christopher Jeffers, age 42, formerly of Cambridge, IL, into custody on this warrant. The Illinois arrest warrant was for 2 counts of Predatory Crime Sexual Assault and 2 counts of Aggravated Criminal Sexual Abuse. Jeffers is being held in the Nodaway County Jail pending extradition to the state of Illinois.

Nodaway County Sheriff Gets Grant from Rickard Charitable Trust

On Monday, the Nodaway County Sheriff’s Department got a $19,408.00 grant from the Gladys Rickard Charitable Trust. It was used to purchase an enclosed trailer that will be used for search and rescue, disasters, and crime scene processing. The trailer and contents were purchased with money from the grant. When possible, materials were purchased locally. The trailer is equipped with two 2,000 watt generators, 10 first responder medical kids, 10 rescue search lights, and four seven-foot tower lights. The trailer and equipment can be used to help law enforcement and emergency responders.

Pictured are Sgt. Rick Smail, grant trustees Katie Gumm, Cindy Newberry, and Danelle Miller, and Sheriff Randy Strong.

Convoy Organized in Memory of David Piveral

On Friday, David Piveral was killed in a car wreck northeast of Pickering. He was a member of the Hopkins Rescue Squad. On Saturday, friends, family, and emergency rescue people from all over Nodaway County organized a convoy in his memory. One group set off from Hopkins, while another started off from Maryville and met at 148 and NN, where the Nodaway County Sheriff’s Department directed traffic. They merged to make the convoy even bigger. The convoy proceeded through NN past the site of the wreck.

David’s sister died in an accident two years ago, and he and his wife were helping to care for her two children while their father was trucking on the road.

Cards can be sent to David’s wife, Tiffany, at 33255 State Highway NN, Hopkins, MO 64461.

Pickup Stolen in Nodaway County

The Nodaway County Sheriff's Office reported Friday on its Facebook page that a 1998 3/4 ton 4x4 GMC Pickup was stolen sometime between 5 pm August 24th, 2017 and Friday morning, August 25th from the area of Highway 71 and Icon Road. It is maroon with tan wheel covers and a tan stripe on the bottom. There is no tailgate on the truck and it has a maroon tool box in the back of the truck. MO license plate of 30A9CS. Please call the Nodaway County Sheriff's Office if you have any information about this vehicle.

The insurance company GEICO gives the following tips to protect your car from theft:

1. Keep your vehicle locked at all times, even while driving.
2. When parked, never leave your keys in the car. Close all the windows and the sunroof.
3. Never leave your car running and unattended.
4. Avoid leaving valuables inside your vehicle where passersby can see them.
5. Do not leave your vehicle title in the car. Too often a car thief is pulled over and gets away from the police because he or she can produce the auto registration. (If multiple drivers use the vehicle, the best suggestion would be to hide the registration in a secret location in the car that only the owners know.)
6. Know where you’re going. Avoid known high crime areas even if the alternate route takes longer.
7. Install an anti-theft system in your vehicle if it doesn’t have one. Thieves are reluctant to steal vehicles if they know the cars can be recovered quickly. Many insurers offer discounts for the types of systems listed below.
8. Thieves prefer to work in the dark. Be particularly cautious at night about where you park your car. Park it in a well-lit area if possible.
9. Look around. Be aware of your surroundings, especially in garages, parking lots and gas stations.
10. Have your car’s vehicle identification number (VIN) etched on each of the windows. Car thieves want to get off cheap. They don’t want to go to the expense of replacing all the glass.
11. On an incline, leave your car in park or in gear with the wheels turned toward the curb or some other obstruction. This makes it harder for thieves to tow your vehicle.
12. If confronted by a carjacker, do not resist. Cars can be replaced; you can’t.