One Monticello Life – Ronnie Adcock – Sheriff Candidate & Local Businessman
May 20th, 2012 by Mandy Moss
Monticello native Ronnie Adcock has held several jobs over his lifetime. From gravel trains to pawn shops and a wrecker service, he hopes to add Drew County Sheriff to his resume this year.
Mr. Adcock has spent most of his life as a Drew County resident. He was born in the old hospital on Main Street and stayed in Monticello until 1985 when he moved to Michigan to work pulling gravel trains. After four years up north, homesickness set in and he knew it was time to come back.
“We opened Spee D Lube in 1989, and then I bought the pawn shop around 2005. After the pawn shop I bought AAA Towing.” “I sold AAA and Dan’s Towing and Dewey’s Tire about two weeks ago. I was kind of burned out and I saw it as a conflict of interest with running for Sheriff.”
Ronnie is married to Brittney Adcock and they have four children combined: Ashley, 30, Braxton, 9, Blaine, 6, and Mckinzie, age 4
“I told Britney when we found out she was having a girl with our youngest child that I was picking the name because she named Blaine, and I really wanted a girl, and I told her I would put the name on the front of the wrecker. Right before she was born I got her name on there and that’s how she and everyone found out the baby’s name was Mckinzie.”
“I focus on keeping the kids happy. We’re going to Disney on July 4th.” We’re going to the beach soon, Bay St. Louis at the Gulf of Mexico… we stay there a lot, and we just came back.”
“I like to fish and hunt, I like to fly an airplane, but I haven’t wanted to spend that kind of money on it, to own one for myself. Not yet anyway.”
Outside of family, Mr. Adcock’s main focus lately has been running for Sheriff. He says he knows what it takes to work well in the Sheriff’s Department because he’s done it in the past.
“I was a Drew County Deputy for about 5 years, and I was on the Quorum Court for 4 years. I served three years as a deputy, then spent four years in the Quorum Court, and then I went back and spent two more years as a deputy.”
When asked why he decided to leave the Sheriff’s Department to hold a position on the Court he said, “They needed someone… our Quorum Court system then just wasn’t getting anything done. So I decided to go in there and shake things up a bit… and we did.”
“I’ve been there and done all of that. I’ve run the whole county by myself and I know what needs to be done to detour some of the stealing and drug dealing. I’ve done drug busts alone and caught thieves alone. I’ve had my finger on the trigger before…it’s nothing to brag about, but you just don’t know how you will feel until you’re in a situation.” “I’m very soft spoken, and quiet, but when put into a position I need to be loud, you can hear me for sure.”
Mr. Adcock said there are several changes to the Sheriff’s Office he would like to implement if he is elected to the position.
“The first day we’d have a meeting about where and how we’re working, how patrol is going to be different and more broad. We’re going to talk about the entire county being in our watch.”
Adcock said that he also would want as much help as possible on the department.
“I definitely want to load up with part time deputies. I’ve got three people that can teach classes and certify people right here in Monticello, they won’t have to travel anywhere. We can do a class in the first few months and get them certified, including our constables, and then they can have radio contact like everyone else. It would just equal more help.”
Certification and training would not only be to hire new employees, according to Adcock, if he were elected.
“I want more training for full time officers. I want them into classes; it doesn’t cost the county anything. I want them in all the training I can them into, and they will be required to wear a bullet proof vest if they’re working. We’ll go to the Quorum Court and tell them that they all need vests that fit.”
He also foresees changes to the physical location of the office, in hopes of making the Sheriff’s Department more approachable to the public.
“I want to move the Sheriff’s office either downstairs or put it at the old library, and I want a State Police investigator in the office.” “I think moving it to where it’s more accessible will make it a more friendly place for the public. I want them to know and feel like we are easily reachable.”
To further efforts with community involvement, Adcock said he would like to have an officer be available to walk around Drew Central Schools Monday through Friday, every morning. He also wants to help people report crimes anonymously if they wish.
“Show up as an officer but just talk to people, the students, everyone. Just a visual every day. Then people will get used to you, and the students and adults won’t be scared to come to you. You can get more out of people that like you than ones that don’t.”
“I’d like to get a tip box or drop box of some kind so people can anonymously drop off information if they want to.”
Adcock said that working hand in hand with all other law enforcement agencies is his major priority.
“I want to have a very close working relationship with the city…. Where the only way you can tell us apart is the uniforms, and I want to make all city officers part time ones so their authority will be the same in the city and the county. As long as Chief Deaton says they can help, they’d have the ability.” “We do not plan on firing anybody in the beginning. We will give everyone a chance to come around to our way of thinking.” “I also want the officers to just simply be aware of where other law enforcement agents are working. If they hear a State Trooper making stops out in the county, they need to ease over that direction. They don’t need to get under foot and in the way, but just be around in case help is needed.”
Financial issues at the jail rank as a large concern for Ronnie Adcock. He said he is already spending time looking over how money can be saved, and possibly revenue produced, to have the jail begin supporting itself.
“The jail has got to cut some money somewhere. There are a lot of things you cannot do, but we can do things differently and save some money. I’ve seen shrimp and such on the menu… all of that fancy stuff will have to go. If you want shrimp you’ll have to get out of jail.”
He also added, “If you’re not an inmate, you will no longer be eating for free at the jail.”
In closing, Ronnie Adcock said that he wants the community to know that he sees the position of Sheriff as a leadership position, not a “commander.”
“The Sheriff is the go-to person for whatever your problem is. Whatever it is. If you’ve got something wrong you call him, no matter where you live.”
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