Sheriff Cross Runs Uncontested For Fourth Term
By LYDIA BERGLAR
News Editor
Currently in his third term as Dade County Sheriff, Ray Cross is running for a fourth term. Even though he’s running uncontested, the Sentinel wanted to find out more about his role and accomplishments as sheriff so that voters can stay informed. Here are his answers.
Q: What are the primary duties of a sheriff, and what takes up most of your daily time?
Ray Cross: The sheriff is responsible for overseeing courthouse security, ensuring civil papers are served, maintaining the sex offender registry, serving warrants, maintaining the jail, and answering calls for service from citizens.
My time is primarily consumed with maintaining relationships between the sheriff’s office and our community, as well as ensuring transparency from my department.
Q: Is there anything you’re particularly proud of accomplishing during this last term? Anything you’d like to continue working on? (These can be big picture issues or smaller specific projects.)
Ray Cross: We worked hard to finally establish a training facility and firing range for the sheriff’s office. The sheriff’s office has never had its own dedicated training facility, and thanks to our partnership with the commission, it was finally brought to life. We’ve also raised our training standard to double what the state of Georgia requires, as well as adding physical fitness requirements. Training is a passion of mine, and we will continue to expand our training as much as is feasible.
Another accomplishment I am very proud of is the relationship the sheriff’s office has with A Hand Up Ministry and Celebrate Recovery. I have seen many lives changed through working with Rex Mayo, who leads both of these organizations in Trenton, which ultimately reduces crime and drug use in our community.
Q: What are the biggest obstacles (if any) to enforcing justice and protecting the peace that the Dade County Sheriff’s Office faces?
Ray Cross: It’s a constant struggle to push against the way the media portrays law enforcement. A few bad apples tend to stain our entire profession, even though 99.9 percent of law enforcement officers are great people who just want to serve their community. Fortunately, we have the majority of support with our community, but it’s still an obstacle.
Q: What are the biggest causes of disruption to the peace and prosperity of Dade County that law enforcement deals with?
Ray Cross: Much like the majority of our country, drugs and mental illness are definitely the biggest causes of disruption. Drugs and mental illness can be connected to just about every single crime committed in Dade County.
Q: There’s been a lot of talk in recent years about “constitutional sheriffs.” What is your position on the matter? Do you consider yourself a constitutional sheriff?
Ray Cross: I definitely consider myself a constitutional sheriff, and my actions 100 percent support that statement.
Q: Anything else the public should know about your work, the sheriff’s office, or why you’re running again?
Ray Cross: I absolutely love serving the citizens of Dade County, and I will continue to do so for as long as I am the sheriff. I will do everything in my power to keep Dade safe and continue to combat the drugs that destroy so many families within our community.
