The Republican Primary is March 1, with early voting beginning February 16. Due to no democrats filing to run for office, all winners in county races will be elected to office. Brown County Sheriff candidates (in alphabetical order) Billy Bloom, Vance Hill and Paul Lilly each took time out today to answer a couple of questions.
Why are you running for Brown County Sheriff?
Billy Bloom – “Brownwood is my home. I am back home and I have been blessed with a lot of experience and exposure in law enforcement that I want to bring home back to Brown county. There are so many cool things we can do. For example, I know how to increase patrol and work within a budget. And we are going to put patrol back in the county. I want to put a light on criminal investigations, crime prevention and cold cases.”
Vance Hill – “This is not something I decided to do overnight or at random. This is something I have been planning for the last 10 or 20 years of my career. I am from Brown County. I love Brown County and have been enforcing the law here for over 25 years. The jobs I have had give me experience above and beyond the other two candidates. I definitely believe I am the right choice for sheriff.”
Paul Lilly – “After visiting with a great many people around the county, it was clear a vast majority were desiring changes within the leadership at the sheriff’s department. While the men and women at the sheriff’s department do an awesome job, it is time to take the department into a different direction. A direction that is more attuned to fighting the crime we are facing today. Let’s face it. We all know that our crime here is on the rise and continues to rise. After heartfelt consideration and visiting with a great deal of folks here including former Sheriff Bobby Grubbs, I decided to throw my hat in the ring.”
What qualifications do you possess that make you the best candidate?
Billy Bloom – “It if the citizens and voters of Brown County will do research, they will obviously see that I obviously have more experience from the ground up as patrol officer up to investigations, administrator, even as a senior staff member—and my law enforcement and criminal justice education. I have more tenure and exposure than the other two candidates.”
Vance Hill – “I am currently employed at the sheriff’s department. I know how the sheriff’s department operates. I know the needs of the sheriff’s department. I know the needs of the citizens of this county. The sheriff’s department is structured with our different divisions to give Brown County the best coverage we can give with the manpower we have.”
Paul Lilly – “I have been blessed with a wealth of experience here in Texas, here domestically and internationally. I have seen the very best programs in place and have seen those that do not work as well. I have seen what is highly successful and what is not. I can help our county avoid a lot of pitfalls and potholes in the road we are traveling down. The bottom line is that we have big city crime in our small county whether we like it or not. We are going to have to use modern law enforcement leadership and technology to combat that crime.”