Patrick Jamison is seeking the Kosciusko County sheriff’s position as a Libertarian. He filed with the Kosciusko County clerk’s office for the seat July 1. Aaron Rovenstine is running for the seat as a Republican, and Travis Marsh is running as an Independent candidate. Jamison said he is running for sheriff for a number of reasons. “I think the general public doesn’t know what a sheriff can do for them regarding their constitutional rights,” Jamison said. He said a sheriff can abide by his oath, which is to protect, defend and uphold the Constitution, and protect the liberties of the people from the overreach of federal agencies or unconstitutional laws. “One of the things I would like to accomplish as sheriff is to put the people’s power into effect by educating them as to what the sheriff can do for them, and by making more public appearances than what I have seen in the past,” Jamison said. “I think the sheriff should converse with the people and figure out what their concerns are.” Jamison spoke about the meth problem in the county and said law enforcement has enforced the law to the best of their abilities. “I would like to see more in the way of treatment instead of just throwing people in jail,” Jamison said. He said the county’s drug court is a good program that is a good step toward helping treat those addicted to meth. “As much as I love liberty and as often as Libertarians say end the drug war, I have to say when it comes to drugs like meth and heroin and these hard core drugs, there is no liberty in addiction,” Jamison said. He said those addicted to meth need to be helped and provided with a way to get help. Jamison said he has always looked up to police and had respect for law enforcement. Jamison, 42, a 17-year Burket resident, is a millwright who works with machinery. He is married to Angela, and they have three children, Cody, Aaron and Myra. He is a 1991 Tippecanoe Valley High School graduate and attended Vincennes University in 1992 for law enforcement and corrections. He served in the Indiana National Guard from 1990 to 1998 as an infantry soldier. He has worked in factories for 25 years. “I think I am representative of the average American in that I have had many different jobs and I have experienced a lot of things in my life,” Jamison said. He was a reserve officer in 2001 at Pierceton Police Department, and was a police officer for Rochester Police Department from 2002 to 2003. “Heroes look out for each other and their community and even the least among us,” Jamison said. “To me, the emphasis on the sheriff and their duties is number one to uphold the United States Constitution and the Bill of Rights,” Jamison said. “The Constitution is the highest law in the land that binds government and its enforcement agencies.” Jamison said he would like to see new faces in the sheriff’s department that are from among the people. “The general public thinks you have to be in law enforcement to run for the office of sheriff, but you don’t,” Jamison said. He said he has talked to constituents who are concerned with their gun rights and federal overreaches and wants to know their sheriff will protect them from federal tyranny. As far as gun rights, he said he supports the Second Amendment. “I feel the Second Amendment is the teeth of the Constitution, and all Americans have the right to bear arms, and no federal agency should infringe upon that right,” Jamison said. He said there needs to be a sheriff that is vocal about the Constitution.
