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EMS Director Blake Thompson is candidate for Wilkes Sheriff
The primary elections are in June, and several candidates are expected to qualify when qualifying opens late in April. Thompson, 53, who has been Wilkes County's EMS director and deputy coroner for 16 years, says that he was going to run for coroner. "But I had been approached by folks in Wilkes County law enforcement, and in the medical community, and others, who urged me to run for sheriff," he said. "They looked at what I did for the EMS in 16 years, and said I could do that for the sheriff's office." Under his leadership, the Wilkes EMS won state EMS service of the Year in 2002 and EMS teams and individuals been honored for excellence numerous times over the years. Thompson has held several state and regional EMS offices. Thompson feels his duties and training as Deputy Coroner have given him a useful law enforcement background. "I've been trained at the Georgia Public Safety Training Center in Forsyth in CSI skills, and have learned crime scene investigation, reconstruction, and interrogation techniques," he said. "Plus, I've had good working relationships with Wilkes County deputies, Washington police, and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation over the years, and I hope I have their trust." Thompson has talked with dozens of citizens throughout the county concerning his run for sheriff, and plans to do more listening during the campaign. "I'm going to be sitting down with people in Rayle, and Tignall, and Metasville, and all over the county to see what they have to say." What he has heard from people, he says, is that people don't necessarily want a change, "but they want somebody who can make a real difference." If he is elected sheriff, Thompson says, he would try to make that difference by reorganizing the department. "Unification of all public safety for Wilkes County," he said, "would include everybody working together for the good of the citizens of Wilkes County. This would include employees being cross-trained so that no matter who responds first to an incident, immediate assistance would be available." Thompson would bring zoned assignments for deputies and use data terminals in their vehicles. "Enabling technology in the deputies' vehicles will keep them from having to come back to the sheriff's officeto complete their paperwork." Deputies could be tracked with GPS, he said. Thompson, who is President of the Washington-Wilkes Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors and a father of two, says as sheriff he would be active in youth programs for drug awareness, driver education, and gang violence.
Aware that other qualified candidates will be running for sheriff, Thompson says he feels he can make a difference. "Folks have seen what I can do with the EMS, they know I've had an open-door policy and work 80 to 100 hours a week, and I hope they'll consider me for sheriff."
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