SISSON Wilkes Chief Deputy Mike Sisson, who has served as the county's acting sheriff for the past two years, has announced his candidacy for Wilkes County Sheriff.

Sisson, with 28 years in law enforcement all as a Wilkes County deputy, was promoted to Chief Deputy in December 2004, and has served as the acting sheriff since February 2006 due to the ill health of Sheriff Gary A. Rogers.

A life-long resident of Wilkes County, Sisson and his wife Dean Drinkard Sisson have three daughters, Jeri Hucke, Jenny Dove, and Julie Driggers, and three grandchildren. His parents are Blanche Sisson and the late Harold Sisson.

"I began employment with the Wilkes County Sheriff's Department in 1979 as a jailor," Sisson said, "and became a State of Georgia Certified Peace Officerin 1980. In my 28 years of law enforcement experience - all at the Wilkes County Sheriff's Department - I started by working road patrol, was promoted to lieutenant in January 2001, and then promoted to Chief Deputy in December 2004."

During his career, Sisson said, he has gone through over 1,000 hours of specialized training in law enforcement. In addition, he has 21 years of volunteer service to the Washington Fire Department.

In the two years he has been serving as acting Sheriff, Sisson said that the Sheriff's Department has been very successful in the arresting and seizing the assets of drug dealers in Wilkes County. "These arrests have been a result of using informants, tips from private citizens and drug interdiction on the roads of Wilkes County," he said. "Many of these drug dealers have been prosecuted on the federal level with assistance from the Federal Drug Enforcement Agency. Cash and other assets forfeited by drug dealers are used to provide training and equipment to further fight the war on drugs in Wilkes County."

To fight the rise in crime in the county, Sisson said, he has started new Neighborhood Watch programs and distributed drug education material in local schools and public buildings. He has also provided deputies as security for sports events and escorts for field trips for the Wilkes County Public Schools when requested by school officials.

Working with other law enforcement agencies is vital, he said. "I have and will continue to work closely with, and share information with, the Georgia State Patrol, Washington Police Department, Tignall Police Department, surrounding counties' Sheriff's Departments, the Governor's Drug Task Force, the District Attorney's Office,and courthouse officials."

As acting sheriff, he has hired deputies with strong ties to Wilkes County. "They know the people of the county and are involved in the churches, the community and the economy."

Sisson said he has expanded the inmate work program that was already in place. "It gives local inmates convicted of nonviolent misdemeanors the chance to do work on county roads and maintain the grounds of the Law Enforcement Center, allowing them to give back to the community."

With his years of experience and leadership, Sisson says his strength is his long relationship with law enforcement. "I believe that my best asset is the professional working relationship that I share with my fellow officersworking to make the people of Wilkes County proud of their Sheriff's Department."