Sheriff, challenger trade sharp barbs in debate

June 29--Sheriff Bucky Rowland appeared to label challenger Sam Barnes "a coward" during Thursday's debate at Columbia State Community College.

During his closing remarks, Rowland said he would never pretend to be someone he's not "because I'm not a coward." Rowland was referencing social media commentary and videos by Barnes, a former Maury County deputy who has criticized Rowland as ineffective in fighting drug crime and for his rehabilitation practices at the jail.

"Everything I told you about me here is real," Rowland said. "I will always give you the truth. Whether you believe it or not ... is up to you. I will never purposefully say or do anything that I am not willing to put my name on or that would bring dishonor to my profession or my community.

"I can back every decision that I have ever made, serving as sheriff, and every program that has been implemented under my leadership the last four years. I will never stoop to the level pretending to be someone or something I am not by social media or any other means because I am not a coward. I have often heard the saying, your friends want you to do well, but not as well as they do. That's just not true for me. I hope and pray whoever takes my place one day is left with an amazing foundation that they can to build on. That is how much I love this county."

Barnes, who left the Sheriff's Department after Rowland's election in 2014, said after the debate that he was floored by Rowland's use of "coward" and pointed out he's won a medal of valor.

"It was in extremely poor taste," Barnes said.

Barnes took note of Rowland's words in his closing statement.

"Cowards don't save lives for 23 years," Barnes said, referencing his years in law enforcement. "A man once told me in 2014, and numerous other officers and members of the community, if your own children were missing, I would want Sam Barnes to be the man to find them. That was Bucky Rowland."

The debate Thursday was a back and forth on the rise of drug crime in Maury County, caused largely by opioid and heroin epidemics, and Rowland's response to it. Rowland has made rehabilitating inmates and cutting the rate of recidivism a hallmark of his administration. He said he has allowed 72 programs into the jail, aimed at educating inmates and reducing their return to criminal activity when they leave.

Barnes noted one was a yoga class. He alleged others included birthday cake for worst offenders at the jail, including accused murderers and rapists.

"We teach folks how to fight addiction. We teach folks how to be a better mom, how to be a better dad -- to get their education," Rowland said. "We invest in people. That's what we are going to continue to do. I look forward to continuing to grow what we've done.

"Being a leader ... is being willing to try new things," Rowland continued. "That's what we have done. Yoga can change someone's mood and how they respond they react or overreact. It's is not something throughout the entire jail where we have started this. We have 72 different programs. There is no manual you can go to. We are trendsetters. We are going to step outside the box and try something different. That is what I am about."

Barnes said he backs some of Rowland's ideas, including a "dad program" that reunites fathers and kids. Children are allowed to visit in a community room at the jail. Barnes said he supports allowing inmates to pursue GEDs. More than 80 have earned high school diplomas in Rowland's four years.

"But I don't want to indoctrinate children into believing jail is a fun place to be," Barnes said. "I don't want them to get the impression that jail is fun. I want to make sure job-skills programs including technical education that produce employment.

"I don't believe in programs that have little value," Barnes said. "I don't believe in yoga. I don't believe in Easter egg hunts. I don't believe in frivolous programs that do nothing for inmates. Jail is supposed to be tough. It should be tough. And we will make sure it's tough."

Barnes said drugs were rampant in Maury County schools and streets. He said he would dedicate a K-9 officer full time to patrol and sweep Maury County schools.

"All that officer is going to do is work our hallways, classrooms, parking lots, special events and ball games to find the drugs that plague our babies and cause the addiction issues we have," Barnes said.

Rowland said he has doubled the size of Maury County's drug unit and will have tripled it this year.

"We're more effective today than ever before," Rowland said. "Our objective is to make drug dealers and traffickers off of the street. We also have to be proactive in hitting the demand.

"That's where my approach is different than others in law enforcement," Rowland said. "We can't arrest our way out of addiction. We have to proactive in the community, not only in the schools, but in the communities where they live. It should never be normal to go out and sell drugs."

Barnes said drugs lead to other crimes. Most have something to do with narcotics. He said many families he visits on the campaign trail have experienced drug problems.

"Mothers talk about their children in rehab," Barnes said. "Fathers talk about their children who have passed away. Grandparents are raising gradchildren because they have taken ahold in this community.

"The jail is full of drugs. Schools are full of drugs. Our streets are full of drugs. To get drugs off of Maury County streets and out of the hands of our kids ... we have to do more."

James Bennett is editor of The Daily Herald. His column is based on exclusive reporting, old-school storytelling and original commentary on whatever catches his fancy or yours. He was a 2017 Tennessee Press Association first-place award winner for editorial writing and public service. Contact him at jbennett@c-dh.net.

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