A former Starkville Police Department officer has entered the Oktibbeha County sheriff’s race.
Brandon Gann announced his filing to run on Wednesday. Gann, who has 10 years of law enforcement experience, is running as a Democrat
He’ll face off against current Sheriff Steve Gladney, who’s held the position since defeating former Sheriff Dolph Bryan in 2011, in August’s Democratic party primary election.
Gann, a Starkville native, worked as a Mississippi Highway Patrol trooper for two years and was an officer with SPD for eight. He said he left law enforcement four years ago and now runs two businesses — Gann’s Party Inflatables and Bulldog Lawncare.
“I’ve always, ever since I was a kid, wanted to be a sheriff,” Gann said. “My dad was a state trooper for 38 years and he just retired two years ago. …When I had enough experience that I thought I should run, Steve Gladney had just become sheriff. I got out of law enforcement four years ago, but I didn’t want to run as soon as I got away from Starkville Police Department — I wanted to wait a little while and thought it was time to run.”
Gann said he’d like to seek a raise for deputies if elected. He also said he will support his deputies.
“I would make sure that they know I have their backs,” he said. “Nowadays officers can’t really do their jobs because they’re scared to do their jobs. I’ll make sure everybody knows that I’m not going to allow crime and I’m going to protect the citizens, but I’m also going to protect my officers.”
Alex Holloway was formerly a reporter with The Dispatch.
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