Published: September 05, 2007 10:53 am      

Candidate enters race for sheriff

The 2008 Republican Primary may include the race for Cooke County Sheriff.

Kenneth “Ken” Fogus, a detective for the Corinth police department and a North Central Texas College adjunct instructor who said this is his first time to seek public office, challenged incumbent Sheriff Mike Compton by announcing his candidacy as a Republican.

Fogus said in a press release he has about 30 years of law enforcement experience and is a crime scene investigator. He said he is a 15-year resident of Cooke County and called for many changes.

Fogus said it may seem early to announce his candidacy, but the primary is only about six months away.

“This is going to be an all-grassroots campaign, because I have no funds!” Fogus said in an interview Tuesday, with a laugh.

He said he is distributing a letter with basic information and hopes to start visiting houses soon to begin his campaign.

Fogus said he would focus on

restructuring the Cooke County Sheriff’s department’s budget to include more patrol deputies.

“Strictly, we need more patrol deputies,” Fogus said. “If you’re funded for so many people you can restructure your department and reassign your personnel.”

Compton, in an interview Tuesday responding to Fogus’ candidacy, said he believes the sheriff’s department is on the right track.

“I’ve been sheriff for a little over a decade,” Compton said. “Folks pretty much know what I stand for — getting the criminal off the street and into jail, and I’ll keep that up.”

Compton continued: “My goal is exactly the same. We’ve managed to increase the size of our jail, and we seem to be doing our job ... I don’t really see that we’re going to change anything we’ve been doing over the past decade. We’ll continue to pursue criminals with the resources we have.”

Compton has requested funds for additional patrol deputies at each Commissioners Court budget hearing over the last several years.

The Sheriff said there has been an impact in the “drug culture” in Cooke County, and the department has worked “hand in hand” with federal agencies to pursue drug manufacturers and dealers.

Fogus said he supports stronger drug enforcement in the county, which he said would have a two-fold effect on crime.

“First, it will take dangerous drugs off the street, and second it is a known fact that most property crimes are committed by people seeking money or items to trade for drugs,” he said in the press release. “Stop the drugs — lower property crimes.”

He said the amount of illegal drugs and contraband on the two major highways through Cooke County is “unbelievable.”

He also called for a “more customer friendly” Sheriff’s department. He suggested deputies be assigned to a district and should try to get to know as many people in that district as possible.

“The deputy would develop a good knowledge of the crime in his district and a better understanding of the citizens needs within his district,” Fogus said in the press release.

He called for increased supervision in the department.

Fogus also suggested writing more grants to federal agencies and working with federal agencies to stop crime which crosses the county line.

“These agencies contain a wealth of knowledge and expertise which they are willing to share with any law enforcement agency who asks. The Sheriff’s office should be pursuing seizures of property and money used in the commission of a felony crime. Money which is a result of illegal activity can also be seized. We should seek out the resources which are available and use them to our benefit.”

Compton said seeking the assistance of federal agencies has been a strongpoint of his administration and it was not done much before he became Sheriff.

“I don’t know how you can ask anyone to bring in federal agencies to the county the way I have,” Compton said.

Fogus called for increasing manpower for the reserve deputy program, which he called “a very valuable tool which needs to be used to increase manpower and productivity.”

Fogus criticized Compton for using the “County Law Enforcement Center” (Cooke County Justice Center) to house out-of-county inmates.

“This is a way to fund the system, but if the truth be known our county has enough outstanding warrants that if they were all served we would need more jail space,” he said. “We need to fill it with our warrants and then if there is any room left rent it out. The money generated from the warrant fees alone could produce several thousand dollars toward funding the Sheriff’s office.

“At present the Sheriff’s department does not enter warrants for other agencies onto the computer, therefore warrants issued from our Justice of the Peace Offices are not being entered on the computer and not being served like they should. This is a valuable source of income for the county. Outstanding traffic warrants along with fees and fines are not being collected. These could total into the hundreds of thousands of dollars which the citizens of Cooke County are not benefiting from.

Compton said every warrant for class B misdemeanor and up is housed. Small city warrants and highway patrol warrants are not kept. He said a lack of clerical staff means some warrants are not being acted on.

Fogus listed his qualifications in the press release. He said he holds several certifications from the Texas Commission On Law Enforcement Officers Standards and Education (TCLEOSE). He holds master, jailer and communications certifications, along with about 3,400 hours of continuing education hours.

He has an associates degree from North Central Texas College where he studied criminal justice and has attended Midwestern State University. He now teaches as an adjunct instructor at NCTC in criminal justice courses.

Fogus is a certified firearms instructor, classroom instructor, advance crisis/hostage negotiator, as well as being a certified arson/fire investigator, he said.

“Our Sheriff’s department needs to improve its ethics and become more professional towards serving our citizens and visitors alike,” Fogus said in closing his press release. “We need a fresh start in our Sheriff’s department.”

Fogus may be contacted at krfogus@yahoo.com.

The Cooke County Sheriff’s Department and Sheriff Compton may be reached at 668-3471.

Register Editor J Osborne contributed to this report. Reporter Andy Hogue may be contacted at andyhoguegdr@ntin.net