Dear Editor:

There has been a lot of news in Shelby County recently surrounding the qualifying deadlines for the gentlemen seeking to replace Sheriff Curry, who announced last year that he would not seek a fourth term.

Sheriff Chris Curry has been a strong leader in our community, and a true public servant for over 30 years. His exemplary record is to be admired, and with all the news of his potential successors, I wanted to take a moment to express my gratitude on behalf of the people of Shelby County for his dedication and leadership.

As the county’s top law enforcement official, Sheriff Curry has led a team of dedicated men and women through some difficult situations, all in the name of protecting our community. This is too often a thankless task, but it surely does not go unnoticed.

One issue that I am particularly thankful for the Sheriff’s leadership on has been the fight against serious drugs such as methamphetamines. Meth has posed serious problems in our community, and destroyed a number of lives, but thanks to Sheriff Curry we’ve seen the rates of meth production go down in recent years. We’ve also seen our narcotics officers addressing the issue before it becomes a problem, by targeting smurfers and known meth cooks. This record of service should not go unnoticed.

It’s thanks to Sheriff Curry’s determination that the meth cooks are being placed behind bars, and regular citizens still have access to over-the-counter cold and allergy medicines containing an ingredient used in meth production, but which is also a wonderfully effective decongestant we can all rely upon.

Thank you Sheriff. Your predecessor will have big shoes to fill, and it will be all of our jobs to see that they keep up the great record you will leave behind.

Sincerely,

Sen. Slade Blackwell