DECATUR, Ill. (WAND) - With less than three weeks until the primary election, the race for Macon County sheriff is tighter than ever. Two Republicans are vying for the chief law enforcement job in the county.
Sitting Sheriff Jim Root said he's ready for another term in office.
"I have experience at the sheriff's office, I have leadership skills that I've proven at the sheriff's office because the majority of the men and women who work there know what I'm about and how I'm going to fulfill the mission," Root told WAND News.
Cody Moore said he's the one with the background and skills to unseat the incumbent.
"You're going to get a professional law enforcement agency, and that's all-encompassing. You're going to get professional animal control folks, you're going to get professional court security," Moore explained.
Moore began his career as a teacher and football coach at St. Teresa High School before making the switch to join the Decatur Police Department.
"(I) worked third shift patrol here in Decatur for a little over nine years. (I) got promoted to patrol sergeant (and) went to second shift, so I stayed there until 2002 and then I moved to the detective bureau," Moore explained.
Moore worked his way up to deputy chief, overseeing several divisions. He then retired from the Decatur Police Department before taking on a part-time job at the Mowequa Police Department. Now, he hopes to take on a new role.
"Being the leader of that organization, you should be in uniform, driving a marked car - you're that guy and everybody needs to know that you're out there and (know) what's going on," Moore added.
Root said he's seen success in office already, despite only being able to serve one of his four years in office, thanks to lawsuits over the 2018 election results.
"Some of those priorities, and my objectives, are still not met. I still have not rolled out the body cam program, which is long overdue," Root explained.
But he has renegotiated three union contracts, beefed up staffing levels and implemented correctional sergeants in the Macon County Jail.
"Since I've been with the sheriff's office the entire time, I know how all the functions of the sheriff's office, how they operate. That gives me the ability to have some insight on how they should operate and how they should operate effectively," Root added.
Click here to learn more about Moore and Root.
There are no Democratic candidates, so the winner of the June 28 primary will be the Macon County sheriff.
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