BY PATRICK CROWLEY
The Cincinnati Enquirer
COVINGTON -- Candidates seeking the Republican nomination in the Kenton County Sheriff primary -- Ray Murphy and Charles "Chuck" Korzenborn -- agree that the sheriff's department needs to increase its efforts when it comes to law enforcement.
But they disagree who is best qualified to do so.
Both candidates say the Kenton County Sheriff's department needs to be more like the Boone County Sheriff's department, which is known as an aggressive law enforcement agency, especially when it comes to cracking down on drugs.
Mr. Murphy, 47, is a Covington police sergeant and a 22-year veteran of the force.
"Obviously I have the experience, the background, the knowledge and the training when it comes to law enforcement," Mr. Murphy said.
"I've been doing the job for over 20 years, patrolling the streets of Northern Kentucky's largest city and making it safer for our residents," he said.
"There is no substitute to experience and training in law enforcement," Mr. Murphy said.
He said he wants to see the department provide assistance and back-up to other police departments in Kenton County; work with other law enforcement agencies on drug cases; help patrol Interstate 75; more aggressively serve arrest warrants; and provide more law enforcement training to the deputies.
Mr. Murphy has been endorsed by the Covington and Erlanger - Elsmere Fraternal Order of Police Lodges, the Covington Professional Firefighters Local 38, the Association of Federal, State, County Municipal Employees Local 237 and former state lawmaker Lawson Walker, a Villa Hills attorney active in Republican politics. Mr. Korzenborn, 59, is the owner of a Fort Mitchell auto repair business.
He also wants the sheriff's office to concentrate more on law enforcement, and he also uses the Boone County Sheriff's department as an example of what he would like to see done in Kenton County.
"If Boone County Sheriff Mike Helmig was running in Kenton County, I wouldn't even be in this race," Mr. Korzenborn said. "But he's not. I have the administrative background to do the job and turn the department around."
Mr. Korzenborn would also increase patrols on I-75; do a better job serving warrants than is done now; increase and improve the training of deputy sheriffs; improve courthouse security; put deputies on three shifts; and provide more cooperation to other police departments and law enforcement agencies in Kenton County and Northern Kentucky.
The winner of Tuesday's primary will run against the Democratic nominee in the November general election. Democrats running are Chief Gary Lay, Don Catchen and Charles King.
