Crime & Safety
Dunedin-Palm Harbor VFW to Host Candidates Forum for Sheriff
The VFW will host a forum with all six candidates for Pinellas County sheriff. Interested voters who cannot attend may email questions for the candidates in advance.
The incumbent Pinellas County sheriff will face off against his predecessor, along with four other challengers for the position, in a Sheriff's Forum to be held at the April 18 at the .
In the race for Pinellas County sheriff, incumbent Bob Gualtieri (R), recently appointed by Gov. Rick Scott to replace retiring sheriff Jim Coats, is being challenged by his main competitor former sheriff Everett Rice (R). Other candidates include Tim Ingold (R), Scott Swope (D), Randy Heine (D) and Greg Pound (I).
The forum allows voters to get to meet the candidates and ask pressing questions about local law enforcement. But Pinellas County voters who cannot attend can also participate. Questions for any of the candidates may be submitted in advance by emailing event organizer Harvey Smith at hsmithconsulsv@aol.com. The best questions e-mailed will be used in the forum's question-and-answer session.
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The forum is the first time all Pinellas County sheriff candidates have gathered at the same time.
“Given the size and scope of the sheriff’s office,” said Smith. “It’s important to have voters weigh in on key issues that impact the community when tight budgets are challenged by crime, high drug use and management issues within the sheriff’s office.”
Find out what's happening in Dunedinwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
The forum will last two hours beginning at 7 p.m.
