AMERICUS — Phillip Daniel announced that he is seeking the office of Sumter County Sheriff. He issued the following statement.
“I have been married to my wife Lisa Salter Daniel for 33 years. We have two sons. Our oldest Scott and his wife Misty have three daughters Madison, Hayley and Kinsley and our youngest son Tyler and his girlfriend Shelbie. I was born and raised in Americus and graduated high school from Americus High in 1980. In 1981, I joined the U.S, Navy for four years and received an honorable discharge. After leaving the military I worked in the food business and did carpentry until I went to work at the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office.
“I worked at the Sumter County Sheriff’s office for almost 28 years. I started my career as a jailer under Sheriff Randy Howard in August 1988. In 1989, I graduated from the Georgia Police Academy and was promoted to deputy sheriff where I served as a patrol officer on the Sheriff’s Road Patrol and was a member of the Drug Task Force. In 1995, I was promoted to sergeant and served the sheriff as the officer in charge over Records and Communications. I was also a member of the Sheriff’s Emergency Response Team or SERT. I was a K-9 Officer from 1995 through  1999. In 1996, I was promoted to the rank of lieutenant and served as Sumter County’s first assistant director of Emergency Management from 1996 through 2013. In 2002, I was promoted to the rank of captain. I am a Certified Emergency Manager. I worked during the flood of 1994 and during these times I, along with other coworkers, worked numerous days straight to ensure that everyone in our community was accounted for. During the tornado in 2007 that devastated our hospital and our community, as the only Certified Emergency Manager in Sumter County I worked closely with FEMA and GEMA to ensure that Sumter County received the help we needed so that we could rebuild. I am also responsible for the grant in which we received the outdoor weather sirens and storm shelters along with numerous other grants.
“As sheriff, I will manage a very proactive and professional law enforcement organization that is dedicated to the community’s needs. This means more crime intervention and prevention, which will lead to less crime responses. My strategic plan will focus on innovative community-oriented policing strategies directed toward  proactive and not reactive policing which constitutes but not limited to: an aggressive attack against gangs and substance abuse affecting our communities through intervention and prevention programs, rehabilitation programs for those incarcerated, extra patrols for citizens in high risk communities and business districts as a method to combat home and business invasions, a multi-agency Drug and Gang unit and effective neighborhood watch programs. You can count on me to be working for you 24-7. To me this is not just about drawing a check and showing up when I feel like it, it is about a commitment and responsibility I have in making a difference to every person in our community.
“’The Time Is Now’ to develop a level of service, second to none, by providing special assistance for two of our most precious resources: our youth and senior citizens. Being a parent and grandparent myself, I am reminded daily of the dangers and pitfalls facing our children, such as drugs, gangs, and other criminal activities.”