To the editor:
As Sheriff of Richland County, I see firsthand the challenges facing law enforcement every day. From fighting violent crime to keeping fentanyl out of our communities, the stakes are high, and the margin for error is small. When families call us, they expect that we will be there to protect them. To do that, sheriffs and officers need leaders who have our back.
That is why I support Senator Jon Husted.
Jon Husted has always been there for law enforcement. As Ohio’s Lieutenant Governor, he worked with Governor Mike DeWine to make unprecedented investments in public safety. He funded body cameras, expanded training, strengthened recruitment, and addressed officer wellness. He did not just talk about supporting us, he delivered. He listened to law enforcement, he understood our challenges, and he acted with common sense solutions that made a real difference.
I have seen the results of those decisions in my own community. Body cameras increase transparency and protect both the public and our deputies. Expanded training and recruitment programs make sure we have the best people on the front lines. Wellness programs help officers cope with the mental health toll of this job. These are not abstract policy choices. They directly impact the men and women I serve alongside every day.
Jon has already shown where he stands in the U.S. Senate. He voted for the HALT Fentanyl Act to permanently schedule deadly fentanyl-related substances, giving law enforcement the tools we need to crack down on traffickers. This matters deeply to us. In 2023, Fentanyl was responsible for 95 percent of opioid-related deaths in Ohio. Communities in Ohio have been devastated by poison flooding across our borders. This will help us put a stop to it.
He is also a co-sponsor of the Protect and Serve Act, which strengthens penalties for those who attack police officers simply because they wear the badge. Every officer who puts on the uniform accepts the risks of the job, but no officer should be targeted just for doing their duty. Jon’s support for this legislation sends a clear message: if you assault law enforcement, there will be serious consequences.
The challenges facing our nation today, from drug trafficking to violent crime to the breakdown of trust in public institutions, are the very ones Jon Husted helped Ohio confront and overcome. We can count on him to bring those same solutions to Washington. He knows what works here, and he has the courage to fight for it there.
Our state and our nation are headed in the right direction again thanks to President Trump and Jon Husted. Husted’s values reflect Ohio’s, and his record proves it. When law enforcement needed resources, he delivered. And when we needed a leader to stand with us, he never hesitated.
This is why Jon Husted has earned the trust of sheriffs, deputies, and officers across our state.
Steve Sheldon
Sheriff, Richland County