Three Republican candidates are vying for the position. No Democratic candidate has filed, which means the winner of Tuesday's primary will be unopposed in the Nov. 4 general election. The candidates include incumbent Kevin Harrison, who is completing his first term in office, and challengers Brad Seger and Rich Black. Harrison is campaigning to build on the record he's accomplished over the past four years. Neither Seger nor Black have any prior experience as a county sheriff. But both said they will draw upon the expereince they've gained in lengthy careers in law enforcement if elected. Kevin Harrison A veteran of 20 years with the sheriff's department, Harrison cites numerous improvements made within the department since he took office in 2005. "I'm pleased with the progress we've made," Harrison said. "Our law enforcement has shown good results. When you combine that with fiscal responsibility we've demonstrated, the programs we've implemented and the better relationship we have established with the public, we're ready to take our program to the next level. "When you have a lot of good people with good skills, the result is an effective law enforcement agency," Harrison added. Harrison's top priority is to continue to maintain the highest level of public safety possible. "I've always placed a high emphasis on cases involving physical and sexual abuse, especially when they involve children," he said. "Since taking office in 2005, my detectives have submitted cases for prosecution resulting in sentences totaling more than 1,200 years. "We will always aggressively investigate reports of persons who make, sell or use illegal drugs," Harrison added. "I firmly believe citizens have the right to live free of fear, so I also place a priority on crimes such as burglary, theft, vandalism and trespassing." Harrison also said he places a high emphasis on managing the 62-person department. "You can be a good manager and you can be a good leader," Harrison observed, "but those two qualities aren't necessarily related. I've prided myself on being both a leader to motivate the staff and a manager to run the department as a business." Harrison cited cost-saving measures such as contracting out the Sheriff's Department food and medical services as a way to manage the department effectively. Brad Seger Brad Seger cited his 18-year career, plus the fact he was raised in Warren County, as two attributes which qualify him for the office of sheriff. "I've done everything in law enforcement from being a deputy, a lead investigator, a jail administrator and supervisor, and a dispatcher," he said. "I'm ready to give back to the community where I was raised." Seger's career includes stints with the Warren County Sheriff's Department and the Montgomery County Sheriff's Department. "Having worked in Warren County before, I believe I can bring some common sense ideas straight from the people to this office," he said. Although he has not served as a sheriff before, Seger said his past experience will provide the background he needs. "I've always been in touch with the citizens I serve and the people I work with," he said. "I believe this is the next logical step forward for me and I'm ready and eager to serve in this capacity." Seger said although he has never prepared a complete departmental budget or supervised a department, they are skills which can be acquired. "I think you have to look at your budget and apply your funding where it will do the most good for the department," he said. "And as for running an operation, I've certainly worked with other officials enough to know how things are run efficiently." Rich Black The opportunity to get more involved in the day-to-day operation of the sheriff's office is what motivated Black to run for office now. "I see this as a good opportunity to reach more people," said Black. "I've got 17 years of experience in law enforcement and I'd like to do something more to grow this department." Black said the fact he lives in Warrenton and his children attend school here show "how vested I am in this community and what happens in it." Black served as a sheriff's deputy and a detective during eight years with Warren County. He has also been a detective and a school resource officer with the city of Warrenton. "My years with the county sheriff's office helped prepare me for how the department runs," said Black. "What I think we need are more community-oriented programs to help us relate to the community we serve." Black said he has supervisory experience throughout his career which has taught him a valuable lesson in managing people. "My philosophy is that I wouldn't ask anyone to do something I'm not willing to do myself," Black said. "I also believe in treating people as I want to be treated." As for dealing with the department budget, Black acknowledged he had no formal training in that area. "I know it's not an easy task to create and manage a budget," he said. "You have to look at each department such as the patrol division and the jail when you put the numbers together. "But I also know that there are good people in the department who can help me work through this," Black added. "I also think that the more people you have with input into a project like a budget, the better the final product is likely to be."