Three candidates have declared their intention to run next year for Brookhaven’s top law enforcement  job — and one already holds the position.

The official opening date when a candidate can qualify to run for any city office is Jan. 2, 2017, according to Deputy City Clerk Marsha Fairman. Although that date is still five months away,  Ward 1 Aldermen Randy Belcher, Police Chief Bobby Bell and Lincoln County Sheriff’s deputy Jason Gaskin have declared their intentions to run for the office.

The Daily Leader sat down with each to discuss their credentials for the position and the vision they have for Brookhaven.

Randy Belcher

Belcher began his political career four years ago when he chose to run for alderman, but he is no stranger to the world of law enforcement.

In 1999, Belcher began his career as a Brookhaven police officer before moving to the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office as a lieutenant. While serving as an officer, he also worked at the Walmart Distribution Center for 17 years.

“I was working two jobs at first,” Belcher said. “Once I came up to the leadership part at the sheriff’s office, I had to be there for my shift. Once you get up to the leadership part, you need to be there when your shift starts. I chose my love for law enforcement over the Walmart deal.”

Belcher served as lieutenant at the sheriff’s office until he was elected as alderman.

“I wanted to work with the people even more and become a public servant, so I decided to run for office,” Belcher said. “At that time, I thought I could keep both jobs because one was a county job and one was a city job.”

When Belcher assumed his office as aldermen, it became an issue that he held both jobs.

“I had to let one go,” he said. “It was a tough decision because with the sheriff’s department I was making $35,000, and an aldermen makes $17,000, so it was a big pay cut, but that’s what I wanted. I wanted to work with the people. I felt I won my position for a reason, so I didn’t want to give up on the people that had stood behind me. I decided to let the sheriff’s department go and take the alderman job.”

Belcher believes his choice three years ago is indicative of his servant’s heart, and how much he would like to do for Brookhaven. In his single term, Belcher has produced positive changes in Ward 1, he said.

“When I got into my ward I saw that every part of my ward wasn’t the same,” Belcher said. “The Brignall area was so far behind. I know we had annexed it in, but we hadn’t brought it up to par, and my goal was to get the Brignall area up to par. We still had a few gravel roads that were still inside the city. I didn’t thing that people paying city taxes should have to get their car muddy when it rained. Those were some of my goals that I wanted to take care of before I get out of office, and I can say that we’ve got some done to all of it.”

Belcher declined to talk about his platform or party affiliation for his intended police chief campaign, stating he would prefer to focus on his last year as alderman.

“I am running for police chief,” Belcher said. “But I have 10 months left as an alderman and I want to promise my ward that I’m going to work for them until the end of June 2017 like I have from July 1, 2013. I’m an alderman in my capacity. I’m not going to slack up on that because of this. They elected me for four years, and I’m going to give them four years.”

Belcher said his plan as alderman for the next year is to leave Ward 1 better than it was when he was elected.

“The rest of the year, I want to keep striving to finish out the Brignall area,” Belcher said. “We’ve got a lot of other roads inside Ward 1 that we didn’t get pave. I know we won’t get it down on this term, but I would love to see the city of Brookhaven with some sort of swimming pool. I’ve been doing my homework on that, so I’ll keep bringing that up to at least get a foundation set down somebody can carry on to get one.”

Serving as an alderman for the city has been a true pleasure and he hopes he will get the opportunity to make a difference as police chief, Belcher said.

“It’s a job that allows you get out there and help people, and it makes you feel good,” she said.

Bobby Bell

Bell swore in as the Brookhaven Police Chief in 2013, following 32 years of service within the department.

After graduating from Alcorn State University in 1980 with a degree in education, Bell received an opportunity to become a police officer.

He hoped one day to be chief.

“This is what I worked toward ever since I started at the Brookhaven Police Department in 1981,” Bell said. “I have started at the bottom and moved up the ranks to become police chief. I got into policing because I wanted to help people.”

Bell prides himself on being able to say that he has stuck by the city of Brookhaven in all of its ups and downs.

“I am one of the only ones that can say they started out here and stayed throughout all the conditions this city has been through,” he said.

In addition to helping the community through his job at the police department, Bell has made it his priority to help the youth of Brookhaven.

“I have worked with kids all my adult life,” Bell said. “As an individual, I have always been involved with our youth, trying to change attitudes and minds.”

Bell credits much of his success to those who pushed him throughout his career.

“Several people have pushed me and helped me in my career,” Bell said. “The former police chief, Pap Henderson, and former officer and educator, Willy Harris, have really helped me. As far as I’m concerned L.J. McBryan was the father of police chiefing. I have learned something from all of them. And I continue to learn everyday because we are confronted with something different each day.”

Now, knocking on his 36th year to serve the city of Brookhaven, Bell hopes to seek reelection as a Democratic candidate to continue the fulfilling the promises he made during his first election.

“When I ran for this position I promised the people that we would be more visible in the neighborhoods, especially those that we had annexed,” Bell said. “I promised more technology, and I also promised we would add more manpower to the department. I have done all those things.”

Since becoming police chief, Bell has purchased body cameras for all of the city’s police officers, and cameras for the police cars.

“We have more equipment than we have ever had at the Brookhaven Police Department,” he said. “These cameras were purchased not only to protect our officers, but to protect our citizens.”

Bell said he pledged to set up a neighborhood watch program and get the police department more involved with the community’s youth. He has done both.

“We have begun to work with kids in the community, as far as providing them with games and spending time with them to change things,” Bell said. “We are more community involved than we have ever been, and we are going to continue those things.”

As his platform for the 2017 police chief election, Bell hopes to continue adding technology to the police department and working on combating the city’s increasing drug problem.

“We will continue to work on the drug problem, along with the other agencies that are helping combat the drugs in our community,” he said.

As far as the increased crime goes, Bell said, “I’m not going to be satisfied until we come to some kind of conclusion for each case.”

He intends on carrying out each of his goals by working with the people and resources available to him, and by visiting schools to educate and influence Brookhaven’s youth.

Jason Gaskin

With more than 15 years of experience as a war veteran and law enforcement officer, Gaskin knows nothing but that of service.

A native of Brookhaven, Gaskin said he has proved himself through his leadership experience and positions with the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, Brookhaven Police Department, National Guard and Army.

His credentials include being a 2001 graduate of the Mississippi Law Enforcement Officer Training Academy, a graduate of traveling criminal apprehension narcotics programs, a participant of the Emergency Narcotics Operation Course, a former state delegate for the Fraternal Order of Police for Lincoln County, an administrator and treasurer of the Lincoln County Reserve Deputy Force, a member of Lincoln County Special Response Team, a graduate of U.S. Army Infantry School, a graduate of Primary Leadership and Development Course, a graduate of U.S. Army Advanced Leader Course, 13 years in the Mississippi Army National Guard, an active duty E-7, a battalion operations manager and 10 years as Army career counselor.

“I have led, trained and managed hundreds of soldiers over the last 10 years,” Gaskin said. “I am an Operation Iraqi Freedom veteran, Global War on Terrorism veteran, recipient of four Army accommodation medals, recipient of three Army achievement medals, recipient of three Army good conduct medals and recipient of the Mississippi War Medal.”

Gaskin said he has a personal working relationship with the Army Counter Drug Unit, the Mississippi Highway Patrol and the Mississippi Attorney General’s Office. He also boasts hundreds of community services hours through teaching and mentoring inner-city children in boxing, kickboxing and karate in the last 20 years.

Gaskin said with his experience he hopes to bring his never-ending passion to protect and serve to the community.

“If you know me, you know this — people are my passion,” Gaskin said. “Protecting people, loving people and serving people. I learned it from my father, my mother, preachers, teachers and Herbert Young — my best friend as a child.  At a young age, in maybe fourth or fifth grade, Herbert once quoted Martin Luther King Jr. to me, ‘Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of starts.  Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that.  Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.’ It wasn’t until I was in my 20s that I actually learned who said it, but it resonated with me and I have never forgotten it.”

The increase in crime over the last several years has had a huge impact on Gaskin’s decision to seek the police chief position as a Republican candidate, he said.

“I know we can fix this town, the wounds and the hurt before its too late,” Gaskin said. “In order to achieve this, we must get back to community policing by letting the citizens voice their questions, comments and concerns in an open transparent forum that forces us to be accountable. I want the Brookhaven Police Department to be the standard; the one that other departments visit to figure out how we are doing it so well. The only way that will happen is if we police ourselves. We must set standards for ourselves, follow those standards and while following the standard, not be afraid to learn and adapt to new ideas. Things change daily and adaptability is key. Through my vast law enforcement and military training, I know what it takes to meet standards, as well as make important decisions in an instant.”

When asked what he could bring to the police chief position and the city, Gaskin said true, loyal service.

“This is not about money or prestige,” he said. “It is truly about making Brookhaven a place that is as safe and secure as possible. You will never hear me say that any certain crime will never be solved. We will leave no stone unturned.”

He said he would strive to bring diversity and accountability to the department.

“It is time to bridge the racial divide that plagues this country,” Gaskin said. “All citizens should only be judged by the context of their character and actions, not the color of their skin. If we mess it up, we will take full responsibility for messing it up.  We will always bear the burden of being below the standard. We alone will hold ourselves to a higher standard. As humans, we are not perfect. But we will always remember empathy, sympathy and compassion to the people we protect and serve.”

As a law enforcement officer, Gaskin said he deals will people — who are hurting, scared and humiliated — on their worst days.

“We must always be humble and kind,” he said. “We must never mistreat, misjudge or misinform the public. We are in servitude to the people. Our job as police officers is not just to arrest the bad guy. It is paramount that we get fully involved with our churches, schools, community centers, businesses, business owners, community leaders and everywhere in between to establish and maintain relationships with the people we swore an oath to not only protect, but to serve. We must put the serve back in the police department in every city across this country.”

Lincoln County Circuit Clerk Dustin Bairfield said even though potential candidates cannot qualify until Jan. 2, those already spending money on a campaign must begin to document their spending with the circuit clerk’s office.

Fairman said those who are running on the Democratic or Republican ticket must pay a fee of $10. Those running for mayor or chief of police must have lived in the city for at least 30 days, and aldermen must have lived in their ward for 30 days.

Fairman said individuals running as an independent do not have to pay the fee, but they do have to gather a qualifying number of signatures from registered voters, which must be submitted to the city clerk’s office before elections. These rules are set by the legislature and are subject to change. Individuals who want to run for a municipal office should contact the City Clerk for more information at 601-833-2362.