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This is part of the Meet the Candidate series for the upcoming elections.

The candidate featured here is Jason Smith who is running for Washington Parish Sheriff.

Why did you decide to run?
I decided to run for two reasons.  The first is that there is a need for strong leadership and a fresh perspective in the Sheriff’s Office.  People do not feel safer after twelve years of this administration; crime is rising, violence is increasing, the security situation in Bogalusa is deteriorating and the current administration has had enough opportunity to address it.  There is no problem that will be solved in the next four years that the current administration has not already had the opportunity to address.

The second reason is that I recognize that I’m in a unique position; I have the ability to get elected and I have the skills to do the job; very few candidates possess both.  I’m completely unaffiliated with any groups, I have no personal history to overcome, I have no negative reputation to explain away.  I also have the ability to work with different groups of people, and I can communicate effectively to get them to work together.   Once elected, I have operational and leadership experience and  I’m able to build a culture and get a result.  I operate a business and have a different perspective on the business climate within the Parish.  The reality is that there’s never been a Sheriff  in Washington Parish with my professional resume; we’ve either had people with law enforcement experience who surround themselves with friends or we’ve had politicians who surround themselves with political support.  The results of those choices speak for themselves and they are no longer acceptable.

What is your occupation/current employer?
I’m a retired Marine LtCol and am currently managing Smith Angus Farm, a farm in Mt. Hermon that has been in my family for five generations.  We raise Black Angus cattle and sheep for meat that we sell directly to customers and restaurants.

What makes you the right choice?
I’ve held executive positions at a high level with large amounts of responsibility and achieved results in stressful conditions;  I commanded Marines at every rank in my USMC career including two combat tours to Iraq as a company commander.   I have an operational, not a political mindset and I’m not tied to any of the special interests that have compromised our current administration.  I’m comfortable making decisions, explaining the rationale for those decisions and living with the consequences of those decisions.  I also have nothing to gain personally or financially from being Sheriff but the communities across our parish have everything to gain from a Sheriff who is focused on making Washington Parish safer and more peaceful.

What do you want to accomplish if elected?
We will make the Sheriff’s office a more professional organization devoted to public safety and we will make Washington Parish a more peaceful, safe, and business friendly community.