Title: Republican nominee for Haywood County Sheriff · narcotics investigator, Cherokee Indian Police Department · farmer · campaign site In this role since: candidate Next voter decision: Nov 3, 2026 vs Democrat Tyler Howell; won the March 3 Republican primary over Sheriff Bill Wilke 57.8% to 42.2%, carrying 27 of 29 precincts (Smoky Mountain News · The Mountaineer) · Election 2026
Surveillance record
No public position found on the Sheriff’s Office’s Flock cameras, plate-reader data sharing, drones, or ICE cooperation (as of Aug 22, 2026). Twenty-four years in law enforcement, most recently in multi-agency drug work with Haywood’s sheriff and town departments, which means he has likely used the systems he has not discussed. The January 2026 candidate forum did not raise them (WLOS).
Why his silence matters
Haywood’s cameras entered with no vote and were kept in July 2026 on a chairman’s statement, not a vote (Haywood County). Whoever wins in November decides, alone, whether the contract renews, who the data is shared with, and whether the office’s jail cooperates with ICE beyond what HB 318 requires (What the Law Lets the County Do). Nobody has asked him.
The question for him
Would he keep the Flock contract, publish the sharing list and the annual audit, and put the renewal before the commission for a vote?
Region: Haywood County · Last updated: Aug 22, 2026