To provide voters the information they need to make an informed choice in the May 24 General Primary election, Fetch Your News will work hard to present a profile of each candidate running for public office. All candidates will be contacted and offered an opportunity to respond to questions.

DAWSONVILLE, Ga. — After 18 years working in the Dawson County Sheriff’s Office, commanding all but one division and rising to the rank of captain, Tony Wooten believes he is the right person to lead the office in 2017.

“I’ve done everything in the sheriff’s office that I can do,” Wooten said. “I know I’m ready for the next level.”

Wooten, 37, currently serves as public information officer and supervises the community policing program and school resource officers. He has demonstrated a dedication to the community he grew up in which is why his campaign message is “Dedicated to Dawson.”

“I kicked off the Shop With a Cop program at the local Walmart several years ago and initiated the C.H.A.M.P.S. program that focuses on teaching children to make positive choices and creating a drug-free curriculum,” Wooten said. The program was later adopted by the Georgia Sheriff’s Association.

Wooten is a proponent of community policing and says he will foster greater cooperation between the Sheriff’s Office, Police Department and surrounding law enforcement operations.

He is also eager to work on improving morale within the sheriff’s office and retention of good officers.

“One problem is that officers are being viewed in a negative light and many want to get out of law enforcement,” Wooten said. “We have to work hard to show them that they are appreciated.”

While surrounding jurisdictions like Hall and Forsyth have larger budgets and can pay officers more money, Wooten says, “It’s not always the money that’s important. We need to show them our appreciation and convince them that they live in a great community that has great schools and a great lifestyle.”

He is well aware of the growth that is headed to Dawson County and the problems that will follow.

“With the growth of retail along Ga. 400 will come an increase in retail crime which is why I will create a retail crime unit there. I want people to be able to shop safely whether they are from Dawson County or not.”

Wooten and his wife Jennifer have been married for 10 years.They have three children, Owen, 7, Luke, 5 and Brooks 3. He is an elder and outreach director at New Life Church.