Four battling for Republican nomination in race to replace Franklin County sheriff

FRANKLIN COUNTY — Franklin County residents must select a new sheriff with incumbent David Fryar not running for re-election.

The selection will be made in two stages. In the primary election, four Republican candidates will vie to be in the general election, where the winner will run against two independent candidates.

To learn more about the candidate’s platform, EastIdahoNews.com asked the candidates to answer the same eight questions. EastIdahoNews.com sent questionnaires with the same eight questions to all six candidates.

Three of the four Republican candidates — Cuyler Stoker, Micah Talbot and Mike Wilson — submitted responses. Levi Cann did not.

Jason Bunderson and Kristopher Olsen — the independent candidates — did not respond.

Their unedited responses, listed below, were required to be 250 words or less.

Learn more about Stoker by visiting his Facebook page here.

Learn more about Talbot by visiting his Facebook page here — or his website — here.

Learn more about Wilson by visiting his Facebook page here.

EastIdahoNews.com was unable to find a candidate website or Facebook page for Cann.

The primary election is May 21.

Tell us about yourself — include information about your family, career, education, volunteer work and any prior experience in public office.

Stoker: I started my career with the Phoenix Police Department. In 2005 my wife and I along with our first child moved to Preston and I began my career in law enforcement here in Idaho with the Preston Police Department where I have continued to be a full time peace officer. Over the years my wife and I have continued to grow our family, we have 8 children from ages 19 to 3.

To mention a few things about my time with the Preston Police Department. I am a Peace Officers Standards and Training (POST) certified firearms instructor and have been the firearms instructor for our agency for over 10 years. I am a POST TacMed (tactical medicine) instructor. I am a POST ALERRT (active shooter) instructor. I am a certified Forensic Interviewer, and oversee any tactical operations of our agency. In 2019 I was promoted to Sergeant, which makes me the second in command for our agency.

As Sergeant some of my roles are to oversee and supervise all the day to day operations, activities and reports of each of the officers. I approve all reports, I review all citations and I review body camera footage and the investigations of all our officers. I oversee the scheduling, the equipment use and needs of the agency and the officers. I aid and assist the officers in their investigations and ensure all policies, procedures, laws and the US and ID constitutions and being up held and followed.

Talbot: I started my career in 1999 with the Salt Lake County Sheriff Office in the jail. I participated in multiple assignments including housing, Movement Critical Response Team, mental health, and defensive tactics training. In 2008 I began working as a Deputy for Salt Lake County. When Unified Police was formed in 2010, I continued serving. In 2017 I began working as a School Resource Officer and Community officer. While working with the youth and community, I could see the positive impacts on both the youth and community.

I retired from Unified Police in 2021 to move to Preston for family after my wife’s Grandfather Larry Bradford passed away from cancer. In 2021 I was hired with Franklin County Sheriff Office as a Deputy and am still there.

My family has loved being here and have enjoyed the acceptance of the small-town community. My wife Kristal Bergquist Talbot and I have 3 boys that are 23, 19 & 13. My mother Arlene Talbot moved here shortly after we did to also enjoy family and the great community.

Wilson: I was born and raised on a family farm in Layton, Utah. I volunteered for two years as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Peru. I loved that experience! Se Habla Espanol.

I married my wife Vera in 1990 and we have four grown, amazing children and 8 terrific grandkids. In 1991, I graduated from the Weber State POST Police Academy and started my career for Weber County in Corrections, Court Interpretation, Negotiations, Transportations and Patrol. Other certifications include: Instructor for POST and Fred House Academy in Arrest Control, Hand-to-Hand Combat, Intro. to Spanish and S.A.T.T (Special Action Tactical Team).

In 2000, I began working for the Clinton City Police Department as a Patrol Officer. During my career there, I was promoted to FTO Officer, Detective, Corporal, and Sergeant. Other certifications I gained while working there were: FBI Hostage Negotiator and Firearms Instructor. I was asked to write several grants for equipment and assisted in writing grants for additional officers.These grants were a great benefit to the city. Throughout the first part of my career, I also worked part-time as an officer for other agencies including: Sunset, Harrisville and Weber State University, so that my wife could stay at home with our four children. I moved my family to Franklin, Idaho in October 2012 and I commuted to work until I retired in May 2013 with 22 years law enforcement experience.

Why are you seeking political office? Briefly explain your political platform.

Stoker: I take the responsibility of training our officers and mentoring them to be highly trained, confident and competent individuals very seriously. It is the responsibility of leadership to mentor and be working for those he leads. I want nothing more than to create the environment where our deputies can thrive. Where they can be proud of the work they do, proud of the contribution they make and eager to continue forward in their career’s being productive and continue learning. There is great value in experience and we need experienced deputies to conduct good quality police work for our community and for our residents. Providing the grounds for the experienced, hard working deputies to pave the way of mentorship and the building up of the new younger deputies that must surely come with time. Turn over in law enforcement is high across the nation, and we need and want quality individuals and to provide the means to retain them in our work. Our people are our greatest asset and then need to know that and value their work.

A department with hard working and quality deputies means outstanding service and relationships with community members. The community as a whole benefits from such an agency and for this reason, I seek to be Sheriff, for the deputies, for their careers, for their quality of life and for their families. The people of the County are the main benefactors of such an agency.

Talbot: While working at Franklin County Sheriff’s Office I have seen things that we as a community are missing. There has been a divide between law enforcement and community. I see the need to mend relationships and if done right we can all achieve. The past few years there has been a lack of structure in the leadership and lack of accountability. I see a need to bring accountability back to the Sheriff Office and only then can integrity exist. When I moved here, running for Sheriff was the last thing I was thinking about. I want to bring fresh eyes to the table and make proper adjustments so we as a community can thrive. Another reason is the lack of youth programs and realize that there are other methods than putting so many youth on probation.

Wilson: I love our Constitution. I take my oath to sustain and uphold the Constitution very seriously. I will make sure the citizens rights will not be violated! I’ve been asked by several people over the years to run for Sheriff of Franklin County. People are asking for change, for a fresh start, for a new way of looking at things. They’re tired of the status quo! I am as well and I know there’s a better way! I’ve worked for one of the largest Sheriff’s Departments in Utah and Clinton City doubled its population, while I worked there,so I know how things can and should be run differently. I know it will be challenging to bring this department up to meet the growth that this county has experienced. Here are a few of the programs that I would like to implement:

* 24 hour coverage – Franklin County does not currently have 24 hour coverage. There are multiple agencies that have 10 officers or less and have 24 hour coverage, Caribou County being one of them.

* EMT Deputies – I would like to have the Deputies become certified EMTs. It’s an inexpensive way to provide life saving services to the community.

* Youth Court – It is a court of peers where the judge and the jury are juveniles. It keeps the offender from having a record and has them perform community service. We implemented this in Clinton City and it was very successful. Juveniles do very well with a court of their peers.

What areas in your county need immediate improvement? What actions will you take to address those needs?

Talbot: Some of the areas in the county in my eyes are neglected due to lack of officer presence. I would like to encourage officers to be seen more in an attempt to detour crime. The value in this is not measurable due to if we detour it then it didn’t happen. This is a good thing.

Another is getting some of the youth programs going as soon as possible. The youth are our tomorrow and if they area pointed in the right direction, we all achieve.

Stoker: The first things I will seek to improve upon will be with the internals of the department itself. I will sit down and meet with each employee of the Sheriff’s department and I will outline to each of them our agency’s direction moving forward and what my expectations are of them. I will be clear in what is expected and thus make a platform where everyone is working on the same goals, working with the same mindset and all contributing towards the required area’s of our jobs in the Sheriff’s office. I will also have them lay out for me their goals, and things they would like to accomplish in the next months and year.

I will then have them explain what they can do themselves to work towards achieving their goals and also what can I as Sheriff do to help them meet their individual goals. Though there will be standards and expectations, it will also be a team effort and I will seek to assist them in meeting department goals and expectations as well as assist them in meeting their own goals and expectations. This is a process that will then be reviewed and repeated quarterly.

I seek to continue to sure up our emergency communications network. Our radio towers, repeaters and back ups to our primaries. Some equipment has already been purchased and I will move forward on budgeting for and seeking grants to be able to purchase the remainder of the equipment necessary and the installation…

Wilson: Did you know that Franklin County is larger in square miles than the island of Oahu, Hawaii and that we do not currently have 24 hour coverage? We need 24 hour coverage! This is something that MUST change! We are growing too fast and we are NOT currently planning ahead. Status Quo? Yes! We need change!! While I was at Clinton City, we had 7 officers and a Chief and had 24hr coverage, we can and must do it here. I WILL BE A WORKING SHERIFF. You will see me out on patrol.

I would like to implement a program, where each deputy is a certified EMT, with proper equipment in their patrol car. In Franklin County, the deputies almost always arrive before the ambulance. In critical situations, minutes can mean the difference between life and death. Having proper equipment and training saves lives. Franklin County deserves this service.

Proper communication is one of the greatest safety issues for the deputies. Currently, in Franklin County, our communication system is behind the times, leaving dead zones, where the deputies can neither communicate with or receive information from dispatch. It is also difficult to communicate with surrounding counties and other areas that have upgraded their systems. We need improvements made to our radio communication systems.

What are the greatest longterm challenges facing people in your county? What is your plan to meet those challenges?

Wilson: Currently in Franklin County, there is no 5, 10 or 20 year plan. How can a company, a government agency or just the average citizen, change anything today or tomorrow, without having a plan for the future?

Reaching our goal to meet the minimum number of deputies needed is our greatest long term challenge. As the county is growing with more homes and businesses, we will need to make room in our budgets for new deputies in the Sheriff’s Department. Did you also know that the average Police Officer to Person ratio should be 2.5 per 1000 and that Franklin County only has a ratio of .9 per 1000? We are behind on the number of deputies we should have. I know this may take years, but we need to bring this number up, for the safety of our citizens. We will need to make a plan to accomplish this.

We need more dispatchers. They’re the life-line not only to officers, but citizens as well. Our dispatch center dispatches for the Sheriff’s Office, Police Department, ISP, Fish and Game, Fire and EMS. It is currently staffed by one dispatcher at a time. I know these things take time,but we need to be planning for the future.

Having solid commissioners dedicated to the health and safety of the citizens of Franklin County is a vital part of accomplishing these long-term goals. I have the experience necessary to plan budgets and think outside the box to help accomplish these goals.

Stoker: Our long term challenges are like many other individuals face. Inflation and his home prices. Influx of people from other States and locations looking for a better place to live, retire or raise a family from where they had previously been. Having Counties and Cities work together in an effort to save our agricultural land and also composite for growth and development. The Sheriff’s role and responsibilities to the people of the county are to ensure rights are protected and reported crimes are adequately and appropriately investigated. All people are endowed by their creator with the right of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. We have a constitution and the Sheriff’s role is to ensure those rights are protected. The State of Idaho has laws and the Sheriff’s role is to ensure that if a crime has been committed then we investigate, if verified, we take appropriate actions and remand those responsible to the Courts where our Prosecutors take the case from there.

The way I meet those challenges are by understanding and enforcing the law. By understanding and following the US and ID constitutions and working cooperatively with the county prosecutor, the county and city leaders and also the residents themselves.

Talbot: I believe that our biggest challenge is the massive growth that we have seen within the past few years. This growth has come with no adjustment for the population we have accumulated. Staffing is low for our population, and I believe that this is due to the lack of fighting for new positions within the office and refusing to acknowledge the need to adjust for safety of both community and Deputy’s

How will you best represent the views of your constituents – even those with differing political views? How will you communicate directly with constituents?

Talbot: Communication is valuable in every aspect. With communication comes being a good listener and taking all ideas to come up with the best solution. Different views can be good at times and sometimes a certain view might just bring things together. I want to keep an open mind and bring forward the best solution for our community. When I communicate with others, I believe in showing the respect of their ideas and reminding all involved that this is for the benefit of our community that we are a part of.

Stoker: While the Sheriff must declare a political position and run and be elected, in the end, the Sheriff does not represent any one political party and he is not there to force his views and his will upon the county. The Sheriff serves the people, and that is all the people. The law is the law and if a crime is reported, we take the report, we investigate the matter and we review the outcomes of that investigation with the Idaho laws. If a crime is determined to have been committed, then we take the appropriate action, in accordance with the Idaho statutes. If it is determined that no law was violated or broken then the investigation is over. If we have questions or concerns we review those with our county prosecutor and seek his legal thoughts and advice. Everything we do can only be done under legal authority to do so and the Sheriff doesn’t get to go and do something simply because he is the Sheriff and wants to. We have the ability and responsibility to work cooperatively with our communities.

Our deputies can be contacted anytime for needs or questions through our dispatch center and the on duty deputy can respond and take those calls. The Sheriff himself can be contacted directly, phone calls, emails and through social media as examples. Social media has opened up valuable means of communicating with the public and providing notices and updates to issues. We seek to be active partners of…

Wilson: My political views are straightforward and transparent. I haven’t ever had an issue sitting down with someone with an opposing idea and listening to their point of view. I’ve found many times in my life that you have to start a conversation on something completely different and build on that, until you find common ground, then you can begin to work out your differences. I would welcome people to meet with me or call me. I would also post updates about the Sheriff’s office on social media and in the newspaper, if needed.

What parts of the county budget could use more funding? Where are places in the budget that cuts could be made?

Stoker: Until one is the Sheriff themself, the one sitting in the chair who oversees and does the budget and knows all the allocations of the resources, I could not adequately and appropriately fully answer this question. I can say this. The Sheriff is not able to allocate money to whatever he wants or wishes. The Sheriff can not simply hire new deputies, dispatchers, court personnel and or civil and drivers license personnel. The Sheriff puts together his budget request, lays out his needs and the money he needs for the many various different aspects of running his county agency and he provides that to the county commissioners who are the one with the power of the purse. They must decide on the money and funds allocated each year to the Sheriff’s department and the county clerk then oversees all those monies through the year.

But, the Sheriff is not the only one requesting money and funds and he is not the only one in the county who has needs. The budgeting process should be a cooperative effort between the Sheriff and county commissioners and the Sheriff needs to have the hard work of the deputies and his staff to show the justification of their needs and allocation of funds and resources.

Talbot: I would like to see a better breakdown in the county budget. I think that police and schools are two areas we can always say needs more funding. As far as cuts go this is something that would need to be looked at as an overall and limit or cut if needed.

Wilson: The county commission and clerk do a fantastic job working on Franklin County’s budget. I know it is a lot of work. I know that budgets are tight, but as we see growth in our community, we need to plan ahead for more deputies, dispatchers and radio communication upgrades. These are important safety issues, we need to put the safety of every citizen of Franklin County into the forefront. I think they’ve done a very good job on the budget and I don’t see anywhere, at the moment, that needs to be cut.

What is the role of local media in your community? How can county officials work to have a better relationship with the media?

Wilson: Our local media is the Preston Citizen. They do a terrific job of sharing positive local stories and informing our community on local news. They bring our community together through the information they provide. They provide information about local government, sports, schools, events and youth accomplishments, just to name a few. I don’t know what this community would do with the local news.

I love listening to the KACH radio station as well, they provide the coverage of the games for West Side and Preston, the Farm Reports and information about our community. That brings our community together! Local governments can make sure to invite these news outlets to cover important events and information about government meetings, changes and general news that would be beneficial to the people of Franklin County.

Stoker: Media should be there to provide information to the community. They should be there to provide the facts, the information given and so forth. I would hope they are there to keep people informed so that the individuals themselves can make their own determinations and come to their own conclusions, not the views of the media outlet themselves. Our local media people have sought to provide facts, but with the rise of social media, the ease of access to provide information and receive information, this has seen a decrease in local paper sales. I would work with our local media, I would not seek to actively dismiss nor deny them time. I will at the same time protect the case, protect the investigations and protect the victims and there are times where we simply can not and will not release information for the above listed reasons.

Talbot: In Franklin County we have seen minimal access utilized for our agency. Media over the years can be an essential part of policing. I have seen in the Salt Lake area that media can be used for getting quick information out, but it does not always have to be in negative aspects. There are plenty of opportunities that arise where can utilize the positives that also happen. I have seen that if a good relationship with media can be established then there can be a positive working relationship

Voter turnout and participation continues to be low in Idaho. What efforts can be made to stimulate greater voter involvement in elections and government?

Talbot: Social media can make a difference and informing public to do some research of the candidates. Personal contact is another one that leads to word of mouth and stressing that we do have the power to make a difference in our choice of leaders.

Wilson: President Reagan said,“Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction” I think some people have become a little complacent with voting and they think that their vote doesn’t matter. It does matter,especially in a local election! Search out the candidate that best matches your core values, the one with the experience needed to improve our community and provide safety.

I saw a Dad at a city council meeting recently, teaching his kids about local government. He was telling them what to expect at the meeting. This was a great example and good on so many levels. You can learn about the candidates on social media, every serious candidate has a social media page. I’ve been running Facebook Ads and letting people know what day the primary election is (May 21st) and my ideas for Franklin County.

Newspapers, local clubs and associations will usually have a “meet the candidate” forum. I have already done two of my own “meet and greets” where the public was welcome to come and meet me and ask questions. The Republican Party in Franklin County does a great job at inviting the public to get to know the candidates. April 25th is the Idaho State Level Candidate’s Night Forum at the Robinson Building.. Then on May 2nd at 6pm – Local Candidate’s Night Forum – Please come and meet the Local Candidates of Franklin County – Preston High School Gym. I will be there, you can meet with me and ask questions.

Stoker: All we can do is continue to provide information. Answer the questions that are asked, if they are not questions about an active investigation. Encourage and promote the election dates, times and locations. Community involvement and working together on issues that come up are valuable.