Three-term incumbent Kevin Byars on Tuesday, Jan. 2 announced his intent to seek re-election as Marshall County Sheriff.
Byars filed papers in the Marshall County Clerk’s office Tuesday morning. A native of Marshall County, Byars began his career in law enforcement as a deputy jailer at the Marshall County Detention Center and as a Kentucky State Park ranger at Kenlake State Resort Park before becoming a deputy with the Marshall County Sheriff’s Office.
Byars said if re-elected he hopes to focus on assembling interdiction teams, should the budget allow.
“Especially now with the advent of what’s going on in Calvert City, with the upgrade to I-24 and turning Purchase Parkway into I-69,” Byars said. “That is a super highway for drug trafficking, we already know that. It’s not worked that often. State police have some interdiction teams out there, but that’s a long stretch of highway and not enough people.”
Byars also said he would like to look at adding more school resource officers to assist existing SRO Ray Chumbler in covering the county’s remaining schools. Obtaining a larger facility to house the sheriff’s office was a priority for Byars in the coming years, as well.
Byars and his wife Jennifer have two daughters – Olivia and Emily – and reside in Benton.