Candidates for Spartanburg County Sheriff: Meet Rusty Clevenger
In an effort to help readers know more about the candidates and their stances on key issues facing the Spartanburg County Sheriff's Office, the Herald-Journal sent four questions to each candidate – one tailored to his individual experience and three that are identical. Some answers have been edited lightly for length or clarification.
Rusty Clevenger
Age: 61Occupation: Coroner of Spartanburg CountyEducation: High school graduate with college hours in criminal justice studies and various specialized trainingFamily: Married with two adult children.
You have served in an elected role as Spartanburg County Coroner since 2009. In what ways does this experience prepare you to lead law enforcement efforts, work with the county council, and serve as a countywide political official?
I was a Sheriff's deputy from 1985 until 1997 in various roles, from patrol deputy to narcotics investigator to homicide investigator.
I then went to work on prosecuting cases in the Solicitors Office. Victims expect justice, and that is what I helped provide for 11 years. I helped put violent offenders in prison to keep our streets safe.
I now lead a death investigative department that is responsible for 24-hour-a-day, countywide coverage. I manage a budget and have been successful in obtaining raises for my staff, managed a response to a pandemic and opioid drug overdose epidemic, and put policies and procedures in place to make the job equitable to all who work for me. I lead by example and to raise other leaders. County Council knows when I ask for anything, research has been done, and they have a practical understanding of why tax dollars need to be spent.
Based on your understanding of the situation in the Spartanburg County Sheriff's Office currently, what would you do in your first month (or week or six months or year…) to improve morale among deputies and staff members?
I will evaluate hiring practices and develop incentives for current employees. I don't think the office has a recruitment problem; they have a retention problem.
My command staff and I will conduct a deep dive into policy and procedures. I think the office may have some outdated or inconsistent policies that can lead to confusion. I think it imperative the new Sheriff give a clear understanding what he is asking staff to do.
I will evaluate the current methodology in training. This is a critical element in professional development, from new hires all the way up to the Sheriff.
I will evaluate the chain of command and ensure it is established and followed.
I will evaluate the disciplinary actions in the office to ensure they are clear and consistent.
I will begin to restore trust with administration and county council so budgetary needs of the office can be met.
The subject of pay for deputies has been a focus of discussion in this race. Salaries vary from county to county and among various municipal police forces. What can be done to keep Spartanburg County Sheriff's Office salaries competitive with those of surrounding departments?
The Sheriff needs to study salaries and have a comprehensive plan with Spartanburg County Council. The argument has to be made that we spend tens of thousands of dollars on training alone to obtain a fully useful deputy. If we don't have a plan in place, Spartanburg does not get a fruitful return if they go to another agency to utilize the training we pay for.
Since President Trump took office in January, there has been considerable discussion about immigration enforcement. ICE is set to receive a substantial increase in funding following the recent budget legislation that was signed into law. Candidates for Spartanburg County Sheriff have expressed support for ICE's efforts to target illegal immigrants.
At the same time, some residents are worried about the potential presence of masked ICE officers using heavy-handed tactics in our community. Others are anxious about the possibility of ICE mistakenly detaining legal immigrants, naturalized citizens – or even U.S.-born citizens. How would you balance support for the federal crackdown on illegal immigration while protecting the rights of individuals and communities in Spartanburg County?
I support requiring people in our country illegally to return to their country and reapply for citizenship the legal way.
I do not support masked deputies, so that will not be a concern with me. My administration will check the status of identification to add to the verification process. Fear is spread for various reasons. If you have the proper documentation, that fear should be relieved.
This article originally appeared on Herald-Journal: Clevenger currently serves as Spartanburg County Coroner
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