After four years away from the Liberty County Sheriff's Office, Fort Stewart Police Department Lt. Warren Waye is hoping to return to the department to restore what he believes is missing from local law enforcement.
The Midway resident recently announced his intention to run for county sheriff.
"I'm running based on the fact that we need to put serve-and-protect back into law enforcement. I feel that (the LCSO) is more of a reactive department now than a serve-and-protect department," the 47-year-old said.
It appears his campaign sets the stage of a repeat of 2004, when Waye challenged the re-election of his former boss, Sheriff Don Martin. At a recent Hinesville Rotary Club meeting Martin's chief deputy, Keith Moran, implied his boss would seek a fourth term and his organization has scheduled a barbecue for noon March 1 in Stafford Park. Martin is expected to announce his intentions to run at that event.
If both qualify as Democrats they will meet in a primary in July.
Waye said he believes his law enforcement philosophy will benefit the department and community.
"If we put the serve-and-protect back into law enforcement, I think our crime rate will go down based on just getting out and being visible in the community for that serve-and-protect part of law enforcement."
Waye said visibility of the police force is especially needed in the county's smaller communities without substations, including Riceboro and Gum Branch, where a lack of manpower leaves these areas at risk for crime.
And with 13 years of law enforcement experience -- four of which were in a supervisory position with the LCSO -- and hundreds of hours of additional law enforcement training, Waye said he has the fresh ideas that will get the department on track.
"I have some new ideas and I think the county is ready for some new ideas for the direction of the department," he said. "And all of those ideas will come out as the campaign gets into full swing."
Preparing for a second attempt to oust Martin, Waye said he learned the dos and don'ts of campaigning during his first foray into politics in 2004. He hopes to use those lessons to bring out more voters and a victory in 2008.
"I think one of the things I failed to do last time was let everybody know I was running. If I saw someone in the store, I didn't say, 'Hey, I'm running for sheriff,'" Waye said. "But politics is more hands on in a small community and I've learned what it takes to get out there and let people know who I am...and I'm expecting to bring in some numbers that were not there the last time."
In that last race, both men ran as Democrats. There was also a third candidate, but Martin still avoided a runoff by getting 54 percent of the votes cast, 3,125 to Waye's 2,066. The third candidate got 595.
The Midway resident recently announced his intention to run for county sheriff.
"I'm running based on the fact that we need to put serve-and-protect back into law enforcement. I feel that (the LCSO) is more of a reactive department now than a serve-and-protect department," the 47-year-old said.
It appears his campaign sets the stage of a repeat of 2004, when Waye challenged the re-election of his former boss, Sheriff Don Martin. At a recent Hinesville Rotary Club meeting Martin's chief deputy, Keith Moran, implied his boss would seek a fourth term and his organization has scheduled a barbecue for noon March 1 in Stafford Park. Martin is expected to announce his intentions to run at that event.
If both qualify as Democrats they will meet in a primary in July.
Waye said he believes his law enforcement philosophy will benefit the department and community.
"If we put the serve-and-protect back into law enforcement, I think our crime rate will go down based on just getting out and being visible in the community for that serve-and-protect part of law enforcement."
Waye said visibility of the police force is especially needed in the county's smaller communities without substations, including Riceboro and Gum Branch, where a lack of manpower leaves these areas at risk for crime.
And with 13 years of law enforcement experience -- four of which were in a supervisory position with the LCSO -- and hundreds of hours of additional law enforcement training, Waye said he has the fresh ideas that will get the department on track.
"I have some new ideas and I think the county is ready for some new ideas for the direction of the department," he said. "And all of those ideas will come out as the campaign gets into full swing."
Preparing for a second attempt to oust Martin, Waye said he learned the dos and don'ts of campaigning during his first foray into politics in 2004. He hopes to use those lessons to bring out more voters and a victory in 2008.
"I think one of the things I failed to do last time was let everybody know I was running. If I saw someone in the store, I didn't say, 'Hey, I'm running for sheriff,'" Waye said. "But politics is more hands on in a small community and I've learned what it takes to get out there and let people know who I am...and I'm expecting to bring in some numbers that were not there the last time."
In that last race, both men ran as Democrats. There was also a third candidate, but Martin still avoided a runoff by getting 54 percent of the votes cast, 3,125 to Waye's 2,066. The third candidate got 595.