Kingfisher County Republicans could elect a new county sheriff next week in the June 18 primary, but a runoff election could happen because there are four candidates who want that job.

If one of the candidates gets 50 percent-plus one of the votes cast, then there will be a winner next week.

If not, then the top two vote-getters will be on the runoff ballot on Aug. 27.

The winner of a runoff would then be the elected sheriff and take office for a fouryear term in January 2025.

All county candidates were contacted and there is no charge to them for their participation in our attempt to get more voter information to our readers.

In addition to completing our questionnaire we asked them to limit their answers to each question to 125 words. We also wrote them that if they went over that limit, we’d edit it to fill our space.

We also reminded them that the Times & Free Press isn’t Facebook “so please mind your manners in your answers so we don’t have to do it for you.”

Due to the who-can-you-trust climate of this election, we also wrote them: “Be assured your information will not be shared outside of our staff until it’s made public in our online and print newspapers.”

Meet Your Kingfisher County Sheriff Candidates

Jeremiah N. Loper, 36, was born in Temple, Texas, and has lived in Kingfisher for seven years.

He lists his current occupation as police officer. Previous employment: Kingfisher County Jail, Hennessey Police Department and Tony’s Pump and Supply.

Loper graduated from Belton (Texas) High School.

He is a member of the Masonic Lodge.

This is his first time to run for public office.

Aaron R. Pitts, 34, was born in Oklahoma City and has lived in Kingfisher for 12 years.

He has been a police officer for the Hennessey Police Deptartment since July 2017 and was named department chief by the Hennessey Board of Trustees in February 2022. Pitts worked at the Enid Police Department from 2016-17 and was a crane operator for Weatherford International from 2013-16.

He and his wife, Ariel, have three sons: Jaxon, 14; Jett 11; and Jonah, 6. Mrs. Pitts is the owner and dog groomer at Scissortails Dog Salon and Spa.

Pitts is a 2008 honors graduate from Hennessey High School and attended Oklahoma State University in 2008-09; Redlands Community College in 200910, then Northern Oklahoma College and earned his CLEET certification in early 2017.

He is a member of the Coronado Masonic Lodge #56 in Hennessey, and the Kingfisher Federated Church.

This is his first time to run for public office.

Jonathan Riedlinger, 42, was born in Dodge City, Kan., and has lived in Kingfisher for 20 years.

He is currently the undersheriff at the Kingfisher County Sheriff’s Office after the retirement of Barry Reilly. He has worked there since 2013 and worked at the Kingfisher Police Department from 2005-13 and Mainer Ford from 2016-19.

He is married to Lynda (Leatherwood), an English teacher at Okarche High School.

Riedlinger graduated from Beaver High School and from CLEET in 2005 and has more than 1,300 hours of continuing education.

He is a member of the Limitless Church in Kingfisher.

This is his first time to run for public office.

Forrest R. Smith, 50, was born in Tulsa and has lived in Okarche for six years.

He is currently the public safety director for the City of Minco. He was Okarche police chief from 2018-24; City of Perry assistant police chief from 2013-18 and assistant police chief for the Otoe Missouria Tribe from 2010-13.

He and his wife, Gina, have two children: Scout, 10, and Harlie, 21. Mrs. Smith works at the Federal Department of Health and Human Services as a financial management analyst.

Smith graduated from Cleveland (Okla.) High School, earned a bachelor’s degree from Northeastern State University; an associate’s science degree from Rogers State College, and Central Tech for business management and law enforcement training.

He is a member of the Masonic Lodge.

Smith ran for Pawnee County sheriff in 2012.

QUESTIONS FOR CANDIDATES

What law enforcement and administrative experience do you have for this position?

Loper: “I began my law enforcement career at the Kingfi sher County jail in 2018, where I was tasked with maintaining the safety and well-being of the inmates, booking in and releasing inmates, all the while keeping the peace, often times being the only jailer on duty. I then became a reserve police officer for the Hennessey Police department in 2019, while still employed with the Kingfisher jail. I resigned my position with Kingfisher County in late 2020 and shortly after I was sent to CLEET. I continued my career path in law enforcement with the Hennessey Police Department. During this time in Hennessey, I practiced the necessary skills for narcotics enforcement, DUI’s, also while taking calls for service I was responsible for the most drug arrests, domestic assaults and DUI’s in Hennessey. I later became trained in highway drug interdiction with the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics. I also became a line safety officer to qualify officers for firearm qualifi cations.”

Pitts: “I began working at the Enid Police Department in 2016 and continued to work there until 2017. In 2017, I began working at the Hennessey Police Department. I have been the chief of police for the Hennessey Police Department since February of 2022. As chief, I have a long list of responsibilities. Those include preparing and maintaining records and reports, managing employees and investigations, assigning programs and police activities, developing policies and regulations, planning the department’s budgets and attending board of trustee meetings. I am also the Town of Hennessey’s Emergency Management director.”

Riedlinger: “Besides four previous years as a dispatcher and jailer, my law enforcement career started in 2005 for the Kingfisher Police Department and ended in 2013. I was hired on in 2013 as a reserve deputy with the Kingfisher County Sheriff’s Office. In 2014, I transitioned into the role of full-time deputy, where I held this position until 2016. I then transitioned back to a reserve deputy and in 2020, I transitioned into the role of fulltime deputy, where I am currently employed. As of April of 2024, I was promoted to the position of undersheriff, after the previous undersheriff retired.”

Smith: “I began my 27-year policing career in 1995, holding titles such as officer, sergeant, lieutenant and detective. Throughout my career, I have been assigned to multiple investigative units, including uniformed patrol, narcotics, criminal investigations, burglary/property crime and child exploitation and sexual assault. My 13 years of administrative experience include serving as assistant chief with the federally-recognized tribal agency of the Otoe-Missouria Tribe, the Perry Police Department, where I would leave to accept the position of chief of police in Okarche, and my current position as Public Safety director for Minco. This extensive background in both frontline policing and administrative roles has provided me with a comprehensive understanding of law enforcement operations and leadership, making me well-prepared for the challenges and responsibilities of this position.”

Do you believe there are any problems in the sheriff’s office/detention center that voters should know about? If so, what are they and how will you tackle the problem(s)? Be specific.

Loper: “I do not currently work for the sheriff’s department

therefore I do not want to speculate and give any false information. Issues will need to be addressed professionally, ethically and timely. Anything discussed in my office will stay between myself and the individual(s) that need to be involved. I will create a positive work environment and work as a team.”

Pitts: “It would be unfair for me to speak about any problems in the sheriff’s office since I don’t currently work there. Like everyone else, I have heard about issues. I’m not sure if they are true or not and it wouldn’t be right for me to speak about them. Once elected, I would be able to have a better grasp of all the issues. If we find any issues, you can be assured they will be dealt with immediately.”

Smith: “I believe it is crucial to address any concerns within the sheriff’s office and detention center to restore trust and confi dence among the community. Currently, there are significant issues related to trust, transparency, training and professionalism that need immediate attention. The office has been plagued by numerous lawsuits, raising serious questions about the ethical standards and overall conduct within the department. This has understandably led to a diminished sense of trust among the public and a perception of harboring transgressions. I will implement several key measures: Transparency, zero tolerance for unprofessionalism and ethical violations, enhanced training program. By focusing on these areas, we can address the current issues head-on and create a sheriff’s offi ce that operates with the highest levels of trust, transparency and professionalism.”

Riedlinger: “Departments always have room for improve- ments and not one agency can ever say they have a perfect department. However, over the last three years I have been employed there, our office has made improvements to make sure case work is followed up on. Sending deputies to get specialized training to help ensure better case work. Supervisor levels are in place, giving a proper chain of command for deputies. Assisting local, state and federal agencies with their investigations, as well as getting assistance from them for ours. With our current detention center, we have been able to provide a better and safer environment for detainees. Also, with our current jail administrator, she has been able to not only keep workplace injuries down to a low level, but also complaints for lawsuits as there have been none since she took over.”

If elected, do you plan to make any staffing changes in the near future? If yes, explain why?

Loper: “My plan is to professionally assess and evaluate each employee working for the sheriff’s department. It is important to me that we have a safe and structured work environment. I will start by having the employees that want to continue working under my leadership re-apply as is the normal process after an election. The process will be handled fairly and according to my goals for the sheriff’s department, which includes being transparent, professional and proactive most of all.”

Pitts: “If the budget will allow it, I want to increase staffing and have a minimum staffing procedure in place for each of the shifts. My goal is to have as many deputies as the budget will allow.”

Smith: “As a candidate for sheriff, my primary goal is to reform the sheriff’s office to enhance efficiency, accountability and community trust. I will conduct thorough staff evaluations to identify strengths and areas for improvement through performance reviews, interviews and community feedback. Based on these evaluations, I will make necessary staffing changes, reassign roles, promote deserving personnel, and recruit talent committed to our values. I will introduce continuous training programs focused on modern policing techniques, community engagement, and ethical standards to ensure all staff members are wellequipped. Additionally, I will establish clear, transparent policies emphasizing integrity, accountability, and professionalism, with regular ethics training and a zero-tolerance policy for misconduct. Implementing these reforms, I aim to create a respected and trusted sheriff’s office committed to high standards.”

Riedlinger: “As far as staffing changes go, I cannot make promises to current employees, nor to individuals who have inquired about possible hiring positions, as that is an ethics violation for ‘Misuse of Authority.’ However, with pending budget approvals, I would like to continue to grow our patrol deputy staff to allow for more deputies on the road. This will improve on our responses to calls of service, proactive work and community relations.”

In addition to deputies who live in Kingfisher, will Hennessey, Dover and other small towns continue to have one or more assigned deputies living in or near those towns if you’re elected?

Loper: “I encourage any individual that lives in our county to apply for our team. I will develop a schedule to fit the needs of our county residents. My goal is structured around officer safety and to possibly have three to four deputies on shift at a time. One deputy strategically placed in each corner of our county to effectively address the needs of our community, reduce officer response time, maintain officer safety and enhance public safety. I would not assign a deputy to his or her town permanently for the reason that an officer needs to be well-rounded in all parts of the county. Having a deputy in their hometown can be beneficial and a disadvantage at times.”

Pitts: “It’s definitely ideal to have deputies living in every community throughout the county. I’m not sure if the current staff is able to do that, or not, but it would definitely be something I’d be willing to work on. Having a deputy closer to all of our communities would cut down on response time in all emergencies. It would also give deputies, and local officers, better back-ups on stops and investigations.”

Riedlinger: “We do not assign deputies to where they live within the county of Kingfisher. In a perfect world, it would be great to have deputies living within the county and closer to smaller communities. We are currently two deputies short and since the ‘Defund the Police’ movement, it has been hard to find deputies to work for sheriff’s departments throughout the state. That’s because they can receive a higher salary from a municipality or state agency and not have all the daily responsibilities. Our office, like all other law enforcement agencies in our county, allows staff to live outside of the jurisdiction and commute to work.”

Smith: “The safety and security of all towns within Kingfisher County are my top priority. I firmly believe that having deputies living in, or near, our smaller towns such as Hennessey and Dover is crucial. Not only does this ensure a rapid response to any incidents, but it also fosters a stronger, more personalized relationship between our deputies and the communities they serve. I am committed to maintaining and even enhancing the presence of deputies in these areas. By living within the communities they protect, our deputies can better understand the unique needs, and concerns, of each town, building trust and cooperation with local residents. This approach is beneficial not just for law enforcement, but for the overall well-being of our communities.”