JONESBORO, Ga. — Voters will be watching the race for Clayton County sheriff when the primary election results come in later in May. The race pits the incumbent sheriff against the chairman of the Clayton County Board of Commissioners.
"I think I was suspended 35 days," Clayton County sheriff Levon Allen told a candidate forum in March. "I think I’d been disciplined the most probably in the history of the sheriff's department."
Allen says he learned from his mistakes. He now runs the Clayton County Jail. The sheriff also secures the county courthouse, and his deputies serve warrants.
When Allen’s predecessor, Victor Hill, was in office, the sheriff was also a flashpoint. Hill went to federal prison for violating the civil rights of Clayton County Jail inmates. To replace him, Hill endorsed Allen in a special election last year.
Allen won and told the forum audience he could make a difference, but he needed more time. He added that he also needed more jail space to relieve overcrowding, and Allen blamed the Clayton Board of Commissioners for the overcrowding.
Jeff Turner, a former police chief who was elected three times as chairman of the board of commissioners, is now running to replace Allen as sheriff.
"Something has to be done with the Clayton County Jail. And for me, that’s unacceptable for us to continue down this road. So, that helped me make my decision," Turner said.
Two other candidates are running against Allen and Turner: Charlene Watson Fraser and Clarence Cox, who also have law enforcement experience. Cox lost narrowly to Allen in a special election last year.
Turner says Allen has failed to use the jail’s budget to fund the number of correctional officers needed to manage inmates.
"That’s because they have placed so many of them out on the streets," Turner said.
When Hill was sheriff, he called himself a crime fighter – sending deputies out to answer calls, even though Clayton County has a separate police department to handle crime. Sheriff Allen continues to do that.
In the forum, Allen decried the county’s fiscal management of the jail. He said he needs $6.5 million to buy trailers to house an overflow of inmates.
Allen didn’t respond to our request to schedule an interview.
A few weeks ago, former sheriff Victor Hill announced on social media he was withdrawing his support for Allen. Allen claimed Hill was trying to manipulate the sheriff’s office backstage.
Turner says, among other things, Clayton County needs to move on from the Victor Hill era in this election.