Oregon Police Chief Mike Navarre announced Wednesday he is pulling petitions to run for Lucas County sheriff.
Chief Navarre, 64, worked 34 years for the Toledo Police Department — the last 13 as chief. He became Oregon’s police chief in 2012.
Current Sheriff John Tharp is retiring at the end of his term, which expires at the end of 2020.
Chief Navarre will run as a Democrat in the March 17 primary, though he did not screen for the Lucas County Democratic Party’s endorsement.
Those who screened include sitting Toledo City Councilmen Gary Johnson and Chris Delaney; Ronald Collins, a lieutenant in the Lucas County Sheriff’s office’s civil section; Daniel Raab, a Toledo police sergeant and head of the Toledo Police Command Officers’ Association; Kelly Thibert, a detective sergeant with Oregon police; Maurice Morris, who retired from the Lucas County Sheriff’s Office; and Earl Mack, a retired Ohio Department of Public Safety official.
Party leadership did not pick one candidate to endorse ahead of the primary election but recommended the public choose from these four: Mr. Delaney, Mr. Johnson, Mr. Mack, and Mr. Raab. Both Mr. Johnson and Mr. Delaney would have to resign their post on council if elected.
“We had seven people screen for our support. Four of them are Democrats who have extensive experience in law enforcement that have supported our candidates and party,” Lucas County Democratic Party Chairman Kurt Young said. “We’re not endorsing one. We’re saying ‘here’s four law enforcement officials that would make a good sheriff.’”
He said those four candidates will be able to share the party’s resources such as voter databases and discounted mailings in the lead up to the primary election.
Brett Warner is the Lucas County Republican Party’s favorite to replace Sheriff Tharp. He has worked in law enforcement since 1993, first with Waterville Township police and then with the Lucas County Sheriff’s office
He is the office’s community affairs director and oversees the DARE program in 26 Lucas County schools. He also serves as a Waterville Township trustee.
“We’ll be eating popcorn and watching the Democrat primary with great interest,” Lucas County Republican Party Chairman Mark Wagoner, Jr., said. “The only thing we know for certain is that Brett Warner, a veteran and highly qualified law enforcement officer, will be on the ballot this November.”
Chief Navarre said it is important that the “right person” end up in the sheriff’s office, and he believes the local Democrats’ choice to back four candidates instead of one creates a situation “where we really don’t know who is going to get elected.”
“If they had endorsed one of the people I thought were very qualified — and there were several — I would have supported that, but they didn’t do that,” he said, declining to say who he wished the party leadership had supported.
He believes he would be best for the position because of his years of law enforcement and administrative experience.
“I’ve been a chief of police in both the largest city and a smaller suburb for the last 21 years. You learn a lot,” he said. “I have a genuine concern for the success of quality law enforcement in Lucas County.”
Mr. Young said he was disappointed the chief did not approach the party for support and chose to announce his candidacy after the screening process closed.
“We would have loved to have screened him and given him the opportunity to present why he should be the endorsed candidate,” he said. “I know he’s a good Democrat. I know his credentials.”
He said he expects party leadership will back whoever wins the primary election going into the general election in November.
The deadline to file for the primary election is Dec. 18.
Blade staff writer Jay Skebba contributed to this report.
First Published December 11, 2019, 3:29 p.m.
