By Verna Slate, Williamson County Bureau
HERRIN, Ill. — Quinn Laird spent a career giving orders inside the Herrin Police Department. Now the retired chief wants to run the whole county's law enforcement, entering the race for Williamson County sheriff, the Southern Illinoisan reports.
Laird's candidacy puts a known name from one of the county's largest municipal departments into a countywide contest that touches every town from Crainville to Crab Orchard. Sheriff's races in this county carry weight beyond the badge — the office has long been a proving ground for who gets taken seriously in local politics.
The Southern Illinoisan's report did not lay out Laird's platform or list any opponents already in the field. What's clear is that a retired police chief with Herrin roots is now asking voters countywide to trust him with a bigger jurisdiction.
Expect more names to surface before filing closes. In Williamson County, the sheriff's race rarely stays quiet for long.
— Compiled from reporting by the Southern Illinoisan.
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