— Three Republicans will vie for the party’s nomination for Wagoner County sheriff in the June 26 primary elections, and the winner will face one Democrat in the general election Nov. 6.

Sheriff Bob Colbert, a Wagoner Republican, has held the office since 2008. He has 35 years of law enforcement experience, he said.

Colbert’s main concern is methamphetamine.

“Every crime we have seems to be tied back to meth somehow,” he said. “I’ve been very aggressive from day one about the meth problem because it just seems to be the root of everything criminal.”

Colbert said that during his first term as the sheriff, the department has seen a large drug sweep resulting in 18 drug dealers off the streets; an increase in staff from 11 deputies and one investigator to 20 and five, respectively; improved technology and considerable savings in jail operations.

If re-elected he plans to continue working in the same direction for the next four years.

“Crime is down in Wagoner County,” he said. “I can absolutely say we are better off than we were four years ago.”

Candidate Allen Streeter, a Republican from Broken Arrow, said he feels strongly about working relationships within law enforcement and making a strong rapport with community members.

If elected, he wants to work on improving cooperation among all law enforcement agencies in the county, place deputies in local schools for youth and have an open-door policy with the community.

“I taught the DARE program in Broken Arrow schools for six years. Kids are our future, and we need to take care of them,” Streeter said. “I’d also like to have a breakfast once a month in different communities in which community members could sit down and chat with the sheriff about their concerns.”

Streeter has 33 years of law enforcement experience, including 24 years with the Broken Arrow Police Department. He also worked as a reserve Wagoner County sheriff’s deputy and now working as a reserve deputy with Tulsa County.

He also is employed by Tulsa Public Schools as a police officer.

Candidate Tim Guinn, R-Porter, is the deputy chief at the Porter Police Department. He has been a patrolman and chief at the department, handling everything from budgeting to administration to investigations, he said.

He also works as an information technology security analyst in the oil industry, a job that he said provides him with the skills in administration, human resources and managing budgets necessary for the sheriff’s position.

Guinn’s platform also focuses largely on working relations with other law enforcement agencies, the community and youth.

“I think there’s truly a lack of a working relationship between Wagoner County law enforcement agencies, and I hope to mend those fences,” he said.

Guinn also wants to put deputies in schools to create a closer relationship with youths and tackle drug abuse.

“I think it all ties together really,” he said. “I think if all the law enforcement agencies work closely together, it will push us much farther than we are on the drug problems.”

The Democrat running for sheriff, James Carver of Broken Arrow said the Wagoner County sheriff needs to work to prevent crime, not just react to it. He plans to increase specialized narcotics training for deputies and establish increased cooperation with the district attorney’s Drug Task Force and local law enforcement to fight narcotics.

Carver plans to work with schools to create an outreach program in the county’s communities and increase the number of deputies on patrol.

“Wagoner County encompasses over 561 square miles and has a population of over 73,000,” he said. “We are not adequately protecting our citizens when we have only two or three deputies covering that vast area.”

Carver has 15 years of law enforcement experience, all within Wagoner County, he said.

“I believe I possess the experience necessary to deal with the issues that trouble our community,” he said. “I am proud to call Wagoner County my home; however, I believe that it can become an even better place with new and more focused leadership in our Sheriff’s Department.”

Reach Wendy Burton at (918) 684-2926 or wburton@muskogeephoenix.com.

Wagoner County sheriff candidates

Bob Colbert

Republican, Wagoner

AGE: 57.

HOMETOWN: Tahlequah.

FAMILY: Wife, Janet; sons, Adam and Brent; daughter-in-law, Melissa.

OCCUPATION: Wagoner County Sheriff.

EDUCATION: Attended Northeastern State University and Rogers State College.

RELIGIOUS AFFILIATION: Baptist.

HOBBIES: Fishing, hunting, golf.



Allen L. Streeter

Republican, Broken Arrow

AGE: 60.

HOMETOWN: Broken Arrow.

FAMILY: Wife, Denise; sons, Scott, Kyle and David; daughter, Shanna; six grandchildren; one great-grandchild.

OCCUPATION: Machinist for American Airlines and a Tulsa Public Schools police officer, with certification by the Council on Law Enforcement Education and Training.

EDUCATION: Oklahoma Junior College graduate.

RELIGIOUS AFFILIATION: Christian.

HOBBIES: Old cars.



Tim Guinn

Republican, Porter

AGE: 33.

HOMETOWN: Broken Arrow.

FAMILY: Wife, Jentri, and three daughters.

OCCUPATION: Deputy chief of Porter Police Department and oil industry information technology security analyst.

EDUCATION: Trade school. Reserve certification from Council on Law Enforcement Education and Training.

RELIGIOUS AFFILIATION: Christian.

HOBBIES: Hunting and fishing.



James Carver

Democrat, Broken Arrow

AGE: 40.

HOMETOWN: Broken Arrow.

FAMILY: Wife, Kim; three children, Hailea, Austin and Hayden.

EDUCATION: Council on Law Enforcement Education and Training certified. Law enforcement education includes: Basic Narcotics Investigator Course (taught by the Drug Enforcement Administration), Clandestine Laboratory Investigation (taught by Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation), and an introductory course to Patrol Drug Investigation.

RELIGIOUS AFFILIATION: Christian.

HOBBIES: Basketball, riding motorcycles and recreational shooting.

Key dates

• June 20 — Last day to request absentee ballot for primary election.

• June 22 — Early voting, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

• June 23 — Early voting, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

• June 25 — Early voting,  8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

• June 26 — Primary election.

• Aug. 28 — Runoff primary election.

• Nov. 6 — General election.