Interview: Chief Larry Travis

Cobleskill Police Chief Larry Travis never actively sought out the Democratic county committee's backing for Sheriff, only being approached after Sheriff Desmond took the Republican nomination, and even then decided to delay his campaign's launch until after Labor Day weekend - becoming the last of the three candidates to hit the trail.

 

In our conversation Chief Travis admitted his political novice: at that time he had just received his yard signs, had only visited a few town caucuses and told me he wasn't willing to put his campaign before his job as Cobleskill's top law enforcement officer, although he did collect enough signatures to form the "Shield of Integrity Party," his independent line over the summer.

 

 

Photo courtesy of Travis for Sheriff website

The Issues

 

Travis stressed early in our conversation that Schoharie County faces a "bigger issue with pharmaceutical drugs [such as] heroin, etc."  than marijuana and that it is not just this area but "neighboring counties" that are also dealing with these typically urban, harder drugs as well. During the past year and a half Chief Travis' police force has arrested ten individuals for both possession of and intent to sell heroin.
 

He also informed me of his past support for Bill Slater's candidacy in the 2009 Sheriff's race because of the high level of cooperation between the two departments during the previous administration that "is now lacking" under Sheriff Desmond's watch.
 

SAFE Act

 

Acknowledging that his answer would be based on his perspective as a law enforcement officer, Travis cited the magazine capacity limit and broad definition of assault weapon for why he personally was opposed to the SAFE Act, but that he "would enforce it because the Sheriff's role is not to legislate."

 

In Conclusion

 

When asked what issues defined his election bid, Travis listed: "leadership, community and structure," as both the core tenets of his campaign and the weaknesses of the Sheriff's Department under the incumbent's administration, which he would seek to rebuild. And what of his opponent's decision to seek the Republican nomination that eventually fueled his campaign bid? Simply put: he's "an opportunist."