BEDFORD, Va. – A longtime local deputy hopes to make history.
Capt. Tim Hayden is running for Bedford County Sheriff. If he is elected, he will be the first African-American to hold the position.
In front of supporters on Tuesday Hayden announced his run for office.
Current Sheriff Mike Brown will retire at the end of the year.
Hayden has 34 years of experience in law enforcement and tells us his plan is to focus on school safety.
He currently supervises all resource officers in the middle and high schools.
“Sheriff Brown, God bless his soul, been trying diligently to get us more SROs for the elementary schools. I’ve got a plan to use money that we already have, instead of patrolling the roads, (we’re) patrolling the schools,” Hayden said.
Bedford County Sheriff’s Capt. Mike Miller and retired federal law enforcement officer Kent Robey are also on the ballot.