Former Trigg County Sheriff’s Deputy Mike Manzanares is one of four people who have filed their intent to appear as a write-in candidate in the November general election for Trigg County sheriff.
Manzanares has 27 years of law enforcement experience that began as an auxiliary officer at the Christian County Sheriff’s Department in 1995. He later worked at the Hopkinsville Police Department and with Kentucky State Police before retiring in 2017.
He worked for the department of parks before joining the Trigg County Sheriff’s Department a year ago. However, Manzanares said he resigned last week in the wake of a Kentucky State Police investigation into the alleged misconduct of Sheriff Aaron Acree.
click to download audioManzanares filed his intent to run as a write-in candidate with the Trigg County Clerk’s Office on April 6, which was 12 days before Commonwealth’s Attorney Carrie Ovey-Wiggins requested a special prosecutor be appointed to oversee the investigative findings involving Acree.
He said he filed in order to keep the sheriff’s department running as a functioning police agency.
click to download audioManzanares said he has law enforcement experience the other write-in candidates do not have.
click to download audioHe also said his experience as an investigator sets him apart from the other candidates.
Manzanares said there are some fences that need mending in the community, including with other police agencies and first responders in the county.
click to download audioWhen Manzanares resigned last week, he said there were eight full-time deputies and one part-time deputy. He would like to see that increased to at least 10 full-time deputies but knows he must work within the restraints of a budget.
Manzanares said he has a Facebook page where he has been explaining the write-in process to potential voters.
The News Edge has previously spoken to write-in candidates David Tomlinson and Mike Sandbrink. There will be a future interview with write-in candidate Ronnie Mazac as well as Sheriff Acree prior to the November election.
