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Tom is married and the son of a World War II Veteran. He and his wife attend Faith Baptist Church. 

Tom has experience as a Deputy, Chief Investigator, Presidential Protection Task Force Member, Swat Team member, and detective. He has also operated a construction company.

In 2008, Tom Jones ran for Union County Sheriff but did not win.

Said, "I hate drug dealers and the havoc they continue to wreak upon small, peace-loving communities like ours."

Plans to revamp the Sheriff’s Office Undercover Drug Unit and reinstate Union County into the Drug Task Force.

Wants to create a Child ID Program to help recover missing children with up-to-date, quality photographs, fingerprints, and descriptive information.

Wants to implement a Citizen Academy with crime scene investigation, patrol operations, and firearms training.

Wishes to reinstate crime watch programs.

Promises to initiate better patrol services for the citizens of Suches.

Said, "If [you're] are a rancher or farmer, the Sheriff’s Office can arrange an Agency Agreement with the owner. It allows the Sheriff’s Office Agricultural Patrol Unit to patrol your property and make arrest of trespassers."

Wants to create a patrol request program.

- Said, "I hate drug dealers and the havoc they continue to wreak upon small, peace-loving communities like ours."
- Plans to revamp the Sheriff’s Office Undercover Drug Unit and reinstate Union County into the Drug Task Force.
- Wants to create a Child ID Program to help recover missing children with up-to-date, quality photographs, fingerprints, and descriptive information.
- Wants to implement a Citizen Academy with crime scene investigation, patrol operations, and firearms training.
- Wishes to reinstate crime watch programs.
- Promises to initiate better patrol services for the citizens of Suches.
- Said, "If [you're] are a rancher or farmer, the Sheriff’s Office can arrange an Agency Agreement with the owner. It allows the Sheriff’s Office Agricultural Patrol Unit to patrol your property and make arrest of trespassers."
- Wants to create a patrol request program.

Public Safety

Wants to lower taxes for Union County Residents by creating a more efficient budget.

Wants to achieve state accreditation of the Sheriff’s Office to make state grant money available.

- Wants to lower taxes for Union County Residents by creating a more efficient budget.
- Wants to achieve state accreditation of the Sheriff’s Office to make state grant money available.

Jail Management

Supports part-time Deputies in the Blairsville Police Department and will continue to allow this employment.

Wants improved working environment for officers with better training, equipment, and pay.

- Supports part-time Deputies in the Blairsville Police Department and will continue to allow this employment.
- Wants improved working environment for officers with better training, equipment, and pay.

Criminal Justice

Tom Jones

Doug is married with 8 children and has been a foster parent to 19 children. He is an Associate Pastor at The Cross Worship Center in Blairsville.

LinkedIn

Doug has owned and operated Loyd's Lawn & Landscape since 2004. He has prior experience as a Captain and Commander at the Union County Sheriff's Department.

Doug Loyd's campaign for County Sheriff in Union County is his first entry into politics.

Promises to work with local drug treatment programs and facilities and have a presence at community events.

Wants to have an open-door policy with citizens and provide education for them.

Plans to create a  Citizen’s Academy, an eight-week course that will only be open to Union County residents and will allow citizens to volunteer when the department needs extra staffing at events or traffic details.

Plans to reinstate a Neighborhood Crime Watch program.

Said, "As Sheriff, I will have officers patrolling Suches and having interaction with that community daily."

Wishes to utilize Deputies who have extensive special training in certain areas such as Internet Crimes Against Children.

Said, "I will make sure all Investigators have the ACT - At Risk Adult Crime Tactics training and all mandated reporters will have REACT training."

- Promises to work with local drug treatment programs and facilities and have a presence at community events.
- Wants to have an open-door policy with citizens and provide education for them.
- Plans to create a  Citizen’s Academy, an eight-week course that will only be open to Union County residents and will allow citizens to volunteer when the department needs extra staffing at events or traffic details.
- Plans to reinstate a Neighborhood Crime Watch program.
- Said, "As Sheriff, I will have officers patrolling Suches and having interaction with that community daily."
- Wishes to utilize Deputies who have extensive special training in certain areas such as Internet Crimes Against Children.
- Said, "I will make sure all Investigators have the ACT - At Risk Adult Crime Tactics training and all mandated reporters will have REACT training."

Plans to issue body cams to all Deputies.

Promises to develop a Law Enforcement Mentor Program and said, "This will increase recruitment and retention of officers, contributing to a more diverse, equitable and inclusive agency."

Said, "As Sheriff, I will make sure any jailers or Deputies hired will best fit our community and will be an asset to our team."

Wants to apply for grants to assist with the purchasing of equipment while saving taxpayers money.

- Plans to issue body cams to all Deputies.
- Promises to develop a Law Enforcement Mentor Program and said, "This will increase recruitment and retention of officers, contributing to a more diverse, equitable and inclusive agency."
- Said, "As Sheriff, I will make sure any jailers or Deputies hired will best fit our community and will be an asset to our team."
- Wants to apply for grants to assist with the purchasing of equipment while saving taxpayers money.

Wants to combine the two traffic units and the Narcotics Division with the K-9’s to work together as "Drug Interdiction Units." Said, "We will be able to work more efficiently in getting all types of drugs off the streets."

- Wants to combine the two traffic units and the Narcotics Division with the K-9’s to work together as "Drug Interdiction Units." Said, "We will be able to work more efficiently in getting all types of drugs off the streets."

Doug Loyd

Shawn is from Union County and graduated from the Athens Police Academy. He is married to his wife, Shana, with whom they have four children, two step-children, and seven grandchildren.

Shawn has experience working in law enforcement as Assistant Chief with the Blairsville Police Department and operating his own construction business. He also worked in the Union County Sheriff's Office, eventually earning the rank of Major. 

Ballotpedia

Shawn Dyer's campaign for County Sheriff in Union County is his first entry into politics. 

Candidate website

The candidate's website says, "Open active relationships with citizens across our community to educate, involve, and better protect them."

Wants to develop relationships with citizens in the community. 

The candidate's website says, "Run an efficient department, stay within budget, seek grants and resources for needed additional and specialized funding."

Wants to manage an efficient Sheriff's Department, aiming to spend within budget limits and seek grants and resources for any additional or specialized funds. 

- Wants to develop relationships with citizens in the community. 
- Wants to manage an efficient Sheriff's Department, aiming to spend within budget limits and seek grants and resources for any additional or specialized funds. 

As of June 18, 2025, Shawn Dyer’s website did not contain information on this issue.

The candidate's website says, "Protect the public and elderly from scams and proactively hunt child predators."

Wants to combat digital crimes, and aims to protect the public, and particularly the elderly from falling victim to scams and aggressively target child predators.

The candidate's website says, "Increase the department's narcotics division manpower, training, and technology."

Opposes drug use, and wants to enhance the personnel, training, and technology in the Sheriff's Department's narcotics division. 

- Wants to combat digital crimes, and aims to protect the public, and particularly the elderly from falling victim to scams and aggressively target child predators.
- Opposes drug use, and wants to enhance the personnel, training, and technology in the Sheriff's Department's narcotics division. 

Shawn Dyer

The County Sheriff is an elected official who acts as the chief law enforcement officer in their county. They are tasked with operating the county jails, keeping courtrooms secure during trials, and keeping the public safe through proper law enforcement. Each Sheriff's Office in Georgia may look a little different in how they hire and run their teams, but all County Sheriffs have the same duties. These duties include the following:

- Operating the county jail
- Providing court security
- Serving civil papers
- Executing arrest warrants
- Providing primary law enforcement within unincorporated areas of the county
- Working with city law enforcement officers to keep municipalities safe

The County Sheriff and their office are unique to other law enforcement agencies in that it has to answer to the people it serves. Historically, a turnover in the Sheriff’s office will likely result in noticeable change within the office, so voting for this office is a very effective way to vote approval or disapproval for how county law enforcement is conducted.