Jordan, Diveley square off in heated race for Cape County sheriff

Cape Girardeau County voters will decide a hotly contested sheriff's race Tuesday that pits longtime incumbent John Jordan against political newcomer Dave Diveley.

The winner of the Republican primary battle is virtually assured of taking office, as he will be unopposed in the November general election.

Jordan, first elected in 1994, is the longest-serving sheriff in county history. He has led the sheriff's department for 21 years.

Diveley is a retired federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives agent from Cape Girardeau.

The two candidates have advertised their candidacies heavily. As of early last week, the two men had spent nearly $42,000 combined on advertising and other election expenses, according to campaign-finance disclosure records filed with the Missouri Ethics Commission.

Dave Diveley

Documents show Diveley raised more than $24,000 and spent more than $22,000 in his campaign. Jordan reported total receipts of more than $33,000 and expenses of nearly $20,000, according to Missouri Ethics Commission online records.

Jordan has campaigned on his record as administrator of the Cape Girardeau County Sheriff's Department and jail. Diveley, on the other hand, has vowed to change the operation of the sheriff's department. Diveley has argued law enforcement benefits from "a new face" and "new ideas."

Diveley said, "I think the sheriff's department has become unresponsive to the needs of the community. The sheriff himself is rarely seen in the community."

Jordan disagrees with that assessment. He said he has faithfully served Cape Girardeau County residents.

"I stand ready to continue this job," Jordan said.

Diveley said he wants to increase public visibility of the department's officers.

"All of my deputies, except detectives, will wear a uniform, including me, and drive marked patrol cars," Diveley said.

Jordan, on the other hand, typically doesn't wear a uniform, Diveley said.

But Jordan said the sheriff's job is primarily an administrative one.

"I consistently come in under budget by monitoring expenditures closely and implementing money-saving programs," he said.

Jordan said, "This is a first-class county, and the sheriff must have administrative experience."

As sheriff, Jordan said he oversees a $5.5 million budget, 89 employees, six courts and daily as many as 225 jail inmates.

Jordan said he has operated the sheriff's department efficiently, allowing the county to use the savings for projects such as construction of the new juvenile center.

He said his opponent "doesn't understand the office of sheriff."

Diveley, for his part, has criticized sheriff's department operations.

He said he would work to improve communication between deputies and Cape Girardeau police.

"The best law enforcement I have seen is when all officers know each other and talk to each other," Diveley said.

Jordan, however, said there is good cooperation between the two law-enforcement agencies. He said he partners with other law-enforcement agencies for task forces such as the Major Case Squad and the SEMO Drug Task Force.

Diveley, who spent more than 27 years as an ATF agent before retiring in 2015, said he wants the sheriff's department to take over transportation of Cape Girardeau city prisoners to the county jail. That task currently is handled by Cape Girardeau police.

Jordan said such a move would be a manpower burden for the sheriff's department, which already handles the transportation and incarceration of federal prisoners. Jordan said the county receives up to $750,000 annually in federal payments for handling federal prisoners.

Diveley said he wants to enhance the school resource officer program. He also has talked of adding a canine unit at the sheriff's department to combat "the growing drug problem."

If elected, Diveley said he would like to involve the department's officers in more efforts to combat drug trafficking on Interstate 55.

Jordan said other law-enforcement agencies in the area have canine units and are "working the interstate all the time." Jordan said his officers regularly patrol throughout the county.

Diveley said he would demand, as sheriff, "that my deputies respond in person to each burglary and theft call." He said, "Higher visibility should help deter some of these crimes."

Jordan praised the operations of his department.

"We have done a fantastic job of protecting the citizens of this county," he said.

He added, "Our deputies are the best trained, equipped and technologically advanced deputies in the region, and I will keep it that way."

Diveley said he wants to be the county's "full-time law enforcement, professional sheriff."

"I believe that people are tired of career politicians and are ready for fresh ideas," Diveley said.

But Jordan argued the county is better off with his "steadfast leadership."

mbliss@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3641