Scott County prosecutor Paul Boyd re-elected

Scott County residents who went to the polls Tuesday chose to re-elect Paul Boyd as Scott County prosecuting attorney. Boyd beat out his predecessor, Cristy Baker-Neel, by 560 votes.

Unofficial election results indicate votes for Boyd, first elected to the position in 2002, total 1,697, while Baker-Neel received 1,137 votes.

In an interview before the election, Boyd said he decided to run for re-election the day he sought the office in 2002.

"I said back then it would take a good decade to make a difference in any kind of situation where there's been neglect," he said. "I think there's a different atmosphere in the county now."

Since 2001, there's been a decrease in violent crime in Scott County. In Sikeston, public safety officials have said there's been a 40 percent decrease in felony crimes.

Boyd has committed to continuing to provide leadership in the law enforcement community by fostering good relationships between all agencies involved in criminal investigations. In an interview before election day, Boyd said he'll continue to prosecute child support, property crimes and merchant-type crimes.

In the last five years, Boyd's office has helped bring in more than $3.2 million in bad check restitution and child support payments.

"I'm just proud of the change of conditions in the county," Boyd said. "I'm proud of the fact that I've been able to garner a good group of working people who are trained and know their jobs and care about their community."

Boyd couldn't be reached for comment on his win Tuesday.

ehevern@semissourian.com

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