UNOPPOSED SHERIFF CITES WORK

JACKSON, Mo. -- John Jordan was involved in politics even in childhood.

"When I was in school in the early '70s, we had a mock political debate," the Cape Girardeau County sheriff said. "Guess who was Richard Nixon?"

Now, he is unopposed for his third term as sheriff.

Jordan's actual political history has been limited to two elections for sheriff in the past six years. He was appointed, and then elected in 1994 to finish the unexpired term of former sheriff Norman Copeland. In 1996, he ran again and won by a larger margin.

Although Jordan has run unopposed in the primary and general elections this year, he said it couldn't happen unless residents supported him.

"I live and die by the vote," he said.

Jordan has tried to stress greater community policing through programs that he has implemented during his tenure.

The department has worked with county residents to establish the county's first neighborhood watch groups, and Jordan said he has emphasized that deputies perform "community checks."

"When people are not too busy, we need to stop and talk with them," he said.

A Drug Abuse Resistance Education program, known as DARE, has been started for schoolchildren. The state's first SALT/Triad group, which joins law enforcement and the elderly to consider specific crime prevention strategies, was also started through the sheriff's department, Jordan said.

The biggest projects have involved building an addition to the county jail and organizing a federally funded, statewide program to battle methamphetamine.

The jail annex, which will be completed close to a Dec. 13 deadline, will add space for 150 prisoners. This will save thousands of dollars a month that goes to house inmates in area county jails, Jordan said.

The $1.5 million project will ultimately pay for itself, the sheriff said. The money for construction came from a grant provided by the U.S. Marshal Service, which will contract with the sheriff's department for 42 spaces for federal prisoners at $51 a day.

This will enable the department to bring in an extra $780,000 annually, which will be used to retire the construction debt on time in 15 years, Jordan said.

Another major project announced this year was a $3.1 million federal grant to fight methamphetamine throughout Missouri. Jordan will oversee the program, which will distribute money to law enforcement agencies who apply.

Jordan stressed that no political favoritism will be shown, and money will strictly go toward eliminating meth.

If Jordan has made any mistakes as sheriff, most of them have probably come from stating strong opinions, he said.

Nevertheless, Jordan wants to keep an open mind.

"The highest sign of intelligence is an open mind," he said.

JOHN JORDAN

* Age -- 39

* Party -- Republican

* Family -- Married. He and his wife, Cathy, have two children.

* Profession -- Law enforcement.

* Affiliations -- Member of the Fraternal Order of Police, Harmony Methodist Church, Southeast Missouri Drug Task Force, Cape Girardeau-Bollinger County Major Case Squad, Governor's Violent Crime Task Force, National Sheriff's Institute, National Sheriff's Association, board member of Midwest High Intensity Drug Trafficking Association, Cape Girardeau Women's Safe House, Ducks Unlimited.

* Endorsements -- None.

* Political history -- Elected as Cape Girardeau County sheriff in 1994 to finish unexpired term of retiring sheriff, Norman Copeland. Re-elected in 1996.