Barnett With the Wa s h i n g t o n County sheriff's race just weeks away, Michael Barnett has officially announced his candidacy for the democratic nomination.

Barnett takes 35 years of law enforcement experience into the campaign and it is his experience that he says will allow him to be the quality leader Washington County will need. "Law enforcement has been my life for the past 35 years. It's something that I feel very passionate about and given the paths that crime is taking in our society we need a leader in Washington County who knows law enforcement and how to properly deal with the criminals of the day," said Barnett.

Barnett will also carry with him a long list of personnel management experience. For nearly 10 years Barnett has served the Town of McIntosh as Chief of Police, during which time he has supervised and managed a police force as well as the day to day operations of the department. It is the experience of his time spent in McIntosh plus his prior career as an Alabama State Trooper that will help him manage the Washington County Sheriff's Department. While employed by the State of Alabama, Barnett worked as a member of the Highway Patrol, where he was responsible for patrolling the highways of the state as well as working for the Felony Awareness Patrol. He then became a member of the ABI (Alabama Bureau of Investigation), where he was trained in criminal investigation with an extensive focus on investigation in violations of Alabama Criminal Code to murder, robbery, rape, theft and white collar crimes.

"My years as a state trooper were filled with a lot of training. I have been able to use a lot of that training in McIntosh. It will be the lessons learned with the state and at McIntosh that will give me a step ahead of some of the others who might want to hold the sheriff's position. The Sheriff of Washington County needs to be someone who enjoys law enforcement, is able to manage a staff and do it all within the guidelines of the law and I know that I can be that person," said Barnett.

Barnett's professional education includes a degree in Law Enforcement from Faulkner State Community College (1972), Graduate of the Alabama State Trooper's Academy (1975), Emergency Medical Technician Certification from the University of South Alabama (1994), Law Enforcement Management degree from the FBI National Academy (1999) plus numerous other levels of training.

Barnett's connection to the Washington County runs deeper than just as his place of employment he is member of the community. Barnett is a member of the Calvert United Methodist Church, where he is an Administrative Board Member. He is a member of the Joe Southall Masonic Lodge (Past Master), York Rite, Scottish Rite, ABBA Temple Shrine, Fraternal Order of Police Buck Lodge (Charter member) (Past President), Alabama State Trooper Association (Past District Representative), First Judicial Circuit Chief's Association (Past President), United States LECC, United Way of Southwest Alabama, Leadership Washington County, Ciba Community Advisory Panel, Washington County LEPC, Washington County Domestic Violence Task Force, Washington County Domestic Violence Death Review Team, First Judicial Circuit Child Death Review Team and Alabama Mental Health Credit Union Scholarship Committee.

Barnett stands on his foundation of experience as what sets him aside from all of the other candidates, with that in mind he adapted a slogan referencing it. "Taking experience into our future"