January 30, 2020
By News Director Jared Atha
Another local Sheriff has announced his intention to run for reelection.
According to a press release, Custer County Sheriff Kenneth Tidwell announced on Monday to retain the position in this year’s race.
So far, he is the first person to announce his candidacy, while the filing period for all county offices will be April 8th, 9th, and 10th.
Tidwell, a Republican, is wrapping up his first term as Sheriff. He succeeding Bruce Peoples in 2017.
A native of Roger Mills County, Tidwell began his law enforcement career as a reserve officer for the Goodwell Police Department, then became a full-time officer with the Guymon Police Department in 1992. He attended the basic law enforcement academy and became a certified officer in 1993.
He came to the Custer County Sheriff’s Office in 1994, serving initially as a deputy, and has been there since then.
Since his employment in Custer County, he has served as Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) instructor in the Arapaho, Butler, and Thomas-Fay-Custer school systems. He also has been a certified K9 handler, law enforcement training instructor, Taser instructor, and has held the ranks of lieutenant and undersheriff. For an eight-month period in 2008, he was the interim sheriff of Custer County.
He said that during his first full term in office he implemented new technology at little cost for use in his department’s dispatch and patrol units, making it easier for officers to communicate with dispatchers and to find on-call locations. He said he also has implemented drone with thermal imaging technology to be used in searching for lost children and adults, as well as fugitives.
Video visitation has been installed in the jail which he said increases opportunities for inmates to see their families without decreasing security or increasing the workload on staff.
So far, Tidwell is the second Western Oklahoma Sheriff to announce his intention to seek reelection. Earlier this month, Beckham County Sheriff Derek Manning announced his intention to seek reelection as well.
If Tidwell and Manning draw an opponent in the Republican primary, it will be held June 30th. The general election is scheduled Nov. 3rd.
