Retired KSP Trooper Scott Bunch announces plans to run for sheriff

Whitley County native Scott Bunch is joining a growing list of candidates, who have announced their intentions to run for sheriff next year in Whitley County.

Bunch worked 21 years as a Kentucky State Police Trooper and has worked the last three years as a school resource officer for the Whitley County Sheriff’s Department.

Bunch said he decided to run for sheriff after incumbent Todd Shelley announced that he would not be running for a second term in office.

“When Todd decided not to run, I felt like there was a leadership vacuum. Being born and raised in Whitley County, I feel like I have a unique insight. With my training and experience, I felt moved to run so I could build a department which every resident of Whitley County could be proud of,” Bunch said.

Bunch said two of the top issues in the race are the drug issue and the crime issue.

Bunch said that if elected as sheriff, there would be a resumption of drug investigations with a full-time drug detective, who would be active with undercover drug buys and setting up drug round-ups.

Bunch would also hire a full-time detective to take over working theft and burglary cases, which would free up road deputies to handle other duties.

“Every deputy getting a call will go to the call. They will not go to the phone to call them. Callers will not have to show up at the sheriff’s department the next day,” Bunch said.

He would also reinstate the Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) program or something similar in the school systems in order to better educate children about the dangers of drugs. He would also educate parents on what to look for if your child is using drugs.

“You have to get both parents and kids educated on drugs. If not, it is a losing battle,” Bunch said.

Bunch would also implement a community-oriented policing approach working with members of the community to see what they felt needed to be addressed.

“They (community members) are the front lines. They are the ones who tell the police something is wrong and we need to fix it,” Bunch said.

This approach would include going to different communities once a month to get input.

“I would ask them what is wrong? What are my deputies doing wrong? What can we do to help you? If you can’t communicate with the community, the rest is just useless,” Bunch said. “If the community doesn’t trust you, then you don’t have a department.”

Bunch is a graduate of Whitley County High School, and attended Eastern Kentucky University where he withdrew from college six credit hours short of completing his degree after being accepted into the Kentucky State Police Academy basic training program.

“I took the job while I had the chance,” he added.