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Travis Daugherty
Travis Daugherty is a Republican candidate for Blaine County Sheriff.
Born in New Mexico, Daugherty moved to Watonga at age five and attended school here. He attended Redlands College before becoming a jailer/dispatcher for the Blaine County Sheriff. At that time he also became a reserve deputy. In the years after, Daugherty started and ran two of his own businesses, worked in the oilfield and as a trucker. But he always maintained his status as a reserve deputy and often worked as an officer for local departments including Geary, Canton, Dewey County and the Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes. Daugherty helped the tribal force transition to coverage by the Bureau of Indian Affairs police. He was a deputy for Blaine County when he was promoted to undersheriff by then-sheriff Margaret Parman. He ran for sheriff in 2008 and was determined to do so again. “I have a desire to help
“I have a desire to help people,” Daugherty said. “Police work is my calling and my passion. It always has been.”
Daugherty said if elected, improvements he would make at the sheriff’s office include bringing awareness to the citizens through communication and transparency with clearly defined procedures. Another is providing specific, specialized training to deputies to enhance the quality of service and crime-solving.
A third is extending equal treatment to every person, city, community, business and organization, exhibiting the same level of respect and standard of commitment to everyone.
Daugherty said one way to accomplish this is to get reinvolved with the schools, holding drug and alcohol awareness assemblies to help curb use among youngsters. He also said officers should be frequent visitors to the schools, even just to eat lunch with the students.
“I want to show them the human side of the badge,” he said. “I can bring a lot to the table through leading by example.”
Daugherty is married to wife Bailey, who is pursuing a degree as a nurse practitioner. He is father to 20-year-old daughter Madison, 17-yearold son Karson, 16-year-old daughter Graison, 13-monthold daughter Blakely and newborn son Huxley.
Brian Johnson
Brian Johnson is a Democratic candidate for the Blaine County Sheriff’s office.
Johnson is a lifelong resident of Watonga and a 2004 graduate of Watonga High School. He attended the American Broadcast School in Del City. Using that experience, he has run the sound board for Watonga football games and is currently making The Brian Johnson Experience podcasts in addition to his work on the police force, where he is a 13-year-veteran.
Johnson decided to run after a relative got into some trouble and he felt the issue was handled on a personal basis rather than a professional one. He had served in the sheriff’s department for a time before going to the Watonga Police Department and saw some changes that needed to be made then. He said the same changes need to be made now. Those include an increase in professionalism and an elevated sense of civility and care for citizens.
“We are here to protect and serve,” Johnson said. “We should serve with compassion.”
He was quick to praise the current sheriff for upgrades in department vehicles and othe technology, saying they needed to be made.
“But there needs to be more care for the community. That’s what matters,” he said.
Johnson is married to Makenzie with two sons and a newborn daughter.