A San Juan County Sheriff’s Office deputy has tossed his hat into the ring for sheriff of La Plata County.
Adrian Dean Mize is a La Plata County resident who owns San Juan Sky Outfitters. He also served as the president of the Silverton Chamber of Commerce and was a member of the La Plata County Mounted Patrol and La Plata County Search and Rescue.
Mize filed his candidate affidavit with the Secretary of State’s Office on March 29. He is not affiliated with a political party.
He said he is looking forward to serving people, not parties.
“One major element in my decision to run for this office is the disheartened feeling I have at the bipolarization that the Republican and Democrats have created,” Mize said. “I believe that reciprocal trust needs to be restored.”
La Plata County Sheriff Sean Smith announced in January he will run for re-election in November.
Smith, a Democrat, was elected to a four-year term in 2014 when he defeated five-term incumbent Duke Schirard. Smith has more than 20 years of law enforcement experience, 17 of which was spent at the La Plata County Sheriff’s Office.
Last year, La Plata County resident Charles Hamby announced his candidacy for the 2018 sheriff’s election. Hamby, a Republican, has 28 years of experience in law enforcement and joined the Southern Ute Tribal Rangers in December 2014.
Mize said that he is building a campaign website ahead of his official candidacy announcement.
“This is a big step for me, and I hope that I step correctly,” Mize said. “I want to be genuine and ... I want to put my best foot forward at the beginning.”
This article has been updated to correct Mize’s membership with the La Plata County Mounted Patrol.
mrupani@durangoherald.com
