Candidate Profile: James Murray running for Lamar Co. sheriff

LAMAR COUNTY, Miss. (WDAM) - In two weeks, folks in Lamar County will be casting their votes for sheriff.

Danny Rigel has held the position for the last 20 years, and now, he will be challenged by a former deputy of the Lamar County Sheriff’s Office, James Murray.

“I had a lot of people reach out to me in January wanting me to run,” said Murray. “So, through a lot of prayer, I decided to run.”

While Murray has more than 25 years of experience in law enforcement, he said the decision to run was not easy.

“It was a long decision,” Murray said. ”Very tough. But I saw something we could bring to the table.”

Murray said he has made connections with the people in Lamar County, and he said his focus will be on the community.

“That’s one of the biggest things I’ve heard in the past ten months of running,” Murray said. “They don’t see enough of the sheriff’s department. There’s not enough interaction with the community, and I’m really big on community policing.”

With Murray serving various roles at the sheriff’s office, he talked about how the current sheriff has impacted his career.

“He’s been a big part of my entire career; he’s a good sheriff,” Murray said. “It’s a tough spot to be in because I have all of the respect in the world for him. I just think it’s time for new energy in the department.”

We expect to talk to Rigel on Wednesday.

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