From Grand Tower to Carbondale to Dowell, Jackson County covers nearly 600 square miles of Southern Illinois, and two people are running for the right to protect its 59,612 citizens.

Incumbent Sheriff Bob Burns and Carbondale Police Investigation Commander John Sytsma are the two candidates running for the position of Jackson County Sheriff,

Both candidates said the position plays a vital role in keeping county residents and the students at Southern Illinois University Carbondale safe.

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“Criminals know no boundaries,” Sytsma said. “The same criminals who attack and rob students, commit sexual assaults and burglarize residents and motor vehicles on campus commit those crimes throughout Jackson County.”

Burns said he sees many students, who live out of Carbondale city limits, become victims of burglaries and thefts, especially during University breaks.

“As sheriff, neither myself nor this department would ever give a short shift to the students or the areas of the county that have high student populations,” Burns said.

In fact, working in an area with a high student population is something both candidates are familiar with.

Sytsma said he still has a passion for police work after being on the Carbondale Police Department for more than 27 years.

“I love to catch the bad guy,” Sytsma said. “I’ll be a working sheriff. You will see me out in the car.”

Burns, who has worked in the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department for 25 years, said this is something he already does as sheriff, as well as all the administrative work that goes along with the position.

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“Law enforcement is in my blood, and that didn’t stop when I became sheriff,” Burns said.

“I continue to be involved in investigations. With both my administrative and investigative responsibilities, I have reached 12-hour workdays.”

However, Sytsma said there are things he believes the Sheriff’s Department needs to accomplish, like fixing the jail. If elected, he said he would increase raids on drug pushers and study high-crime areas to improve crime-rate reduction.

In addition, Sytsma said he would train deputies on evidence collection techniques to increase the department’s efficiency at solving crime and develop task forces on major cases, which would include area police officers as well.

Burns said he has already been working to reduce crime in the county and is proud of the work he has accomplished as sheriff in the past year.

“The successful investigations I have been involved in are too numerous to count, but you never forget your dealings with survivors, their family members and friends,” Burns said.

Last year, Burns said the department was responsible for investigating, arresting and prosecuting 13 people in Grand Tower for methamphetamine-related crimes, and Burns said it was through that work they have given the town back to its citizens.

Sytsma noted being sheriff requires knowledge of law enforcement and administration and is proud of the work that has been done under his watch at the Carbondale Police Department.

“Our department solved eight murders, which occurred on my watch, while I was acting chief or managing investigations,” Sytsma said.

In addition, he said the department has also solved two cold murder cases.

However, the person elected to the position of sheriff would have to accomplish their goals on a small budget. Jackson County covers 588.1 square miles including 1,100 roadways and has approximately five patrol officers per shift to cover this area.

“Historically, sheriffs’ departments have been called upon to do more with less,” Burns said. “The idea of doing more with less is nothing new to me. It is something I have experienced and been successful with dealing with for the past 25 years.”

While serving as Jackson County Sheriff, Burns said he has done several things to make the department’s budget more workable.

Burns noted that he had a Deputy U.S. Marshal assigned to the department and has increased the department’s budget by agreeing to house federal inmates in the Jackson County Jail, as well as obtaining more than $700,000 for the department in grants.

“I will continue to explore other avenues to ensure that the sheriff’s office continues to operate at the high level of competence and professionalism that the citizens of Jackson County deserve,” Burns said.

Sytsma, who wrote the Carbondale Police Department’s fiscal year 2000 budget, said now is the time to do more with less and said he does not believe county residents should be expected to pay more taxes.

“Increasing drug seizures is a way of increasing revenue available to combat the drug problem,” Sytsma said.

Furthermore, Sytsma said one thing that sets him apart from his opponent is that he has had more education, training and experience in law administration.

“Our message is very simple – compare our resumes and decide who is the better qualified candidate,” Sytsma said. “He is a very skilled and experienced investigator, but

being an experienced investigator does not make you a law enforcement administrator.”

But Burns said the major difference between him and his opponent is he has executed the duties for the department for the last year, and his opponent has not had that experience.

“Obviously, I have given my professional life to this department, have worked my way up this department and this is the only department that I want to work for,” Burns said. “I don’t think anyone can question my loyalty and dedication to the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department.”

Even though Burns and Sytsma different on certain issues, each believe they are the best candidate for the position of county sheriff.