Ridgeland business owner runs for Jasper County Sheriff

A Ridgeland businessman and former law enforcement officer is running for Jasper County Sheriff for the second time.

Keefe Blatchley, owner of Blatchley Brake & Tire, said he is running as a Democrat in the June 14 election with the hope that he can decrease crime in the county.

“Since 2008, the crime in Jasper County has at least doubled,” Blatchley said. “I’ve seen how the current administration has been running and a lot of people aren’t happy with what’s going on. I think there needs to be more trust and transparency in the department.”

Blatchley ran in 2012 as a petition candidate and received over 3,000 votes.

This story was originally published February 10, 2016 at 10:02 AM with the headline "Ridgeland business owner runs for Jasper County Sheriff."