ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – The sheriff of Orange County announced Wednesday that he is running for re-election, but one of his former deputies, who is also running for the office, tells News 6 that he can make the county safer.
Alongside his wife, family, friends and co-workers, Jerry Demings announced he is not done. Demings took office in 2009 and says overall crime has dropped 22 percent.
"I believe that there is still crime, there's room for improvement and I'm going to work hard to lower those numbers even further," said Demings.
Just as the sheriff says there's room for improvement, his former deputy Spike Hopkins says there's room for a new face.
"I would tell him this: This is not personal," Hopkins said. "This is not Spike versus Jerry Demings. This is Spike Hopkins having the ability to make Orange County safer."
Hopkins had been with the Sheriff's Office for nearly 30 years before retiring this year. Hopkins calls it a grassroots effort to replace Demings, who he says isn't a cop.
"He says you're a politician, not a cop," said News 6's Sheli Muniz to Demings.
"I don't care what he says," Demings responded. "I started in the streets of Orlando as a city, a municipal police officer. I've worked diligently, worked hard to move up in ranks."
Demings told News 6 there is no substitute for his experience.
"I've done the job that he has done, he cannot say that he has ever done my job," said Demings. It's a job Hopkins wanted, and one Demings wants to keep for another four years.
Demings and Hopkins are the only candidates who have filed with the Supervisor of Elections. The election for sheriff is still a year away.