PHOTO: Valley Head Police Chief Nick Welden unveils his yard sign to local Republicans! (Tyler Pruett | Southern Torch)
By Tyler Pruett, Managing Editor
FORT PAYNE, Ala. — (Video at the Bottom) Earlier this morning (Saturday, June 10) Valley Head Police Chief Nick Welden announced his candidacy for DeKalb County Sheriff! The announcement came at the June meeting of the DeKalb County Republican Breakfast Club.
Senator Del Marsh (R-Anniston) was the guest speaker, and the meeting was well attended, with Senator Clay Schofield (R - Guntersville), Senator Steve Livingston (R-Scottsboro), Fort Payne Mayor Larry Chesser, Councilmen Wade Hill and Red Taylor, Judge Jeremy Taylor, Judge Shaunathan Bell, Judge Andrew Hairston, District Attorney Mike O'Dell, Assistant District Attorney Scott Lloyd, and Superintendent Dr. Jason Barnett, in attendance, just to name a few.
Also in the crowd were many representing first responders from all over the county. Fort Payne Assistant Fire Chief Ron Saferite, Detective Eric Tidmore of the Rainsville Police Department, and several others representing towns across the county.
DeKalb County GOP Chairman Scotty Vaughn introduced Welden by reading a statement:
"Nick Welden, Valley Head's current Police Chief, is excited to officially announce his run for the Republican nomination for the Office of DeKalb County Sheriff.
Nick Welden has seventeen years experience in law enforcement that he will bring to the job. Nick has been a Republican his entire life, and believe that conservative values that he and the Republican Party share, are vital to accomplish the following:
- Lead a Department with conservative morale values, accessible to the public
- Streamline the budget, and cut out wasteful spending
- Increase patrols and officer saturation in the community
- Increase publication beyond the D.A.R.E. Program
Welden then addressed the crowd: "It's been a big week, I've been blessed, the Lord has blessed me, my wife had a baby girl Monday night, 7 pounds 10 ounces."
"I've been waiting for this week for a long time, for everything to take it's course and praying about it." Welden continued. "I'm just an ordinary person. I've never had anything, and I'm nobody. I wouldn't born with a silver spoon, and I definitely don't have one now. What you see is what you get."
"I'm grounded, I come from a solid foundation, and I come from good raising. I've got the experience in law enforcement that I believe is required for integrity and to put morals back in the department. Somebody for the people, you aren't going to hear me bash anyone, no matter who it is," Welden stated.
"I'm just running for one specific thing since I was a little boy. It's a dream I've always had. And I feel like the people that dream the biggest, have the biggest success in the field they go after. That being said, I am announcing I'm running for sheriff," he said.
"I've got some major plans, we've got it laid out from A - Z. We've been working with the party, and we've got a good scope of events planned. A lot of good people put in these places, but I just want people to know who I am and what I stand for. I'm the same today as I was yesterday, all the way back," Welden said.
"I went to work changing tires and oil for Lester Black right after high school. I didn't make much money. And I went on to the state park, got a state job, I cleaned toilets, I shoveled ditches, I did the dirty work just to get by," explained Welden.
"Right there at 21 years old, I got hired as a trooper. I got uprooted and shipped down to South Alabama, and I had a choice to come home, or suck it up, and become a man. And that's what I did," he said.
Welden continued: "I was fortunate to work a lot of counties down south, then work my way back home. And see how different counties utilize different techniques to do things. And some that might work right there, but not work right here, or vice versa. I've been exposed to all elements thereof."
"I transferred from there to Game and Fish. When I was a little boy I wrote in a book I wanted to be a Game Warden and a Sheriff. I pursued that goal and I became a Game Warden, and I enjoyed that and I loved that, and I prayed about it, and the Lord led me to a different route," said Welden.
"Now I'm pursuing the office of sheriff. I appreciate your support, your help, and anything I can get from you. But as of today, openly, Lord willing, and only Lord willing, I'm proud to announce," Welden concluded, as he unveiled his yard sign.
Jeff McCurdy, candidate for Circuit Judge, also addressed the crowd in the meeting, as well as Lester Black, candidate for DeKalb County Commission.
Watch the Full Video:
