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About this series: As part of our ongoing election coverage, we invited each candidate for DeKalb County Sheriff to submit up to three letters of support. Here are letters in support of Adam Gardner. 

Dear Decaturish,

My name is Everett Crockett and I am a 28 year resident of DeKalb County.

Over those 28 years, I have lived in several areas of the county and it was here at my present location that I met candidate for Sheriff, Adam Gardner. This is my letter of support for Adam

I met Adam 11 years ago when he, his wife and children moved in a couple of houses up the street. Since that time, I have come to know and love Adam, Shellie, Abby and Andrew as some of the best of my neighbors.  This letter of support not only stems from what I have come to know of him as a neighbor and family man but also, from what I have learned about him and his desire to be Sheriff of DeKalb County.

Adam is concerned and dedicated to the safety and well-being of his family and our community; like many of us are. The biggest difference is that Adam serves in the law enforcement community.  I believe that his current service/capacity, and, his desire and vested interest in seeing DeKalb County be the very best that it can be, are motivating factors in his decision to step forward in announcing his candidacy for Sheriff.

Adam is an excellent neighbor/homeowner. With our HOA, he regularly shares advice based on what he knows regarding safety, security and awareness, as well as crime stats for our area and the surrounding vicinities. I remember once, somehow, my garage door was up well into the night and he noticed it. He called me because, as he said, “that seemed odd”.  Had he not called me, who knows what could have happened?  The point is, no one else seemed to be concerned about it or bothered to call me about it.  Adam’s awareness and sense of judgment, even in this “small” situation exemplifies the kind of care that he has for his fellow man and community.

Like me, he is a father, husband, fisherman and golfer. I see Adam and his wife and children out and about in our neighborhood on the golf course, at the lake, fishing, and even doing his/their part maintaining their yard and the beauty of our neighborhood.  He is an all-around great guy and if he were not, believe me, I would write a letter to that effect, as well.

As I came to know him over the years, I have found Adam to be very concerned about the current and future safety of his and other families.  I believe this is another reason that he is compelled to run for Sheriff of our county.  Adam has worked for the Fulton County Sheriff’s Department and the Atlanta Police Department.  He is an experienced law enforcement officer who is familiar with what it takes to protect and serve the communities in which he is engaged.

I have seen him effectively communicate and interact with the many various cultures within our county. I believe this engagement and relatability has given Adam the experience and unique ability to know what will, and will not, work as it relates to protecting and serving the citizens and interests of DeKalb County.

I know there is no such thing as a perfect candidate, or perfect anything for that matter. But, I have talked with Adam; I have heard some of the great ideas, programs and plans he has for DeKalb County.  I have seen him when he didn’t see me.  I have personally been in his presence and have spoken with/to others who have done the same, and I can say for sure that he is genuinely concerned and committed to DeKalb County!

And, with that, I have no hesitation or reservation voicing my support for my neighbor, my friend, Adam Gardner, for Sheriff of DeKalb County.

Wishing all the best for DeKalb County,

Everett Crockett

Dear Decaturish,

I am writing in support of Adam Gardner for the Sheriff of DeKalb County with great affection and admiration.

I have been a resident of DeKalb County for over twenty years, and I met Adam’s family approximately six years ago at our community playground. Our children are similar ages, and our families struck up a friendship almost immediately. Adam and his family were a breath of fresh air for me and my family, as we share views and convictions in many respects, including our faith, our love and passion for our children, and our deep concern for our community.

Adam and his family demonstrate their faith quite admirably and effectively simply by being good and loving neighbors. Because their demeanor is friendly and genuine, their reach is broad and wide; truly, they seem to know no strangers. From our local YMCA to our community golf clubhouse to neighbors on their street, Adam and his family are beloved members of our community who share smiles often, express warmth consistently, and demonstrate care and concern tirelessly. While they have hosted enjoyable in-home bible studies and availed a private wing of their home to international missionaries on many occasions, their excellence in the virtue of being neighborly within our community has impressed me most. Simply put, Adam and his wife are really good people who demonstrate and follow their faith in ways that matter and benefit their entire community – both near and far.

Even more admirable is Adam’s love for his wife and children and the strength of their familial connection. Adam’s wife adores him, and he enjoys near-heroic status in his children’s eyes. This is no accident. Adam’s strong relationship with his family has been cultivated through purposeful time spent and invested during near-daily family golf outings, lunch drop-ins when possible, frequent visits to our community playground and pool, and the like. His family loves him because he reveals his love for them thoroughly and effectively. This type prioritization bodes well for Adam’s sheriff candidacy, as it reflects character in perhaps its purest and most vital form. In my experience, kind and effective leaders at home make kinder and more effective leaders in their communities. I believe this would be true of Adam’s tenure as Sheriff.

The third conviction Adam holds dear is his deep concern for the safety and integrity of our community. As mentioned, this is a conviction on which we connected almost immediately, as we both long to see our community thrive in meaningful ways. Early in our friendship, my convictions and frustrations with our immediate locale drove me to consider relocating to another part of our rich and storied metropolis. By contrast, Adam’s convictions and concerns drove him to reach out, get to know his neighbors better, invite us into his home, and extend a helping hand. During our times together over the past six years, he, too, has bemoaned needed change in our community on occasion, and he, too, has offered thoughtful ideas regarding how change might best be achieved. Now, Adam’s convictions and concerns compel and fuel his Sheriff campaign. Indeed, his candidacy for Sheriff is a natural outgrowth of who he is: an effective and capable law enforcement agent who cares genuinely, is deeply invested in our community and wants to make positive change we can all appreciate.

To be sure, Adam has the professional skill required to get the job done right, having served in law enforcement for the past twenty-five years in various significant capacities. Since character is an essential component of serving well as Sheriff, and I know Adam on mostly personal terms, I have chosen to highlight critical, relevant aspects of Adam’s character in my letter.

Candidates come and go, and I have supported more than a few. None have I supported more enthusiastically than Adam. My support for Adam Gardner as our next Sheriff is as strong and robust as it is confident and hopeful. Undoubtedly, Adam is the candidate who can best bring about significant and meaningful change in Dekalb County, and I support him wholeheartedly to be our next Sheriff.

Yours truly,

Antoinette Earle

More information about voting in the March 24 election:

The voter registration deadline for the March 24 presidential primary was Feb. 24.

You can look up your status by visiting the Georgia Secretary of State’s “My Voter Page.” To visit the My Voter Page, click here. You can check your status by providing basic information like your last name, birthday and the county you live in. You can also see a sample ballot.

If you find you are not registered and want to be registered in time for the next election, there are a few ways you can get back on the voter rolls.

You can register online with the Secretary of State’s Office by clicking here.

According to the Georgia Secretary of State’s Office, in order to register to vote you must:

– Be a citizen of the United States

– Be a legal resident of the county where you are voting

– Be at least 17 1/2 years of age to register and 18 years of age to vote

– Not be serving a sentence for conviction of a felony involving moral turpitude

– Have not been found mentally incompetent by a judge

For more information about how to register, click here.

People who wish to vote will need to bring one of the following forms of identification, according to the Georgia Secretary of State’s office:

– Any valid state or federal government-issued photo ID, including a free ID Card issued by your county registrar’s office or the Georgia Department of Driver Services (DDS)

– A Georgia Driver’s License, even if expired

– Valid employee photo ID from any branch, department, agency, or entity of the U.S. Government, Georgia, or any county, municipality, board, authority or other entity of this state

– Valid U.S. passport ID

– Valid U.S. military photo ID

– Valid tribal photo ID

The county board of registrar’s office is located at 4380 Memorial Drive Suite, 300, Decatur, GA 30032.

Early voting will begin on March 2. Here is a list of advanced voting dates and times from the county Board of Registration and Elections:

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