Claude Nix believes the primary issue in the July 15 Republican primary are the qualifications of the people running for Whitfield County Sheriff.

“I think mine speak for themselves,” Nix said. “I hope people are paying attention.”

Nix is vying for the Republican nomination against Paul Tipton. The winner will face incumbent Scott Chitwood, who is unopposed for the Democratic nomination, on Nov. 4.

A graduate of Dalton High School, Nix said he has more than 22 years of law enforcement experience. He worked for the sheriff’s office from 1973 to 1976 and left to attend college before returning to the sheriff’s office and working there from 1980 to 1983. While at the sheriff’s office, Nix was a detective lieutenant in the criminal investigation divisions. From 1983 to 1990, Nix worked with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. He has also worked as an investigator with the district attorney’s office and served as the director of Hamilton Medical Center Public Safety. He currently owns Investigations and Security Solutions, a private investigation and security firm, and a rental property business.

Nix’s top three concerns are drugs, gangs and illegal aliens.

He wants to see more cooperation among law enforcement agencies to fight drugs.

“I’d like to see more cooperation with the city, county, state, as well as federal, on all three of these issues, to tell you the truth,” Nix said. “I don’t think we’ve had the cooperation and coordination at the department head level that I would like to see.”

Nix has praised the Conasauga Safe Streets Task Force when speaking at recent forums. The task force, which includes officers from the sheriff’s office and the Dalton Police Department, among others, investigates violent crimes and gang activity.

“They’ve put forth a good effort in combating gang activity,” he said.

Nix has also praised the 287(g) program implemented by the sheriff’s office last month. That program gives jailers access to an Immigration and Customs Enforcement database that alerts them if an individual who is arrested is in the country illegally.

Nix said the combined $12 million budget of the jail and sheriff’s office is adequate. The sheriff oversees 197 employees.

“I think there needs to be a refocusing or recall of resources,” Nix said. “With $4 gas, we need to look at that because that will ruin a budget real quick. I am a fiscal conservative. When we get closer to the general election, I plan to reveal more.”

The base salary if a new sheriff is elected will be $82,130.29. Chitwood, who is in his third term, is paid $100,094.82.

Nix received an associate’s degree from Dalton State College in business and a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. He earned a master’s degree in administration from Central Michigan University.

Nix has been married to Marcia Collins Nix for the past 30 years. He has three children; Rebecca, 21, Patricia, 20, and Bradley, who will be 19 in August.