April 14, 2002

Ex-justice sets sights on being next sheriff
OTISVILLE:Carl DuBois intends to take on embattled Sheriff Frank Bigger in a Republican primary.

By Jay Stapleton
Times Herald-Record

Two veteran law enforcers are battling for the Republican nomination for sheriff - and a chance to be Orange County's top cop.

Carl DuBois, 48, a former justice in Mount Hope and Otisville and retired Middletown police lieutenant, formally entered the race yesterday by taking verbal jabs at incumbent Sheriff Frank Bigger, a fellow Republican.

"Deputies, correction officers and all other employees will again be proud to wear their uniforms," he vowed, promising to lift the "dark cloud of mistrust" from the $32 million department.

Well-publicized problems at the Orange County Sheriff's Office, lawsuits and unfavorable evaluations were what motivated the former City of Middletown police detective to run with reform in mind.

"That's what triggered it," he said.

DuBois, a married father of two sons who works as a technical analyst for Frontier Communications, anticipates facing Bigger in a September primary.

That's regardless of the outcome of a county nominating convention next month. Democrats have yet to announce a candidate.

On April 5, DuBois resigned as elected justice in both the village and town. Since then, he's been out stumping for support, gaining nods from the Town of Mount Hope and Town of Crawford Republican committees.

He'll face an uphill battle against an incumbent with strong political alliances. Bigger has been given endorsements from several Republican groups, including the City of Newburgh committee.

Although many knew for weeks that DuBois intended to run for the $68,500 job, yesterday was the first time he made the announcement public. He chose the community center in his hometown to make the announcement, renting the space for $50.

"We've got work to do, a message to spread," he said.

His message was hard on Bigger. Without mentioning his opponent's name, DuBois reminded supporters of several scandals involving the sheriff's office, promising to run on a platform of "integrity, leadership, accountability, reform."

Bigger is seeking his third four-year term. Under his leadership, the office has been rocked by troubles, including a county-ordered report that recommended eliminating the elected position.

An evaluation by the power-house law firm Holland and Knight released last summer said volunteer sheriff's deputies scammed more than $117,000 from the public and other deputies in fund-raising schemes.

A lack of oversight, a lack of training, as well as the sheriff's issuance of courtesy, or honorary, badges all put taxpayers at risk, the $150,000 report said.

DuBois insisted he would run the office differently.

"There will be no courtesy badges issued when I am your sheriff," he said to the more than 120 who attended the news conference. "They are history. I won't tolerate them."

At times, the speech brought cheers.

"There's a lot of Democrats here too," said Joe Myers, a member of the Town of Mount Hope Republican Committee. Kevin Hayden, a City of Middletown alderman and DuBois supporter, was impressed by the turnout. "These are people who want a change," he said.