Karen Pearce endorsement letter

This is a letter of endorsement published in today's issue (April 1, 2014)  of The Republic-Monitor (http://www.perryvillenews.com), by Karen Pearce, owner of Willow House Bed & Breakfast. I'm grateful to my friend Karen for sharing her support with the community!

Dear Editor -

I wanted to share my support of Joe Martin for the role of Perryville City Marshall/Chief of Police.  Although Joe is my dear friend and was a very close friend of my husband David’s, and we have valued that friendship very much during the years we’ve lived in Perryville, my support of his political platform is due to his professional approach to his service to our city. 

We’ve known Joe during the time when he was a Police Officer, patrolling our streets.  And we’ve known him during the time when he has served as Code Enforcement Officer, making our streets clean and safe.  Our city has an improved image in many ways due to his diligent work in both roles. 

We know many examples of how Joe has put his most professional foot forward in dealing with alleged criminals, as a Police Officer, and in dealing with citizen’s who have violated code in some way, as Code Enforcement Officer.  The way Joe presents himself in our community comes from professional maturity and a genuine concern for the welfare of its citizens and condition of our surroundings.

I’m confident, that if elected as Chief of Police, Joe will show this same care and concern in his approach to leading the Police Department.  The group of men and women in the department have been through some trying and difficult times of late, and it will take a focused and concerned leader to provide all who work there with a renewed confidence in the unit as a whole.  Joe Martin has that care and concern, and the professional experience required to execute on a plan to make things right again.

Thank you in advance for printing my words…I’m grateful to have my voice heard, when it comes to sharing my thoughts on Joe’s candidacy (which I know echo what my husband David would have wanted to say).  I’m looking forward to my opportunity to cast my vote for Joe Martin on April 8^th!!

Most Gratefully –

Karen Pearce

Letter to the Editor

This is a letter to the editor that was printed in The Republic-Monitor today, April 1, 2014. I truly appreciate the local newspaper for allowing candidates to publish these letters at no charge. I've gotten tremendous response today, and I appreciate all the calls & emails!

Dear Editor,

I appreciate this opportunity to humbly ask the voters of Perryville for their vote on April 8.  I am running for the office of Perryville City Marshal, which is the city’s police chief.

I have been a law enforcement officer my entire working career. I was a member of the Class of 1977 at Perryville High School. I enlisted that spring in the United States Air Force as a security specialist, which is a police officer. After a 4-year enlistment, I was hired as a jailer at the Cape Girardeau County Sheriff’s Department and worked my way up to jail administrator.

In 1986, I was blessed to be hired by the city as a patrolman with the Perryville Police Department, which allowed me to return home. I worked my way up to sergeant by 1993 and remained in that supervisory role until being promoted to Code Enforcement Officer in 2009.

You may wonder, if I’ve been working independently for 4 years, if I’m still qualified to lead the Perryville Police Department as your city marshal. The short answer is “Yes.”

I am a fully commissioned law enforcement officer, and I maintain my commission just like all other law enforcement officers by attending regular Police Officers Standard and Training (POST) certified classes. I qualify with my service weapon like all other officers. In addition, each year I complete many hours of additional training specific to my duties as the sole officer responsible for enforcing the city’s municipal codes or laws.

I believe my long history with Perryville Police Department, and my recent professional distance from it, put me in the unique position of being able to view the challenges facing the police department with a completely objective eye. I can bring a fresh perspective to old problems as well as new possibilities to best serve both the employees of the department and the citizens of our community.

I hope you’ll take a few minutes to visit my Website (http://joemartin4chief.blogspot.com/)

and personal Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/joe.martin.779?ref=ts&fref=ts) to learn about my credentials, my personal life and my hopes for the future of our city, which I love.

I have tried to approach my lifelong career as an enforcer of laws in a firm yet respectful manner. I have always tried to be tough on crime, but compassionate to the community members I’m sworn to serve. For 28 years, my door has always been open to the people of Perryville, and that won’t change if I become your city marshal. Please feel free to call my cell phone at 517-3995 if you have questions or concerns.

I have tried to earn your trust over the last three decades, and if elected, I can assure you that I will put my full focus on keeping Perryville a safe and peaceable place to raise our families. I would appreciate your vote on April 8.

Sincerely,

Joe Martin

Candidate for Perryville City Marshal