BY ISAIAH FRIZZELL
Spring is here, the days are getting longer and change is in the air.
It is election season in Idaho, and in Blaine County the community will be casting votes for a sheriff who can keep the community safe.
The three men running for Blaine County Sheriff are Morgan Ballis, Steve Harkins and Aaron Hughston.
Steve Harkins
Running for re-election is Steve Harkins, the current Blaine County Sheriff. Born and raised in southern Idaho, Harkins, a longtime law enforcement officer, has been behind a badge for 33 years.
Harkins started in 1992 at the Hailey Police Department and eventually served eight years as a detective, working major homicide and drug investigations. “It was probably one of my favorite jobs but I’ve got the best job in the world now,” Harkins said. In 2009, he was appointed Ketchum police chief where he stayed for nearly five years, before being promoted to chief deputy in 2014. Three years later, Harkins found himself Sheriff of Blaine County, a position he has kept for seven years and hopes to keep for many more.
“We have drug issues here, we have drug trafficking,” said Harkins. “I began my drug career, investigating drugs as a young patrol officer placed on the Narcotics Enforcement Team. We don’t have it on the scale of major metropolitan areas but we have bad people who have moved here and who traffic in dangerous drugs. It’s in our community; heroin, methamphetamine, and fentanyl are a top priority of this administration.”
Currently, there are no drug-sniffing canines on the team, but that will change in April. “We have two canines arriving here sometime in early April,” said Harkins. “They’re purchased and scheduled and they’ll be fentanyl certified. They’ll be available to all local agencies that need them as we’ll be the only ones that have them right now.” The two previous detection dogs had reached old age and were sold to the officers who handled them as those officers moved to other careers.
Speaking on School Resource Officers (SROs), Harkins explains, “I’m a firm believer that putting cops in schools is necessary and it’s a proven success. Hopefully, we can look for grants down the road that will put a deputy full time in the Carey school district.” Harkins currently has two school liaison supervisors who work with principals and teachers, patrolling school grounds, in addition to their other duties.
Law enforcement has suffered a tough tumble in the past few years as major protests and tragedies, across the nation, have disincentivized people to seek employment as police officers. Deputy retention is a top priority and comes with challenges, especially as the officers are required to live in Blaine County. “We’ve learned that we need to become more creative and efficient in recruitment,” said Harkins. “It’s been quite a challenge to recruit and retain people who can live here where the cost of living is so high, but we weren’t willing to reduce or change our hiring standards. I run a staff of around 66 people and we’re only down three positions. I would consider that a success. It’s not for everyone… it’s a tough career… you’re scrutinized over everything you do, you’re videoed constantly, and we really had to change.”
Having supervised the Narcotics Enforcement Team for 17 years, Harkins is strong on drug enforcement. He hopes to continue maintaining a profitable jail and deal with the biggest change in the Valley, traffic. “I don’t know if you’ve noticed the traffic lately?” Harkins jokes. “It’s unbelievable. Traffic enforcement is a big part of the job and last year we responded to 19,000 calls. That’s a lot for an agency our size.”
Harkins feels he has more to do as sheriff. “I’m not done. I still have work to do and I’m not a politician. I’m proven, I welcome the input from citizens, we make decisions and we try to do it without political influence and do it for the right reasons.”
Morgan Ballis
Morgan Ballis is an entrepreneurial-minded, law-enforcement innovator. Born and raised in Tucson, Arizona, he spent 11 years serving in the United States Marine Corps. He’s lived in the Valley with his wife, a literacy coach at Hemingway STEAM School, for nearly five years. Prior to being hired at Hailey Police Department (HPD), Ballis ran his own K-12 emergency management consulting firm, so when the SRO position opened at HPD, he saw an opportunity to make changes from the inside.
“I thought, this is a great way to create a model for what school safety could look like across the state,” said Ballis. Fulfilling that promise, the changes Ballis and officer Shawna Wallace made were recognized on June 30, 2023, when the National Association of School Resource Officers recognized Hailey PD as Model SRO Agency of the year.
Ballis went on to become president of the Idaho Association of School Resource Officers (IDASRO), representing 200 SROs across the state. Just after the COVID-19 pandemic, the Association fell somewhat dormant; however, with Ballis, they’ve been quickly reinvigorated. Ramping up the momentum, he helped IDASRO raise over $100,000 in the past eight months and in June they’re hosting a new program of breakout sessions to create equity in school safety as far as what the SROs are able to deliver for the community.
IDASRO was the first law enforcement agency to come out publicly against House Bill 415 (allowing educators to carry concealed firearms with minimal training), with Ballis spearheading through an op-ed for the Idaho Statesman. As the bill progressed, Ballis went to the capital and worked with senators, schools and law enforcement to guide the amendments. “I think what Chairman Guthrie smartly pointed out was that ‘this is going to keep getting introduced and you have a committee and a team that’s willing to work together to do this right’… so ultimately the school boards get to decide what’s best for their communities and what the level of training should look like. We’ve worked with the districts to amend the bill with all of their input and requirements to return local control.”
Why aren’t there SROs in many schools in Blaine County? Funding. “It’s all about being innovative and cooperative to find some of the solutions that are out there,” commented Ballis. “For example, Carey and Hemingway are in the county’s jurisdiction. They’ve been asking for an SRO for many years and it just hasn’t happened. I know in my line of work and what I’ve done that there are so many grants available to offset or outright pay for the cost of SRO positions.
“I’ve talked to many leaders of law enforcement agencies in the Valley. The departments have been asking for an MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) between the departments and to have their officers deputized. Because our boundaries overlap so closely, it would allow the officers of the smaller agencies to respond when the county is just out of position to respond.
“The county has a Narcotics Enforcement Team (NET) and you would think that would include representation and support from every law enforcement agency in the county. But it just currently doesn’t happen. Based on denial of requests from those other agencies, they don’t want anyone else to be part of that NET and, at the end of the day, it just hurts our community, it hurts information sharing, it hurts taking drugs off the street and just doesn’t make sense in the totality of the county. You could help supplement the great work those officers are already doing.
“There’s a huge problem with sexual exploitation in exchange for narcotics in schools. Why would we not bring every single asset to the table, not just to get the drugs out of our community but to protect our children. I’ve dealt with those investigations firsthand and it just breaks your heart. A lot of time students are more willing to report to me and have those honest conversations, but the crime itself might be out of my jurisdiction.
“It takes a leader that is willing to collaborate and has the vision for what this community needs to keep itself safe. We experience the same challenges as everyone else does with the cost of living. Why we might have a disproportionate number of deputies that live in Carey is because that’s the only area that meets the needs of their lifestyle and family. If someone wants to have a farm in Camas County, then God bless them, let them do what’s best for them and their family.”
What makes Ballis the right candidate for sheriff? “Time and time again, I am available,” commented Ballis. “I am present and I seek out opportunities to build relationships. I went to our guidance counselors and asked what scholarships are out there for law enforcement. None. In three months I created one—the Todd D. Peck Law Enforcement Endowed Scholarship with CSI. I raised more than $10,000 in less than three months. And that is a recruitment tool for us, for Blaine County.
“My job is to be empathetic and objective in how I’m supporting my community and lead by example… to step out of your comfort zone, to step outside of what your personal beliefs may be and ask ‘what can I do to make this world a better place?’”
Aaron Hughston
Aaron Hughston is a former Blaine County Sheriff Level I reserve deputy. He lives in Hailey with his wife, a school teacher at Hailey Elementary. He has donated 6,000 hours to the Blaine County Sheriff’s Office to train new officers at the Peace Officers Standards and Training (POST) Academy in Meridian.
Hughston was unavailable on the day of the interview and so the information below comes from both his website and a prepared email from his campaign manager.
Aaron Hughston “earned his Airline Transport Pilot designation, the FAA’s highest certificate, flying both as a captain at Raytheon Corporation and as a private pilot. Twice-awarded the Idaho governor’s Brightest Star Award for exemplary volunteer service and fostering an ethic of service in others, Aaron’s leadership in Blaine County is unmatched.” (https://hughston4sheriff.com/).
“If elected, I will prioritize transparency and accountability as the cornerstones of my administration. The citizens of Blaine County deserve a Sheriff’s Office that operates with the highest levels of integrity and openness. I will take full responsibility for the outcomes of my decisions and welcome public scrutiny, ensuring that the actions of law enforcement are never shrouded in secrecy. To achieve this, I will implement a robust county-wide communication system, leveraging multiple channels to keep residents promptly informed about urgent events that directly impact their lives. Timely and accurate information dissemination fosters trust and empowers our community to stay vigilant and prepared.
“My approach to law enforcement will be centered on putting the community first, recognizing that the true strength of our law enforcement agencies lies in the support and cooperation of the citizens they serve. I am an unwavering advocate for building trust and fostering strong relationships between law enforcement and the public. Through proactive community engagement initiatives, open dialogue, and increased transparency, I will work tirelessly to ensure that our officers are viewed as protectors and partners within the communities they serve. Additionally, I will appoint a dedicated mental health liaison to facilitate better handling of mental-health-related cases, ensuring that individuals in crisis receive appropriate resources and support. By addressing mental health concerns with compassion and expertise, we can prevent escalations and promote more positive outcomes.
“While I believe in traditional law enforcement methods, such as community watch programs, I also recognize the need to embrace innovative technologies to proactively prevent and reduce crime more effectively. By leveraging data-driven analytics, predictive policing models, and cutting-edge surveillance tools, we can stay ahead of emerging threats and address criminal activities before they occur. Furthermore, prioritizing mental health support is crucial in addressing the root causes of certain crimes, as untreated mental health issues can often lead individuals down a path of criminal behavior. By providing adequate resources and early intervention, we can break this cycle and promote a safer, more stable community.
“I am committed to a comprehensive strategy for crime prevention and reducing current crime rates.” (email)
Three candidates, one position. Who will voters choose to keep Blaine County safe?