Mayoral Candidates Discuss Public Safety

Patch asked the candidates for the May 3 election to share their opinions on more than a dozen topics relating to the city.

In this installment, the candidates for Havre de Grace mayor—incumbent Wayne Dougherty and challenger City Councilman Mitch Shank—discuss public safety and protecting the citizens of Havre de Grace:

Wayne Dougherty

Dougherty has put public safety at the forefront in his two terms as Mayor.

“I think we are in a very positive light in public safety,” Dougherty said. “Of course, four years ago, that was one of my primary goals—that no citizen should live in fear.”

Dougherty said his plan has been to tackle problems head-on to make sure issues with public safety do not linger.

“We’ve made great strides in that,” he said. “I also have to look to our police officers. Do they have the proper equipment that they need? [Carbon monoxide] detectors. I think the Susquehanna Hose Company opened our eyes to all of that. The equipment that is used, there’s technology out there today to better enable our enforcement. Our police department, I think, is on the top edge on a lot of it. We have a very aggressive Chief, a Chief who works well with our community. We have police officers who are dedicated to the community.”

Dougherty is upbeat about the improvements in the city’s safety, but he’s not resting on those improvements.

“I’m feeling not totally comfortable, but I feel that, to the future, we are being very proactive and not reactive,” Dougherty said.

Mitch Shank

Shank understands the Susquehanna Hose Company backing Dougherty for a third term.

“I don’t blame them,” Shank said. “He’s been good for them.”

Shank said he was supportive of public safety services as a member of the Harford County Council.

“I served four years on the County Council before the Mayor got on the City Council,” Shank said. “I said, ‘Go back and look at my record. I said, I encourage you.’ From ‘94 to ‘98, I worked closely with Joe Meadows, the Sheriff, worked closely with the fire companies.”

Shank said he’s seen first hand the service the Susquehanna Hose Company and the Havre de Grace Ambulance Corps provide—having needed both in emergency situations.

“If, to me, if people don’t feel safe, if people don’t feel they have a company that’s going to protect their house from fires, or an ambulance company that’s going to be there if they get sick, then why would you want to move here,” Shank said. “To me, public safety is the most important thing.”

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Other issues the candidates for mayor have addressed:

—April 20

—April 21

—April 22

—April 23

—April 25