Sheriff Candidates Trade Barbs, Transparency, Body Cams, 'Crime is down' Top Issues

SPRING HILL – It was a busy weekend for candidates running for public office in Hernando County, but all eyes seemed to be focused on one particular race – the Office of Sheriff.

It was standing room only at the Coast Guard Auxiliary in Hernando Beach, Friday, where candidates from all local races faced off to answer tough questions from voters. As candidates took their seats on stage, one thing became clear, the only incumbent in the room was Sheriff Al Nienhuis. It also became glaringly obvious that the most important issue for voters was the lack of transparency in the Sheriff's Office. CLICK HERE TO WATCH VIDEO

Sheriff Al Nienhuis at Hernando Beach Forum / Click for Video

Residents didn't hold back in challenging Nienhuis over his "lack of experience as a real cop" and Puglia pounced on the opportunity, asking, "...When was the last time you had a couple of shots popped off at you?" Nienhuis hung his hat on his out-of-county political endorsements and experience in administrative positions.

Nienhuis continued to take fire from both attendees and Puglia over his refusal to implement body-worn cameras (BWCs). Nienhuis says the reason for not wanting BWCs is because he doesn't want video of "two people fighting in their underwear" being stolen by hackers and released to the public. Puglia scoffed at the response and explained that the Sheriff has full discretion over what can be released to the public. Puglia told R News, "Al's response is utter nonsense. It was just recently that he touted how tough his IT security is, and that his office was untouched by the recent countywide cyberattack. No one is buying his excuses anymore."

R News attended a Meet and Greet with the Puglia Campaign on Saturday, where residents voiced many of the same concerns over the current Sheriff. One woman was in tears while telling Puglia her story, stating, "I'm terrified of Al and his mob mentality." She went on to say Puglia was an answer to her prayers. Some of those in attendance weren't even aware of the issues and had never met Puglia, but by the end of the event, they were convinced that it was time for change. CLICK HERE TO WATCH VIDEO

Early voting is underway for the Primary Election and will continue until August 17th. The race for Sheriff will be determined in the Primary on August 20th, along with a few other important races. You can access details about each candidate at Hernandovotes.gov.