A sheriff must maintain composure in stressful situations.
They must be brave, honest, trustworthy, and fair.
A sheriff must possess the skills to deal with any situation, whether it is by using force or by negotiation. He should also have further valuable expertise, like being able to use firearms and other weapons, as well as being physically fit.
Sheriffs must communicate effectively with people and resolve conflicts without violence. They also must take care of themselves and how to take care of others when they are in trouble.
Raleigh County Sheriff Jim Canaday has been involved in law enforcement for most of his adult life. “Being a police officer was the only thing I ever wanted to do,” explained the mild-mannered sheriff at his office in the Raleigh County Courthouse.
“Everywhere I turned, it seemed I was just cut out to be a policeman.”
Canaday’s experience within the sheriff’s office and close working relationship with former sheriff Scott Van Meter, the Raleigh County Commission, the law enforcement community, and the criminal justice community as a whole has allowed him to make a seemingly seamless transition.
“I already had experience in most of the duties of the various roles of the sheriff’s office,” Canaday explained, noting that the modernization of the headquarters began in earnest in 2017.
“In the past year alone, we have opened our new law enforcement headquarters, secured vital state and federal funding for desperately needed investigative tools, increased drug interdiction patrols, and began working with the Raleigh County Board of Education to construct a second full-service detachment in the Ghent area, establishing a permanent presence in that area of the county.”
But Sheriff Canaday’s work is far from finished.
“Gangs and other bad actors from outside the state continue to poison our community with dangerous drugs, such as methamphetamines and fentanyl. I have seen firsthand how the drug problem fuels other criminal activity.”
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Canaday grew up in MacArthur and attended Woodrow Wilson High School, where he graduated in 1989. He graduated from Concord University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a minor in interpersonal/organizational communication. In 2013, he earned a master’s degree in criminal justice from the University of Cincinnati with a concentration of Law Enforcement and Crime Prevention.
He has been a lifelong member of the Crab Orchard Baptist Church. He is also a member of the Beckley Masonic Lodge, Fraternal Order of Police Black Diamond Lodge, Raleigh County Deputy Sheriff’s Association, West Virginia Sheriff’s Association Board of Directors, Raleigh County Day Report Center Board of Directors, the Hollywood Elementary Local School Improvement Council, and the Beckley/Raleigh County Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors.
Canaday and his wife Kristi have been together since 1990 and have two children, Brandon, and Allyson. Both he and wife Kristi were both raised in Raleigh County and returned to Beckley, after college, to raise their children and be close to their families.
“We work here, our kids go to school here, and we make our lives here,” the sheriff emphasized. “Therefore, I have a real interest in ensuring that Raleigh County is safe and prosperous. I am running for sheriff because I believe that my education, experience, and abilities uniquely qualify me to address the challenges facing law enforcement, business, and families in Raleigh County.”
Sheriff Canaday added, “I believe Raleigh County residents deserve a sheriff that understands how to use resources of the sheriff’s office to work with the community, making it safe for families and appealing to new businesses. I further believe that my experience, education, and established network of resources make me the most qualified candidate with proven leadership that the public can trust.”
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Sheriff Canaday’s accomplishments include the following:
- Increased Sheriff’s Deputies’ pay by $20,000;
- Established and increased proficiency of K9 unit;
- Opened Glen Daniels detachment—reuniting the sheriff’s department with the community;
- Helped build a new sheriff’s department by helping with retainment and recruitment;
- Helped modernize the sheriff’s department with the latest technology;
- Established the Drug Task Force.
“Over my career,” the sheriff explained, “I have established a record of proven leadership. This leadership was further expanded with my appointment to chief deputy in 2017. In 2022, the Raleigh County commission entrusted me with the office of sheriff, and, since then, I have continued a record of proven leadership as sheriff of Raleigh County.”
He also noted, “When former sheriff Scott Van Meter asked me to assume the position of chief deputy, he selected me because he believed that I had the knowledge and experience required to successfully lead the law enforcement operations of the sheriff’s office. The people of Raleigh County trusted Scott Van Meter to be sheriff, and the county commission trusted me to take over the position as sheriff, and I now am asking voters to continue that trust.”
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Law enforcement officers, such as the sheriff and his deputies, often stand out in the community for what they represent to society. Their decent character consists of defining their values and integrity based on time-tested principles and self-reflection and having the courage to live their lives accordingly.
Officers such as Canaday help build respect and trust from those they serve. They strive to motivate and inspire better character from others, providing a framework for making important decisions and choices—all the while reflecting leadership qualities in personal and professional successes.
The county sheriff also realizes that individual integrity is the linchpin for a healthy, functioning society. And though it sometimes may not be a popular pursuit, developing these important character traits is one of the most satisfying, emotionally intelligent missions that lawmen will ever undertake.
Now, when a person possesses excellent character, it is exhibited through his or her words and actions. Although not limited to a single value, the traits are particularly showcased in policework, demonstrated in the choices officers make and poor choices they avoid.
This and more are what drive Canaday in his daily quest for good character, including the traits of loyalty, honesty, courage, integrity, fortitude, and other important virtues that promote positive behavior.
“A police officer with exceptional character chooses to do right when it is right, when it is morally right to do so,” Canaday explained of his vision recently. “It is the voice deep within us that defines us for who were are.”
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Top o’ the morning!