Cherokee County Sheriff Roger Garrison says he'll put his experience up against his opponent's any day.

"It's my 27 years versus her 18 months as jailer," Garrison says of Nicole Ebbeskotte, his opponent in the July 15 Republican primary.

Ebbeskotte worked for Garrison for seven years, first as a jailer, then in public information and other administrative roles.

She says she resigned about a year ago, feeling she could do a better job than Garrison on issues such as the budget and intergovernmental relations.

Garrison, who has been sheriff for 16 years and was unopposed four years ago, isn't taking his re-election bid for granted. He's out campaigning —- emphasizing the department's success with national accreditation, its accolades for drug enforcement and its high-caliber staff.

The sheriff said he's made it a priority to have a department that's well-educated and well-trained. "We've grown as an agency to be reflective of the community," he said.

Ebbeskotte is critical of the growth in the department's spending under Garrison. It's bigger now, she says, than the operating budget of the city of Woodstock.

"All of this while service areas have been reduced by city annexation," said Ebbeskotte, who has an undergraduate degree in business and finance and a master's degree in conflict resolution from Kennesaw State.

Ebbeskotte says the sheriff's office needs to join forces with the Immigration and Naturalization Service to do more about illegal immigration.

"All she's talking about is a grant she might get," Garrison said.

He said the limited space in the county jail needs to be reserved for criminals —- "for people we're afraid of, not the ones we're mad at."

The big challenge, Garrison said, is keeping up with the growth of the county in a weak economy, which also often means a spike in the crime rate.

ABOUT THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE

> What it does: Provides law enforcement and detention services for Cherokee County. The duties of the office include: operating an adult detention center; providing courthouse security; serving civil and criminal warrants; patrolling the county; responding to 911 calls; and investigating crimes.

> The budget: For 2007, it was about $30 million

> The staff: 345 sworn deputies and 66 civilian employees