{"id":37621,"date":"2022-10-28T18:59:00","date_gmt":"2022-10-29T00:59:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/sikes-touts-constitutional-values-vows-to-fight-drug-trafficking\/"},"modified":"2026-03-31T02:38:55","modified_gmt":"2026-03-31T08:38:55","slug":"sikes-touts-constitutional-values-vows-to-fight-drug-trafficking","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/sikes-touts-constitutional-values-vows-to-fight-drug-trafficking\/","title":{"rendered":"Sikes touts Constitutional values, vows to fight drug trafficking"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Odis
Odis Sikes: \u201cI\u2019m not a politician. We don\u2019t need a politician, and I\u2019ve never been in law enforcement, so I\u2019m not a cop. I don\u2019t think like a cop. I think like you think.\u201d (Odis Sikes for Montezuma County Sheriff)<\/span>cca<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>\n

Odis Sikes, the unaffiliated candidate running against Montezuma County Sheriff Steve Nowlin, touts Constitutional values, tough-on-crime policies and community relationships.<\/p>\n

Sikes has lived in Montezuma County since the late 1980s, but only considered running for sheriff early last year.<\/p>\n

He said he was hesitant to run but began to consider it after encouragement from J. Fargo\u2019s manager and Montezuma County Patriots Freedom Rides <\/a>leader Tiffany Gray (formerly Tiffany Ghere) and other members of the community.<\/p>\n

\u201cI said, \u2018Let me pray about it, and let me think about it,\u2019 because I\u2019m definitely not going to do this if I didn\u2019t pray about it,\u201d Sikes said.<\/p>\n

Gray said she and Sikes shared beliefs about the Constitution.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe share the common belief that our Constitution was bought and paid for by blood; it was not given to us by our government, therefore cannot be taken away from us by our government,\u201d Gray said. \u201cGiven the position and authority that the sheriff\u2019s position has, we need someone who\u2019s strong and stands on the Constitution.\u201d<\/p>\n

When asked why he decided to run for sheriff, Sikes said, \u201cI\u2019m not a politician. We don\u2019t need a politician, and I\u2019ve never been in law enforcement, so I\u2019m not a cop. I don\u2019t think like a cop. I think like you think.\u201d<\/p>\n

While Sikes, 72, doesn\u2019t have experience in the police or sheriff\u2019s department, he spoke of his combat experience in the Army\u2019s 1st Infantry Division during the Vietnam War in 1968 and 1969.<\/p>\n

Sikes referenced the Constitution often, and said its principals, which he believes were faith-based, would guide his decisions.<\/p>\n

\u201cI believe the Constitution was faith-based, and like the Founding Fathers, I believe our rights are God-given rights, and the Constitution is based on that. The Constitution protects our God-given rights,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

The government, Sikes said, should never come before the Constitution.<\/p>\n

\u201cI would like to see law enforcement in Montezuma County, not just the sheriff\u2019s department \u2013 Mancos, Cortez Police Department \u2013 I would like to see them start putting the Constitution first. Colorado laws like the red flag law are totally unconstitutional. Well, I\u2019m not going to obey that number one, and number two, I\u2019m not going to enforce it,\u201d Sikes said.<\/p>\n

\u201cSome people just take that \u2018Well, the government said.\u2019 No, what did the Constitution say,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Sikes said, Gov. Jared Polis\u2019 shutdown orders should have been sent back to him with a copy of the Constitution. Sikes said the government shouldn\u2019t have a say in whether businesses and churches can keep their doors open.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Fifth Amendment and the 14th Amendment say we shall not be deprived of life, liberty and property without due process of law, he said.<\/p>\n

Sikes also said he would tackle drug trafficking.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d really like to see them (deputies) more aggressive on drugs,\u201d he said. \u201cIt needs to be stopped coming in, and it needs to be kicked out. I don\u2019t see anyone trying to stop drugs from coming in.\u201d<\/p>\n

With the increase of fentanyl smuggling, Sikes says he would want drug traffickers to be terrified to step foot in Montezuma County, and he would want the Sheriff\u2019s Office to have more of a plan than, \u201cIf you see something, say something.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy is there not someone in Montezuma County that they fear?\u201d Sikes asked. \u201cSomebody ought to scare the hell out of them.\u201d<\/p>\n

Along with working on his campaign, Sikes has faced reports from news reporters stating that he suggested that transgenders and drag queens should go to jail.<\/p>\n

In an article published by Rocky Mountain PBS,<\/a> Sikes was quoted as saying that the Montezuma County sheriff should have arrested a drag queen \u201cset to read stories to children at a local library.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI think the sheriff should\u2019ve gone in there and said, \u2018You need to get out of this county and never come back or you\u2019re going to jail,\u2019\u2019\u2019 Sikes said at a meet-and-greet.<\/a> \u201cIt\u2019s child abuse, and they wanted that at our library.\u201d<\/p>\n

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