NATCHEZ — In 1974, Natchez Police Investigator Danny Barber began his law enforcement career with the Natchez Police Department.

And now, 35 years and several county and city law enforcement positions later, Barber, 55, is campaigning to be the next sheriff of Adams County.

“I love law enforcement, and I’ve done it for the majority of my life,” Barber said.

Barber, who began working as a full-time police officer for the Natchez Police Department in 1979, later became a deputy with the Adams County Sheriff’s Office and was elected as constable for two terms during that time.

Starting in 1990, Barber served as a justice court judge for the Southeast district for 12 years.

“I’ve been on both sides of law enforcement, and being a judge, and I consider that to be pretty important,” Barber said.

This story is part of a series of stories featuring the eight candidates for Adams County Sheriff. The candidates will be featured in alphabetical order between Oct. 5-8.

“It gives me good insight on knowing the law and applying the law, and that’s the main thing there — applying it,” Barber said. “The sheriff has to know the law to know how to apply it.”

Aside from implementing the law, Barber said he has ideas about programs he would like to see implemented along with those already in place.

“The DARE and neighborhood watch programs — those are the ones I want to see progress,” he said.

Barber said he wants to create a love line where one or two people call the elderly and disabled around the county every morning.

“If they don’t answer that phone after a few calls, we’ll send a car out there to check on them,” Barber said.

Also, Barber said he wants to implement a teenage hotline for young people to call in to with their problems.

“We take too many things for granted, Barber said. “There are people out there who want to help them. And lots of grant funding for that will help promote it.

“There are so many grants out there in law enforcement. We just need to apply or them. I already have a man lined up who specialized in taking care of grants. We’re going to save the county some money.”

Barber is one of eight Adams County sheriff candidates.

The special election will be Nov. 3.