The sheriff’s race for Schuylkill County features incumbent Sheriff Joseph Groody against Doug Litwhiler for a four-year term.

Groody, a Democrat, was first elected as sheriff in 2009. Before that he was appointed, serving for two years. It is his third term in office.

“It’s been an honor and privilege to serve as Schuylkill County’s Sheriff,” Groody said.

A native of Ashland, he graduated from North Schuylkill High School and the North Vocational Technical School.

He is also a graduate of the Pennsylvania State Police Academy.

He is a member of numerous boards and organizations.

Groody is proud of implementing the online license to carry system to better serve the public, supporting the Schuylkill County Drug Court, and various other efforts including providing assistance to the Schuylkill County Drug Task Force to combat the drug problem in the county.

“Schuylkill County is a safer place and I believe our commitment to enforce laws with fairness and firmness has helped make that difference. That is why I seek the privilege to continue serving Schuylkill Countians as their sheriff. Being sheriff is about more than catching criminals, moving prisoners and issuing civil complaints. It’s about serving residents and being there to help them when problems surface that most never expected to have,” Groody said.

Doug Litwhiler, a Republican, says he plans to bring changes to the office.

He said he will be “a sheriff for the people.”

He is graduate of Mahanoy Area High School. He attended Bloomsburg University for criminal justice and is a graduate of the Lackawanna College Police Academy.

He is the chief of police in North Union Township and a patrolman in Schuylkill Township.

Litwhiler said he would make the Central Booking a 24-hour operation. He would also aim to have deputies cross-certified as county detectives so they may investigate crimes, something he said works well with other counties.

Assigning a deputy to assist in investigating opioid deaths in the county is also a goal. Litwhiler doesn’t stop there. Being more culturally diverse in hiring practices is also an objective.

He even weighs in on the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I would definitely not enforce any masking mandates or any mandates set down by Gov. Wolf or President Biden.”