ASHLAND, Miss. — The clash between the Sheriff of Benton County Mississippi and the Benton County Constable has gone public.
It started when Constable Wayne Gadd said he was told by Sheriff A.A. McMullen not to come back into the Sheriff’s Office.
The Constable let the whole county know he’s not happy with the Sheriff.
“I went to New Albany and had these signs made and put them on there. I figured if he could throw me out of the jail, I’d try to throw him out,” said Gadd.
As the Benton County Constable, Gadd logs a lot of miles in his truck, and he figured a couple of signs he purchased would get plenty of exposure.
The signs read, “Benton County needs a new Sheriff.”
Gadd showed his displeasure with Sheriff A.A. McMullen after the two exchanged words a month ago.
“He walked right up to me and said, ‘let’s just get this over with. I don’t like you, you don’t like me. From this day forth, you’re not to set foot in this Sheriff’s Office,’ said Gadd.
He said he was in the Sheriff’s Office to serve a subpoena to a Deputy who wasn’t there at the time.
Gadd argued that as an elected official he had a right to be in the Sheriff’s Office, but according to Gadd the Sheriff didn’t see it that way.
“Naw, you’re not to set foot back in here. If you bring somebody to jail, you bring them in the back door and leave by the back door. Don’t come in the rest of this building,” said Gadd recounting the event.
Sheriff McMullen, who’s been in office 22-years, told WREG off camera that Gadd was a Sheriff’s dispatcher until he was fired for not following proper 911 procedure.
He said the Constable was rude to him on several occasions, and that’s why he told him not to come back.
Sheriff McMullen called Gadd “childish” for putting the signs on his truck.
Residents told WREG the disagreement is the talk of Benton County.
“Well, it may be a little bit of a grudge thing going on,” said Travis Vanstory of Ashland, MS.
But Vanstory said he thinks Gadd’s signage may actually work in the Sheriff’s favor.
“He’s been in there a while and he’s done his job. So, we’ll be glad to have him again if he gets it this term,” he said.
William Tipler said he’ll just wait and see what happens on election day.
“I don’t know. There’s so much talk going on. I try to stay out of the gossip,” he admitted.
Sheriff McMullen said that regardless of the disagreement between him and the Constable, his department will still assist Constable Gadd when needed.
