Matt Leach plans to run for Whitley County jailer in upcoming election

Jarrod Mills, The Times-Tribune, Corbin, Ky.
·5 min read

Oct. 20—WHITLEY COUNTY — Matt Leach took to Facebook last week to announce his intent to run for Whitley County jailer in 2022.

A life-long resident of Whitley County, Leach has six years of experience in corrections working for the Whitley and Laurel County Detention Centers and the Campbell County Sheriff's Office, reads his post. He told the Times-Tribune he took a break from working at the sheriff's office to focus on his job as a youth-football coach through the Whitley County Board of Education.

"I put all of my devotion into the kids because I think that's what the community needs," he said. "I want to be positive impact Tri-County wide."

Being a positive impact for the area's youth is one of the many reasons why Leach said he's decided to run for jailer now. He also wants to have an impact on those incarcerated by helping reform and save their lives, he said. He also wants to help save the taxpayers of Whitley County money.

"I've got some fresh new ideas that I really want to submit and get things in order and get to working with all agencies and turn this community around for the betterment," he said. "I just feel like there's so much more room to grow and revenue to bring in."

Leach credited current Laurel County Jailer Jamie Mosley — who two years after the completion of the new Laurel County Detention Center, had the jail financially independent of taxpayer dollars, saving the county approximately $2.7 million a year.

"That would be my goal," said Leach. "If it's God's will and the people in the community's will, I'd really love to get my hometown into that formality to where that the taxpayers are not relied upon to cover the costs."

Leach said he spent three years at the Whitley County Detention Center before moving on to work at the detention center in Laurel County. He notes a six-week training program offered in Laurel County as the reason for his move. In his post, Leach says if elected jailer he would hire the most-qualified employees and that he would hold not only them accountable, but himself, as well. He said he would also like to provide more extensive training, similar to what he said he received during his time working in Laurel County.

"That's really what needs to happen in corrections," Leach said on employees receiving extensive training. "Even then, you're not going to know everything until a year or two years down the road about what to do and the don'ts.

"If you don't offer that, your employees don't know what needs to be done and they're going to make mistakes," he added. "Nobody's perfect. But if you offer that training, you're a lot less likely to have anything bad happen to you."

Because of his experiences as both a corrections officer and a sheriff's deputy, Leach says he understands that although they are connected, the two jobs are different and require different skills and training.

"You have to learn to adapt to live with these people five days a week," said Leach on working in corrections. "The biggest thing is, you want to treat them how you would want to be treated. You're there to help reform and save their lives," he continued. "I ain't saying it's a Motel 8, but at the same time you've got to be fair, you've got to be firm and understanding, because that's somebody's family, that's somebody's son, brother, cousin."

Leach's post says he believes in treating everyone fairly and that he believes in facts, that "right is right and wrong is wrong, no matter who you are," reads the post. It goes on to say that if elected, Leach would always be available to accommodate and discuss issues with constituents.

Leach said he understood that it would be a work in-progress and that he didn't expect to be able to accomplish everything he hoped to in just one term. He admitted that it would probably take more than one term to see the expanded school programming and opportunities for female inmate work crews that he wants to see implemented. He said he also hopes to set up a child support program that would see those nonviolent offenders incarcerated for missing child support payments be granted the opportunity by a judge to work at outside job to cover those missing payments.

"I have what it takes to get the job done. I have the knowledge and the extensive training on what needs to take place," said Leach. "I've got some great mentors and people I've idolized to make me be who I am today," he added. "[Whitley County Sheriff] Todd Shelley was one. I think he's done a lot of great things in the community. He's a God-fearing man, I am as well," he continued, before saying most of all, he felt running for jailer was his calling.

"I ain't saying anything bad about the current jailer," Leach later said. "I just have a different mindset. I know what it takes to get the job done."

Leach is a native of Whitley County where he currently resides with his wife, Stephanie, and their four children, Brian, Breannia, Blake, and Dalton. Leach and his family are members of Mt. Ash Baptist Church.