Juden running for sheriff

Charles A. "Drew" Juden III, former director of the state Department of Public Safety, announced Friday he will seek the Cape Girardeau County sheriff's office in 2020.

He plans to run as a Republican, which means he would face incumbent Sheriff Ruth Ann Dickerson in a Republican primary election Aug. 4. Dickerson has not indicated to the Southeast Missourian whether she will run for the office in 2020. Dickerson became interim sheriff following the resignation of John Jordan in August 2018.

The filing period for the 2020 primary and general elections is from Feb. 25 through March 31.

A Cape Girardeau native and current Cape County resident, Juden spent 38 years with the Sikeston, Missouri, Department of Public Safety, where he served as chief from 2001 until former Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens tapped him to lead the state DPS in early 2017.

He left that position in August 2018, a few months after Greitens resigned the governorship.

Juden is a past board member of the SEMO Major Case Squad and SEMO Drug Task Force. He is also a founding member of the SEMO Bomb Team and Homeland Security Response Team. In addition, he also served as a member of the state's Homeland Security Advisory Council. Over the course of his 41-year law enforcement career, Juden received numerous recognitions in Sikeston, including Outstanding Young Law Enforcement Officer, Law Enforcement Officer of the Year and Citizen of the Year. In 2008 he was named the Donald Red Loehr Outstanding Police Chief and is past president of the Missouri Police Chiefs Association.

However, his career has not been without controversy.

In March of this year he was named in a lawsuit related to the wrongful incarceration of David Robinson. Robinson was convicted of murder in the 2000 death of Sheila Box of Sikeston and was incarcerated nearly 18 years before charges were dropped and he was released from prison.

In addition, Missouri Auditor Nicole Galloway released an audit report in July that claimed Juden's administration "abused" the state's purchasing process while he headed the Missouri Department of Public Safety by making "multiple improper and questionable payments" to benefit the Missouri Police Chiefs Charitable Foundation. The state audit also alleged other improprieties including violations of DPS policies regarding annual leave and improper usage of state vehicles.

Juden has defended his actions as the state DPS director and has denied any improprieties related to the Robinson lawsuit.

Juden attended Cape Central High School and Southeast Missouri State University and received additional training through the University of Missouri.

He and his wife, Debbie, have three sons and two grandsons. Their sons are Andrew Juden, a fire captain with the City of Cape Girardeau; Tyler Juden, a flight paramedic with Air Evac Air Ambulance Service; and Hunter Juden, a deputy canine handler with Scott County Sheriff's Department.

Cape Girardeau attorney Trae Bertrand is serving as Juden's campaign treasurer, and Annette Ressel of Jackson is the campaign's deputy treasurer.