Survey Question 3: Commissioner candidates weigh in on violence and domestic abuse
Commissioner candidates weigh in on violence and domestic abuse
October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Domestic violence often happens behind closed doors, but its effects reach well beyond the home. It shows up in calls to the Sheriff’s Office, in demand for emergency shelter and counseling, and in the lives of children who grow up around it. As part of our series of questions for candidates seeking seats on the Davidson County Board of Commissioners, we asked each one what steps they would take to keep communities safe, especially from domestic violence.
Their answers had several themes in common. Most called for closer coordination among law enforcement, social services, health care providers, schools and nonprofits such as Family Services of Davidson County. Others focused on paying and keeping sheriff’s deputies, stronger accountability for offenders, and the roles that mental health, substance use and economic stress play in abuse. Several candidates also said they have lived with domestic violence themselves.
Voters will fill four full-term seats on the board, plus one unexpired term, in the Nov. 3 general election.
Six candidates are running for the four full-term seats: Republicans Robbie Beasley, Dwight Cornelison, incumbent Matt Mizell and Dexter Short, and Democrats Tonya Lanier and Andrea Tate.
Three candidates are running for the unexpired term: Republican Steve Shook, who was appointed to the seat; Democrat Chuck Slipetsky; and Felicia Dreher [confirm party/affiliation].
Beasley, Cornelison and Shook did not respond to the questionnaire. Responses from the other candidates are printed below in alphabetical order.
Question: Residents across Davidson County face many forms of violence, particularly domestic violence. What steps would you take to keep our communities safe?
Felicia Dreher (unexpired term): I am a woman who has experienced this matter first hand.
My position: Prioritize prevention, protect victims, and hold offenders accountable while respecting individual rights. Every resident deserves to feel safe in their home and community. Domestic violence is particularly concerning because it often occurs behind closed doors, leaving victims feeling isolated, worthless, and without resources.
As a commissioner, I would:
Support domestic violence services: Work with existing shelters, nonprofits, and advocacy organizations to identify gaps in services and opportunities for collaboration.
Improve access to resources: Support public awareness of emergency assistance, crisis hotlines, counseling, and legal resources for victims.
Strengthen community partnerships: Encourage cooperation among law enforcement, social services, healthcare providers, and community organizations.
Focus on prevention: Support educational initiatives that help identify warning signs of abuse and connect people with assistance before situations escalate.
Review emergency response needs: Work with relevant county departments to identify service gaps and ensure responsible allocation of public safety resources.
I believe protecting individual liberty includes protecting people from violence and coercion. Victims should have access to help without unnecessary obstacles, and violent offenders should be held accountable through due process. Our county government cannot eliminate every form of violence, but it can help ensure that residents know where to turn and that available resources are used responsibly.
Tonya Lanier (full term): I think we should continue to fund programs that deter repetitive domestic violence situations, get counseling where needed, create stronger penalties for abuse, and discourage revolving door practices, advocate for victims and much more. Establish a zero tolerance policy. While doing all of these, also try to establish the core reason for the abuse and try to break the cycle for future generations. i.e. drug abuse, economic stress, control and power, mental health, etc.
Matt Mizell (full term): During my first term, I supported additional compensation for Sheriff’s Office personnel because retaining experienced deputies is less costly and simply safer than continually losing trained officers and starting over. I have also supported investments in Emergency Communications and school resource officers. But community safety goes beyond just our Sheriff’s department. Domestic violence is a multifaceted issue because victims often need several forms of help such as immediate protection, a safe place to stay, counseling, child services, and a path that sets them on the road to independence. Davidson County already works with Family Services of Davidson County, which provides crisis intervention and domestic-violence services. The main opportunity is to continue strengthening coordination among the Sheriff’s Office, local government, DSS, public health, schools, and nonprofit providers. Domestic violence victims don’t need to be burdened with the navigation of this safety net, instead the coordination should be made as seamless as possible.
Dexter Short (full term): We need to support local law enforcement in a host of ways such as providing adequate pay, benefits and equipment. We need to keep our officers in this county rather than provide a training ground for them to move to other jurisdictions with better pay and benefits. An officer that stays within Davidson County throughout his career has a greater stake in his community by which everyone benefits. We need to support the many programs already in existence to prevent domestic violence and also promote their interactions with local law enforcement.
Chuck Slipetsky (unexpired term): I also grew up in a household with domestic violence, and I understand firsthand how dangerous it is. We have already covered financial, drug and health issues and all of these can contribute to the violence in the home. I personally understand the need for a safe place for the abused to run to for safety. Law enforcement needs to be as active as possible to make it safe to leave the home and to secure safety of the abused when relocated. There needs to be more places for families to go with the support they need. I feel we need to take advantage of any churches, temples and such to help with this. I would look for incentives that would improve the availability of options. We as a county and country have dropped the ball when it comes to public mental health and this issue must also be addressed.
Andrea Tate (full term): Community safety requires more than responding after violence occurs. It also requires prevention, education, strong partnerships, and making sure residents know where to turn when they need help. Domestic violence is personal to me because I have experienced it. That experience gave me a deeper understanding of how important safe resources, support systems, and people who will listen without judgment can be. I do not share that to make the issue about me; I share it because I understand how difficult it can be for someone to ask for help. Davidson County already has resources through Family Services of Davidson County, including crisis intervention, safety planning, counseling, and the Hattie Lee Burgess Home for people fleeing domestic or sexual violence. Those services matter, and county leaders should understand where gaps remain and how community partners can work together. As a County Commissioner, I would support collaboration among victim-service organizations, law enforcement, healthcare providers, schools, and community groups. I also believe prevention efforts around healthy relationships, mental health, substance use, and early intervention are important. My approach would be to listen to survivors and professionals, review the needs of the county, and support solutions that improve safety while making resources easier to find and access.
