Clinton County has three new county-wide elected officials as of January 1, 2023 and one of those is Bruce Stearns, the fourth Clinton County Jailer to serve in as many terms.

Stearns is a Clinton County native, son of Barbara Stearns and the late Buster Stearns. He and his wife, the former Sherry Madison, have two daughters, Christy Clunie and Whitney McGaw.

The new jailer made his first run for public office a successful one in 2022, beating out several other Republican opponents to win the jailer’s seat. He ran unopposed in November.

Stearns is no stranger to work, having worked with his father as an electrician, plumber and carpenter prior to being hired at W & W Hardwoods in Monticello where he worked a short time under Wallace Murray.

The new jailer has been a pastor the majority of his life, about the last 27 years. His father was also a minister, and he has a brother, Ed Stearns, who is a pastor in Somerset.

Stearns is pastor of Community Full Gospel Church in the Piney Woods Community, the area in which he was raised, along with his parents and siblings. He has pastored that church for over 24 years.

He recalled it was his father’s dream to begin a church, and the first one was actually in a trailer, then a smaller sized building, and now a full-sized church.

Stearns said he would like to see the jail grow as the church that his father founded grew. “I would like to work with the judge/executive, magistrates and other court officials to see the jail grow from scratch,” he said.

“I have nothing bad to say about anyone, including past jailers, they all done a good job. We have to have each other’s back on everything or nothing will work,” said Stearns.

Stearns said the main reason he decided to seek the jailer’s position is because he “wanted to help inmates.” He also said he wanted to establish a working relationship with jail employees.

In dealing with those incarcerated, he said he wanted “to work and talk with them,” adding that if he could help just one person be set free from drugs, alcohol, or other problems, “it would be worth the full term in office. A person in jail could be anyone’s family member that needs help.”

Other than being a pastor, Stearns also worked for the Clinton County Road Department for 26 and a-half years, and said he would like to see inmates put on work release and go back to cleaning up not only county roads, but state roads as well, if that were possible.

“I would like to give them (inmates) the opportunity to help in the community to give back…and I would work right along with them,” Stearns noted.

Stearns said it was the jailer’s responsibility “to be there” (at the jail) as much as possible. He said if he were not there, it would be hard to establish a relationship and gain the respect of the jail staff. “I want to be a part of making it grow.”

He said he plans to be both “at the jail, but continue to live at home,” saying he would be at the facility in person a great deal of the time.

With Stearns being totally new to the jail business, he admitted he would have to learn as he went. However, he has spent some time in training at the jail since being elected.

The new jailer thanked current jailer Tracy Thurman for his help in showing him the operations and duties of the job, saying he had learned a lot from the current jailer.

He also said, other than normal responsibilities the public expects a jailer to perform, there is a lot of paperwork and other duties to perform, saying it was a big responsibility. “ But I believe I can handle it.”

Stearns expects few, if any, changes in staffing at the jail when he takes office, saying “I’m keeping everyone there that wants to stay. Everyone there is welcome to stay and they know already what they are doing.”

Stearns feels a primary quality he will bring to the jailer’s job is having dealt with people (and problems) on a daily basis.

“I have dealt with a lot of people and counseled many people in trouble. I think I can handle any situation that may come up,” Stearns said. “I am not quick to anger, and wouldn’t allow (staff) to get into cursing matches” with anyone.

Although there have been differences of opinion (politically especially), on whether or not pastors should serve in public office, in the case of a county jailer, Stearns feels it will be an asset.

“Would you want a criminal to be in there (jailer)?” he asked. He also said “Why do you ask a pastor to go in (the jail) to talk to them (inmates),” he said. He feels him being a pastor could be a benefit to both the inmate and himself.

“Once you have been a pastor for a little while, you can handle about anything there is. It’s the hardest job there is,” said Stearns.

The new jailer said he would also keep everything that goes on at the jail transparent, not only to the judge, fiscal court, law enforcement and courts, but the public as a whole.

“I will have nothing to hide… I will answer to the public. We need to keep each other in line,” he said. “If you hide something, it’s eventually coming out,” he added, saying if anyone had questions, he would answer them if he could.

Stearns also said he would like to establish trust with inmates’ families as well, noting that everyone incarcerated was there due to misfortune of some kind. But, he said everyone is somebody’s child, parent, or sibling. “My goal is to help them,” he said.

The incoming jailer thanked all those who put their confidence in him by electing him as jailer. He also thanked Jailer Thurman for his help during the transition and said he looked forward to working with the county judge, fiscal court and all others involved in operations at the local detention center.