Headlines
East Wins Democratic Bid for Lafayette County Sheriff
By Alyssa Schnugg
News Editor
alyssa.schnugg@hottytoddy.com
Joey East and his sister, Melissa East Westbrook, are all smiles at the Lafayette County Courthouse after East won the Democratic primary for Sheriff. Photo via Facebook
Lafayette County Democrats made their choice clear for who should be the Democratic candidate for Sheriff in the November election.
Joey East received 3,742 votes Tuesday night during the Mississippi Primary Election. His opponent, Raymond Westley Sides, also a Democrat, garnered 761 votes.
East will face off against Independent Candidate Jeffrey Clinton South in November. There was no Republican candidate running for the position that was held for more than 40 years by East’s father, the late Sheriff F.D. “Buddy” East.
“Thank you to the LOU Community for the amazing support yesterday,” East wrote on his Facebook page Wednesday. “I can’t begin to tell you how excited, emotional and humbling this has been for me. Starting tomorrow I will get right back out there and continue to work hard to earn your vote for November.”
East is currently the Chief of Police for the Oxford Police Department; however, once he announced his plans to run for Sheriff, the Oxford Board of Aldermen granted him permission to take a temporary leave of absence. Then-Maj. Jeff McCutchen was appointed Interim Chief to serve during East’s leave.
Should East win in November, the Board of Aldermen will begin the search for a new Chief of Police.
At 20 years old, East was hired as a dispatcher for the Oxford Police Department and has been in law enforcement for more than 28 years where he has worked his way through the ranks.
East said he is running for Lafayette County Sheriff because he cares about this community and the people who live in it.
“I have spent my entire adult life working and protecting this community, I know this community and the families that live here,” East told Hottytoddy.com last week. “Being sheriff has always been a dream of mine and I have spent the last 28 plus years studying, training and preparing myself for this position.”
| Mon, Nov 4 |  | vs Long Island University | W, 90-60 |
| Fri, Nov 8 |  | vs Grambling | W, 66-64 |
| Tue, Nov 12 |  | vs South Alabama | W, 64-54 |
| Sat, Nov 16 |  | vs Colorado State | W, 84-69 |
| Thu, Nov 21 |  | vs Oral Roberts | L, 100-68 |
| Thu, Nov 28 |  | vs BYU | W, 96-85 OT |
| Fri, Nov 29 |  | vs 13 Purdue | L, 80-78 |
| Tue, Dec 3 |  | @ Louisville | W, 86-63 |
| Sat, Dec 7 |  | vs Lindenwood | W, 86-53 |
| Sat, Dec 14 |  | vs Southern Miss | W, 77-46 |
| Tue, Dec 17 |  | vs Southern | W, 74-61 |
| Sat, Dec 21 |  | vs Queens University | W, 80-62 |
| Sat, Dec 28 |  | @ Memphis | L, 87-70 |
| Sat, Jan 4 |  | vs Georgia | W, 63-51 |
| Wed, Jan 8 |  | @ 23 Arkansas | W, 73-66 |
| Sat, Jan 11 |  | vs LSU | W, 77-65 |
| Tue, Jan 14 |  | @ 5 Alabama | W, 74-64 |
| Sat, Jan 18 |  | @ 17 Mississippi State | L, 81-84 |
| Wed, Jan 22 |  | vs 13 Texas A&M | L, 62-63 |
| Sat, Jan 25 |  | @ Missouri | L, 83-75 |
| Wed, Jan 29 |  | vs Texas | W, 72-69 |
| Sat, Feb 1 |  | vs 2 Auburn | L, 92-82 |
| Tue, Feb 4 |  | vs 10 Kentucky | W, 98-84 |
| Sat, Feb 8 | | @ LSU | 7:30 PM SECN |
| Wed, Feb 12 |  | @ South Carolina | 6:00 PM SECN |
| Sat, Feb 15 | | vs 17 Mississippi State | 5:00 PM TBA |
| Sat, Feb 22 |  | @ Vanderbilt | 2:30 PM SECN |
| Wed, Feb 26 | | @ 2 Auburn | 6:00 PM TBA |
| Sat, Mar 1 |  | vs 12 Oklahoma | 1:00 PM TBA |
| Wed, Mar 5 |  | vs 1 Tennessee | 8:00 PM TBA |
| Sat, Mar 8 |  | @ 6 Florida | 5:00 PM SECN |