Apache County elects first Navajo sheriff

Copyright © 2008
Gallup Independent
By Karen Francis
Diné Bureau

WINDOW ROCK — While racial barriers were broken with the election of the first black man for president of the United States on Tuesday, in local elections, a barrier was also broken with the election of Joe Dedman Jr. as Apache County Sheriff.

Navajos have been winning county-wide positions in Apache County at the polls, but this is the first time that a Navajo has won the position of county sheriff.

Dedman defeated five others in the primary election to become the Democratic candidate for sheriff. After winning the primary, his election was all but sealed. No Republican ran against him in the general election.

“We made history and I’m looking forward to taking office,” Dedman said Tuesday night.

Dedman said he is honored to represent the Navajo Nation and the people of Apache County.

Among his plans are to treat people with respect and to equip deputies with updated technology, he said.

He also plans to work with the chapters on issues that are important to the communities, such as bootlegging and homeland security, he said.

“I told the people of the Navajo Nation that I will do the best I can to work with each chapter, all of the officials of the Navajo Nation, tribal council, the president’s office and the surrounding agencies,” Dedman said.

He credited the Navajo vote with winning him the election noting that he received fewer votes from the southern portion of the county in the primary.

“I’m going to put that behind me and treat all people the same,” Dedman said. “People have confidence in me that I’m going to take this job.”

Dedman acknowledged that there will be many challenges as sheriff but he said he is up for it.

Dedman, a father of three and grandfather of two, is from Nazlini. He has 27 years of experience in law enforcement, including in the Navajo police’s Special Investigation Unit and as supervisor of Internal Affairs within the Navajo Nation Division of Public Safety.