SAVANNAH, Mo. — Democrat and Republican voters on Aug. 5 will pick the men to be their party’s candidate for sheriff. Three Andrew County Sheriff’s Department deputies and a veteran police officer are seeking to replace Gary Howard, who will retire after 22 years in office.

The two Democratic candidates are George Birdsong and Robert Elam. Mr. Birdsong, a lieutenant in the department, has been in law enforcement since 1974. The 54-year-old Army veteran is a former Savannah police chief with a wide variety of law enforcement experience. He wants to continue the quality service Mr. Howard provided and build on cooperation with police departments in the county.

“Probably, we could get together and do some joint training,” Mr. Birdsong said.

He also wants to examine the jail and find ways to increase the capacity so the county doesn’t have to pay for housing prisoners in other jails.

Mr. Elam, 43, is a deputy sheriff whose law enforcement experience includes time with the public safety office at Missouri Western State University. As a state certified police officer, he trained new safety officers and student interns on campus. He wants to upgrade patrols so that two deputies are always on duty patrolling county roads and available to respond to emergencies. He said he would initiate a community policing program.

Both candidates want the Sheriff’s Department to have direct access to the Missouri Uniform Law Enforcement System and the National Crime Information Center.

The two Republicans are Bryan Atkins and Eric Protzman. Mr. Atkins, 48, is a captain and Mr. Howard’s chief deputy. A Missouri Air National Guard veteran and a professional firefighter at Rosecrans, he has volunteered his time with several of the county’s volunteer fire departments and the Savannah Ambulance District as well as working as a deputy.

“If elected, I’d focus on the problems associated with teenage drinking, drug use and driving,” Mr. Atkins said.

His father is the Andrew County presiding commissioner.

Mr. Protzman, 42, is a sergeant with the St. Joseph Police Department experienced in management and criminal investigations. He also wants to focus the department’s attention on safe schools and youth.

“The department needs to build and foster open lines of communication with other law enforcement agencies to meet the growing challenges presented by criminals,” he said.

Mr. Protzman would look at jail issues as part of an effort to avoid possible court action in the future.

For more information about Mr. Elam, go to www.robertelam4sheriff.com; or for Mr. Protzman, go to http://home.centurytel.net/Eric_Protzman/WEBEP.htm.

The other two candidates do not have Web sites.

Marshall White can be reached at marshall@npgco.com.