Message personally from Dino:

My name is Dennis Guider. Everyone that knows me, knows me as “Dino”. I have been married to my wonderful wife, Kristi, for 22 years. Kristi and I have been blessed with two daughters, Deana Owens (son-in-law Joseph Owens, grandson Titus Owens), and Kelsey Risden (son-in-law Zach Risden). We enjoy spending time with our family as much as possible.

I am a lifelong resident of Loudon County. I lived in Eaton Crossroads on Holbrook Avenue when I was young. My school years were spent attending Eaton Elementary, North Middle, and Lenoir City High School where I met so many amazing people that I still communicate with. I graduated high school in 1985.

After high school I worked a couple of other jobs, but something kept calling me into law enforcement. Maybe it was my father’s law enforcement career or my family’s long law enforcement history. I cannot say what it was, but I checked into being a police officer for Lenoir City. In 1990 I started volunteering as a reserve officer. I soon became a part-time officer in early 1991 and then a full-time officer later that year. For over thirty years, I have had the privilege of serving the people of Loudon County, which is my passion.

During my long career at the Lenoir City Police Department, I have worked on patrol, been assigned as a motor officer, traffic reconstructionist, and a field training officer. I played a major role in developing the field training program used in the department. I believe that training and education are key to the success of the officer and the department.

People have asked me on numerous occasions why I am not a supervisor. My belief is that the greatest impact I could make would be training new officers. I spend weeks one on one with new officers teaching them how to become a police officer that serves the public as well as the correct and the wrong way to be a police officer. From my many interactions over the years with police officers and supervisors, I have learned that law enforcement needs leaders not just supervisors. To be a leader you do not have to be a supervisor. Great leaders do not tell you what to do, they show you how it is done.

Why do I want to become your sheriff?

As I mentioned before, my family has been in law enforcement for decades. My grandfather, Perry Guider, served as Loudon County Sheriff from 1936 to 1940. He could only serve 4 years because of term limits. My father, Ernie Guider, served as Loudon County Sheriff from 1962 to 1968. Because of term limits he only served 6 years and then worked as a U.S. Marshal until he retired. My first cousin, Tim Guider, is the current sheriff. He was elected in 1990 and is retiring in 2022 after serving 32 years as sheriff.

The sheriff of Loudon County has a great responsibility. He is the chief law enforcement officer of the county. He must be trustworthy, have integrity, and be willing to serve the people of Loudon County. My family has done that for decades. If elected sheriff I pledge to continue my family’s heritage of service to the citizens of Loudon County. This great responsibility is not something I take lightly. During these trying times in our country the citizens of Loudon County need someone who is trustworthy, honest, and dedicated to seeing that all the people of Loudon County get fair and equal law enforcement service.

I have long believed that the deputies are the front line of service to Loudon County. They interact with the public, patrol the streets, and keep the public safe. We need to invest in all of our employees, give them better equipment, training, and education. They need the tools necessary to do their job. We need to retain and recruit the most qualified people for this very important job. Loudon County is growing, and we need to grow with it.

Loudon County currently has a citizen’s academy. This is a great way for people and the department to interact with each other. People can see exactly what law enforcement does and how they are trained. The deputies and the public have a chance to interact and build trusting relationships. Programs like this are invaluable and we need more of them. Loudon County has many resources, and many are underutilized. I pledge to leverage every resource to protect and help the citizens of Loudon County.

Tim Guider has done very well as sheriff. I would like to build on what Tim has done and take the department even farther. My vision of the future is probably much different that Tim’s or any other candidate, but it has the same end goal of serving the citizens of Loudon County.

As sheriff, I will maintain the highest standards, serve with integrity, honesty, and dedication to the people of Loudon County and the department. I will build relationships with all areas of the county and seek the community’s input on their needs and issues. I will be responsive, available, and accountable to those I serve. I will be fiscally responsible by seeking grants and keeping cost low but still maintaining a high level of service. My main goal, as it should be for any sheriff, is serving the people of Loudon County.

I, Dennis ``Dino” Guider, humbly and respectfully ask for your support and your vote for Sheriff of Loudon County in May of 2022. Loudon County is a great place to live and work. The people of Loudon County make it that way. It would be an honor to serve you as sheriff.

For More Information Visit Guider For Sheriff Facebook Page