VALDOSTA — Ashley Paulk wants to be sheriff again.

He held the sheriff’s office four consecutive terms from 1993-2009, opting not to seek a fifth term to run for the Lowndes County Commission seat. He was County Commission chairman from 2009-2013, opting not to seek a second term.

Paulk said he is running for sheriff because he wants to reimplement successful programs from his past four terms. Programs, he said, were discontinued after he left office.

If elected, Paulk would reinstitute the jail inmate work program.

Paulk said the work program allowed inmates to work local jobs during the day then return to jail in the evening. The program allowed inmates the opportunity to earn money to pay court costs, restitution and child support, allowed them to save money for restarting their lives upon release and ensured them employment upon release, Paulk said.

The program also cut the average jail sentence in half, Paulk said, reducing the expense of housing inmates and saving county taxpayers money.

“It was a win-win situation,” Paulk said. “Taxpayers saved money and the inmates had a job when they got out, reducing the chances of returning to crime.”

As sheriff, Paulk said he arranged the program through the courts with help from Southern Circuit Judge H. Arthur McLane.

If elected, Paulk said he would also reinstate the program of seizing drug money flowing through the county along Interstate 75. During Paulk’s four terms, sheriff’s deputies seized millions of dollars in drug funds. Paulk used the drug-seized funds to purchase a fleet of patrol cars and other equipment for the sheriff’s office, saving taxpayers the cost of replacing sheriff’s vehicles.

Paulk said he could cut the existing sheriff’s office budget by a half-million dollars within his first 60 days. Asked how, he said he wouldn’t say at this time.

Paulk is a lifelong resident of Lowndes County. He and wife Ginger have five children and 23 grandchildren.

The Paulks own Valdosta Electric and a pecan farming operation. Paulk said the majority of the family business operations are now managed by his sons, which would allow him more time to devote to being sheriff.

“I’m a people person,” Paulk said. “So much of being sheriff is about being in contact with people. Sitting down with them and talking to them. … Ninety percent of the people in jail are good people who have made bad mistakes. … I will run the sheriff’s office with compassion and common sense.”

Paulk is running as a Democrat. He faces Calvin Troy in the May primary. The winner of the Democratic primary faces incumbent Sheriff Chris Prine in November.