He’s been called the most enthusiastic man on Whidbey Island.

Chief Deputy William “De” Dennis, Island County jail administrator, recently announced that he’s joined three other Republican men in vying for the county’s top cop position come the September primary.

Sheriff Mike Hawley said he’s not going to run again and won’t endorse anyone.

That leaves voters with a tough choice. Coupeville Marshal Lenny Marlborough, Island County Deputy Jay Wallace and retired state trooper Mark Brown have already declared their candidacy.

What sets Dennis apart from the other candidates — besides his uncanny energy and gift for the gab — is his experience with jail inmates. While all the candidates know about catching bad guys, Dennis has worked to try to change them.

“My philosophy is ‘rehabilitation starts at booking,’” he said.

“I think he’s very innovative,” said Jackie Henderson, human services director for Island County. She’s worked with him to bring many new programs to the jail, from HIV testing to parenting classes. “He truly wants to help break the destructive cycle that people in jail get into.”

Dennis said he’s especially frustrated with how the law and justice system treats people with mental health problems and has worked hard to expedite the treatment process.

Dennis admits that some people think his methods are “too touchy-feely,” but he said his paramount concern is to increase public safety as efficiently and effectively as possible. Sometimes that means looking beyond law enforcement for solutions.

“I’m a fiscal conservative,” he said, “but I’m still progressive enough to look in the community for help.”

Beyond the jail, Dennis has extensive experience and training in law enforcement. In fact, he said he’s been grooming himself for the last decade to become Island County Sheriff.

“I’ve prepared myself,” he said. “I have the administrative skills, the management skills. We shouldn’t have to train someone to step into this position.”

Not that his opponents are slouches.

Marlborough has been town marshall for 10 years and worked for the Oak Harbor Police for 14 years before that. He currently manages five officers. He has experience as a patrol officer, K-9 officer, search and rescue supervisor, undercover narcotics detective and detective sergeant.

Wallace has been an Island County deputy for 10 years. Before that, he worked in the San Francisco Police Department, where he supervised 35 other officers, collaborated with the FBI and provided security to high-profile events like the Democratic National Convention.

Brown has 31 years of experience with the state patrol, mainly in military communities. He was an officer in the Navy for about four years before joining the state patrol. He was named “trooper of the year” for the entire state once and was runner-up for the honor a second time.

Dennis’ lengthy resume begins with 30 years in the U.S. Navy. He’s a decorated Vietnam veteran and retired at Whidbey Island Naval Air Station as a master training specialist.

He was a reserve deputy, then an emergency dispatcher. He graduated as top cadet from the state’s Corrections Officers Academy and worked as a corrections deputy in the Island County jail. He graduated from the State Patrol Trooper Academy and became a trooper-in-charge, a collision investigator and a member of the Aggressive Driver Apprehension Team in Island and Skagit counties.

Dennis has degrees in criminal justice and graduated from the FBI Regional Command College, as well as the state’s firefighter academy.

He’s very busy in the community. He’s a volunteer firefighter and EMT. He provides public education in methamphetamine abuse, identity theft and elder abuse. He’s a member of the Rotary Club of Oak Harbor, Navy League, the Masonic Lodge and Fil-Am Association.

Hawley talked Dennis into taking over the jail about two years ago. Dennis is very complimentary of the job Hawley’s done as sheriff, but he said there’s always room for improvement. He said he will “mend some fences” with other departments, get more deputies on the street and provide more training. He said enthusiastic deputies sometimes make mistakes, causing problems for the prosecutor, but better training and oversight will help.

“I want the community to hear what I am doing with their tax money,” he said. “They don’t want to hear what we can’t do.”

As part of his campaign, Dennis outlined a five-point program for improving law enforcement in the county.

It calls for zero-tolerance for illegal drugs, an emphasis on identity theft, promoting neighborhood watches, improving traffic safety to stop road rage and drunk drivers, and protecting the vulnerable.

“We need to improve police response times and aid for our elders, our children and the disabled,” he said.

You can reach Jessie Stensland at jstensland@whidbeynewstimes.com or 675-6611.