Republican candidate Tim Shepard runs for Washington County judge

• He also called the University of Arkansas an "enormous asset" and said he'd want to work with its College of Engineering to assess the county's roads. Ultimately, he wants to have a published plan for road maintenance based on their public safety and traffic needs.

How it works: County judges in Arkansas aren't exactly judges. They are the chief executive officers of the county government and preside over the elected quorum court, similar to how a mayor presides over a city council.

• The judge authorizes the disbursement of county funds, hires some county employees and oversees county roads as well as departments like emergency management, planning and juvenile detention, according to the county's website.

• They serve four-year terms. The salary in Washington County is about $170,000, according to the county budget.

State of play: Shepard, 43, retired in June as a Fayetteville Police Department captain after 19 years with the department and more than 21 years in law enforcement. He earned a master's degree from the University of Arkansas and lives just outside of Fayetteville city limits.

• Shepard won the Republican nomination after defeating incumbent Patrick Deakins in an April runoff election with about 77% of the vote. None of the three candidates in the March primary election secured enough votes to win. Shepard had the most votes with about 48%.

Flashback: Shepard built the Fayetteville Police Department crisis intervention response team that integrated social workers and worked closely with the county's crisis stabilization unit, which was part of a state pilot program intended to divert people experiencing mental health crises away from jail.

• The unit in the former home of the juvenile detention center in Fayetteville closed in 2024 after state funding cuts and the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences no longer providing staff.

What they're saying: Shepard would like to reinstate a similar unit, this time attached to an existing medical facility because he says that would likely be more sustainable. This would also involve a partnership with a local health system.

• He'd also like to look into reopening a facility like the Northwest Arkansas Community Correction Center for women, which provided treatment and counseling to inmates, until the county terminated the state's $1 per year lease on the Fayetteville building in 2024. Shepard said it had been "a really good re-entry program."

Zoom in: Shepard, who previously worked for the policy and accreditation unit at the Fayetteville Police Department, wants an office of performance, transparency and accountability.

• The goals are to make sure the county is following the Freedom of Information Act and applying human resource policies like performance evaluations or disciplinary actions fairly to all employees across departments.

Zoom out: Washington County needs a comprehensive land use plan, Shepard said. He supports broadening what property owners are allowed to build on their property without a permit, granted they meet updated infrastructure requirements and other regulations intended to protect neighbors.

• He said the county needs an ordinance regulating data centers, especially regarding their water and electricity use, noting he likes what Fayetteville has put in place.

What's next: Early voting starts Oct. 19, and Election Day is Nov. 3.

• The deadline to register to vote in the election is Oct. 5. Check your voter registration and polling places.

More from Axios: Democratic candidate Dana Deree