A retired Jacksonville sheriff, John Rutherford is a law and order conservative who places a high value on helping public servants such as veterans and police officers. He started out as a patrolman in 1974 in the Jacksonville sheriff’s office and rose to the rank of captain before retiring in 2003. As sheriff, he oversaw a $500 million budget and 3,200 employees. Among his accomplishments, he says, was working with other agencies to curb recidivism rates of the mentally ill and provide them with necessary treatment options.