Democrat David M. Copi H Candidate For Sheriff

David M. Copi, a 24-year-old law student who is active in city and county Democratie Party activities, today announced that he will oppose incumbent Douglas J. Harvey for the Democrat nomination for sheriff in the Aug. 6 primary. Copi's announcement assures a primary in the Democratie Party. A Republican Primary was assured long ago and four persons, Stanley J[. Dulgeroff, Clark Shelton, Clare M. LaFerier and George L. Stauch, are seeking that party's nomination. Copi, a 20-year resident of Ann Arbor, is a 1961 gradúate of Ann Arbor High School, and holds bachelor's and master's degrees in political science from the University. He expects to receive his law degree from the U-M in August. In Democratie Party activities, Copi was a precinct chairman during 1967, has been Second Ward chairman since last November. He is on the city party's executive board and on the county committee. He is also on the executive board of the Ann Arbor-Washtenaw County Branch of the American Civil Liberties Union. Copi said today he is running for sheriff "because I believe that the citizens of Washtenaw County either want nor deserve Sheriff Harvey for another tornaars. "The office of sheriff is the most important law enforcement agency in the county. If the rights and liberties of citizens are to be preserved and if the legitímate concept of law and arder is to merit respect, that affice must be administered ivith restraint and professionalism. I "Instead, the people of the i county have been burdened for the past four years by what amounts to petty despotism," Copi charged. "Rational and humane enforcement of the law is one of today's most critical needs. The challenge to the sheriff 's office is to strike the delicate balance between, on the one hand, efficiënt protection of citizens and, on the other, preservation of their civil liberties and human dignity," Copi said. "But in dealing with today's highly complex problems, the incumbent sheriff has chosen to rely upon methods discredited a generation ago. His stubborn insistence upon retention of the incorrigible cell and his arbitrary use of it reveal much about the sheriff," the candidate said. "So also does his union-busting approach to the deputies' association, in direct violation of state law. One might conclude that Sheriff Harvey would be more at home in rural Missisj sippi than he is in Washtenaw County, Michigan," Copi said. Copi said he voted for Harvey in 1964, but now "must oppose him. If we are to maintain a stable and progressive community, the people of this countyl can not afford to continue Sheriff Harvey in office. "Washtenaw County is not a frontier settlement. The office of sheriff does not have to bel operated as though it were. Norl must the Sheriff's Department be run with the ineffectiveness and favoritism of past Republican administrations. I "It can be an efficiënt and modern law enforcement agency. It can abide by law in dealing with the legitímate aspirations of its organized personnel. It can do its law enforcement job without incorrigjble cells and similar heavy-handed methods. It can, in short, keep,. order without sacrificing individual liberty," Copi said. He pledged himself to work in that direction and appealed for "the support of Democrats and all citizens to give Washtenew County a sheriff's office of which it can be proud.' ' The candidate has served for three years as an Army Intelligence officer in the U.S. Army Reserve. At the University, he has served on the Cinema Guild Board, the executive board of the Young Democrats and on the Board in Control of Student Publications. He is a member of the American Political Science Association, the American Society of International Law and the 1 can Bar Association's Law Stu-J dent División. I