CHARLESTON CO., S.C. (WCBD) – All eyes are on conditions at the Al Cannon Detention Center as the Charleston County Sheriff’s race heats up. Former Mount Pleasant Police Chief Carl Ritchie hosted a news conference on Tuesday to unveil his Five-Point Plan for the jail if voters choose him as the next sheriff. “Charleston County deserves accountability and transparency from its sheriff. We need change,” Ritchie said. The Republican candidate said he will recruit and hire a professional jail administrator, staff the jail with EMTs 24/7, contract a private security company to supplement staff shortages, bring on an HR professional for onboarding, and work with Charleston County Council to prioritize detention officers. “I have received numerous phone calls and messages from former inmates, their families, former detention officers, and their families who are all very concerned about the condition of the jail, staffing shortages, and the overall safety of staff and inmates,” Ritchie explained. Ritchie is running against incumbent Sheriff Kristin Graziano, who he blamed for 17 inmate deaths. According to the Charleston County Sheriff's Office, there have been 14 deaths inside the detention center since January 1, 2021. The CCSO Public Information Officer said nine deaths occurred under the jail’s former healthcare provider, Wellpath, while the remaining five happened after VitalCore took over July 1, 2023. Sheriff Graziano responded to her opponent’s remarks, saying: “Finally --- Mr. Ritchie has joined my efforts in reforming the county’s Detention Center.  I applaud his change of heart as for years, he was part of the problem and now during campaign season, he wants to pretend to be part of the solution. My administration worked with the County Council to get higher wages for our detention center employees. Those employees went from being some of the lowest paid in the SC to some of the highest paid in SC. Two weeks ago, Ms. Sutherland cut the ribbon at the detention center’s new Restoration unit that will provide medical care and mental health care to those in need while incarcerated. I am proud of this partnership with MUSC and the Department of Mental Health. The Sheriff’s office has received national recognition for the efforts in detention center initiatives and our understanding of the complexities in managing this facility. The county Detention Center has been re-accredited because of the best practices and management that our team has implemented. People in our care are returning to the community in a better place than when they arrived, and our community is benefiting from this. We are breaking the cycle of repeat offenders. Most important, violent crime has decreased to its lowest level in decades. These extraordinary accomplishments were not done by being reactive, they were done because we have a staff that is invested in improving lives, keeping our community safe, and because they want to be a part of the solution. Mr. Ritchie's lack of firsthand experience with detention centers may be hindering his ability to grasp the critical work our staff performs daily. This clearly demonstrates why he is not qualified to be Sheriff.” Sheriff Graziano was elected to her first term in 2020.