Tehachapi News

The Tehachapi News sent the following questions to all the candidates who are running for sheriff.

Some candidates chose to provide answers in the order the questions are listed, while others chose a more free approach. The Tehachapi News will complete this segment next week with comments from the remaining candidates.

• Which organizations have endorsed you?

• Why do you believe you would be a good sheriff?

• What experience to do have in law enforcement?

• Kern County is experiencing rapid population growth. What new challenges do you think this growth brings to the county?

• What do you see as the biggest issue facing the sheriff now and in the near future?

• What do you think is the most pressing crime problem in the county? How would you combat it?

• What changes would you make to the department, if elected?

• Do you think the level of coverage of deputies in the county is adequate? If not, how would you propose funding new deputies?

• The city of Tehachapi is considering having its own police department and ending its contract with the county. What are your feelings on this issue? 

Donny Youngblood

1. I have not actively searched for organizational endorsements. However, I am endorsed by former Sheriff Carl Sparks.

2. I am the only candidate with 30 years experience in the sheriff's department. I am the only candidate with management experience in the sheriff's department (19 years). I am the only candidate with a BA degree and a master’s degree. I lived and worked half my career on the east side of the county. I understand the feeling East Kern residents have about being left out of government.

3. Answered in 2

4. We are already behind the growth. We should be adding deputies, dispatchers, etc., ahead of that growth so we can be proactive.

5. The gang and drug problems continue to plague our county. We have to attack those problems. We have to make it uncomfortable to be in gangs or to deal in drugs.

6. Meth, meth and more meth. If you get outside of Bakersfield you will see a rampant meth problem. The drug unit has to attack those areas of our county where the drug is being made. Cut the head off the snake and the snake will die.

7. I would show the organization leadership which it currently does not have. With that change comes an increase in morale that then causes a more productive and receptive employee.

8. No, the coverage is sorely lacking. The cost of doing law enforcement is very expensive. I would take it to the public. I believe the board of supervisors must place a higher priority on law enforcement than they currently do.

9. I was involved in the change from Tehachapi PD to Tehachapi the contract city. I believe the cost of one litigation as a small PD could potentially break the city. I think having deputies is cost effective and you get the best bang for your buck. I am a proponent of Tehachapi being a contract city. But as your sheriff, I would help the citizens of Tehachapi get to where they want to be even if it meant giving up the contract.

Larry Studer

I have been endorsed by the Kern County Detention Officers Association (KCDOA) and the California Organization of Police and Sheriffs (COPS).

I decided to run for the office of sheriff to restore the honesty, integrity and dignity to the position and to raise the level of public safety through a fiscally responsible reorganization plan. I am the only candidate who has laid out a specific and detailed plan on how to accomplish this. If elected, I am going to create an effective department and a department the men and women of this county can be proud of.
There are several challenges facing the sheriff’s department today. In short, the department lacks leadership. Tax money is not being spent wisely and deputy sheriff/detention deputy resources are not being used effectively.

Staffing levels in patrol and substations are at critically low levels. The backbone and first line of defense for public safety is uniformed officers in marked patrol cars who are on the streets 24/7. In order to effectively deter criminals from being involved in gangs and drug crimes, we need to create an effective department by raising those staffing levels to match the average of other California state sheriff departments. The state average is 1.5 officers per thousand population. In Kern County, we have only .5 officers per thousand population. That’s one-third the state average. Once the staffing levels are raised, patrol personnel will be able to perform proactive, high-visibility patrol and interact with citizens.When criminals know they will be more likely brought to justice they will be less likely to be involved in crime. When citizens in these affected areas know we have an effective department they will be more willing to cooperate and give us information.

We have had a lack of leadership during the past four years. This has resulted in low morale stemming from management who failed to deliver on the requested needs of line staff employees. Because of the “good ole boy” system and politics as usual, there have been inconsistencies with career development, transfers, promotions and discipline that can be found throughout the department.

There is a misuse of deputy/detention deputy resources. To give you an example, if I were the administrator of a hospital, I wouldn’t hire doctors to do what registered nurses should be doing. Currently, at the Pre-Trial Jail Facility we have 32 detention deputies working in fixed post positions which have no contact with inmates. They only enter information in a log book and operate the opening and closing of cell doors by pushing buttons. These position need to be manned with sheriff’s aides who can do that at a lot less cost to the taxpayer.

Additionally, we have more than 32 sheriff’s deputies transporting inmates to court hearings and doctor’s appointments. These are custodial positions and should be done by armed detention deputies. Having sheriff’s deputies transport inmates makes as much sense as having our C.H.P. officers transporting inmates for the state prisons. We need these officers in marked patrol cars on the street protecting the citizens, not assigned to custodial positions.

My top three priorities upon being elected to sheriff will be first to raise the staffing levels of uniformed officers in marked patrol cars. I will achieve this through a moderate reorganization of the department. I will replace 32 detention deputies in control rooms at the Lerdo Pre-Trial Jail with sheriff’s aides. This will allow me to transfer those 32 armed detention deputies to do the transportation of inmates to court and hospital appointments. I will then move those 32 deputies out of their custodial duties of transporting inmates into patrol assignments where they should be. The salary and benefit cost savings between each classification will pay for the cost of the sheriff’s aides.

I will also implement the D.R.O.P. program (Deferred Retirement Option Plan). This program allows us to retain our retiring experienced officers for an additional five years at a substantial monetary benefit to both the officer and the county. There are four cities that have implemented D.R.O.P. in California. The cities of San Diego, Los Angeles, Fresno and Oakland have all implemented D.R.O.P. San Diego did an analysis on their program last year, which showed an anticipated savings of nearly $16 million in 2005. With $16 million, I could hire an additional 160 officers at no cost to the taxpayer.

To raise morale, I will provide a supportive, objective, fair and consistent environment for employees in the areas of career development, transfers, promotions and discipline. As sheriff, I will continue my commitment to serving the men and women of the sheriffs department by listening to their needs and delivering on them. This will allow them to be more efficient and effective in delivering that service to the community. To restore the honesty, integrity and dignity to the position of sheriff, I will maintain a single standard of conduct and model appropriate behavior so that I am a good example for those I lead and the community I represent.

I feel it is important to look for every bit of savings within our budget before asking the supervisors for additional money. I am confident that the implementation of the D.R.O.P. program will help fund many additional needs within the department.

I would be very reluctant with voting to raise taxes. My choices to do so would be limited to public safety or for education purposes and only after all other options were explored.

I believe the Second Amendment of the Constitution is the second most important right we have. This is an inherent and inalienable right. I am an NRA member and will continue to fight for our Second Amendment freedoms.

I think there should be harsher punishment for criminals who use a gun to commit a crime. This is the best way to deter those persons from misusing weapons without encroaching on the rights of lawful gun owners. I also believe in truth in sentencing. If a criminal is sentenced to a year in jail, they should do a year in jail.

In summary, I feel I would make a good sheriff because of my 26 years of experience, my broad range of assignments, and I know how the department works. This knowledge has allowed me to lay out a specific and detailed plan to put nearly 200 deputies on the street at no cost to the taxpayer. 

I believe it will be up to the citizens of Tehachapi to decide whether or not they would want the responsibility of managing their own department. There are pros and cons. Our department is so critically understaffed; I can certainly understand why Tehachapi citizens are so disappointed with our service. However, because of civil liability exposure and the likelihood for substantial judgments in this day and age, lawsuits could be devastating to a small city. I believe that my plan will resolve our staffing issues, and with time, our department will meet your needs. 

Mack Wimbish

Which organizations have endorsed you?

National Rifle Association (NRA).

Why do you believe you would be a good sheriff?

I came from the outside with a fresh look at the challenges facing the Kern County Sheriffs’ Department. I have made many positive changes in the last three years and many more are in the works.

What experience do you have in law enforcement?

I have 37 years experience in law enforcement, 34 with state law enforcement and three years as sheriff, coroner and public administrator.

Kern County is experiencing rapid population growth. What new challenges do you think this growth brings to the county?

As the population continues to grow, we must have plans in place to meet that growth. We cannot wait until it occurs then react. I have in the 2006/07 budget plans for a research and planning division within the Kern County Sheriffs’ Department and we are just finishing our three-year plan for the future of the department.

We must make sure that we have adequate personnel, infrastructure and keep up with technology.

What do you see as the biggest issue facing the sheriff now and in the near future?
Having enough personnel to protect and serve the people of Kern County. It has been a long and tough budget fight over the last three years, but we are turning the corner on this issue. We graduated an academy in March, started one in April and will have another in September. We will also have academies in 2007 until we are back up to full strength. My 2006/07 budget adds deputies beyond our authorized strength. This has not occurred for many years in the sheriffs’ department.

What do you think is the most pressing crime problem in the county?  How would you combat it?

Gangs, drugs, violence and theft. We must address these issues at every level because they effect the quality of life of every citizen. As we continue to increase the number of personnel in this and the next budget year, we will be able to more aggressively attack the gang and drug problem. I am working with the FBI and the U.S. Attorney for additional resources. The Kern County Board of Supervisors has authorized additional prosecutors and we will soon have seven prosecutors to combat the gang problem. I am working to make sure we have adequate jail space for this project. Our gang and drug task force is working with other agencies, including federal, state and local to utilize all available resources for this problem. The future is the sharing of resources not each agency fighting the same gangs, the same drug dealers on their own.

What changes would you make to the department, if elected?

Continue to plan for the future. Continue to add additional deputies, infrastructure and technology to meet the challenges of the future. I have re-established the position of undersheriff and by the end of this calendar year we will have lieutenants back in the department. This position was removed in 1989 and sergeants have been doing management work and not on the road supervising. We are becoming a young department and we must have proper supervision. The first 12 lieutenants will be here this year and over a four-year plan we will have 26 lieutenants and 11 captains in the department.

Do you think the level of coverage of deputies is adequate? If not, how would you propose funding new deputies?

It is not adequate. I have worked hard over the last three years, through tough budget times, to accomplish this. Our current budget allows us to start hiring again. The 2007 budget I have submitted allows us to go beyond established personnel guidelines. We are well on our way to getting back up to a adequate personnel level, but the hiring and training of deputies takes approximately 18 months to see results. This includes recruitment; five months academy and four months field training.

The city of Tehachapi is considering having its own police department and ending its contract with the county. What are your feelings on this issue?

I feel the people should decide this issue and I will continue to work with them whatever their decision. However, I believe they already have the services of the best law enforcement agency there is and we are getting better as we continue to grow and add personnel. We will open our new substation in Golden Hills in July of 2006. It will be staffed with one sergeant, a senior deputy, seven deputies and two professional support staff. We will also make some personnel changes in the city operation to better serve the citizens of Tehachapi. I will work with the city council and manager to increase the number of deputies.

Again, I will work with the people of Tehachapi to provide the best law enforcement possible, change is on the way.

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