We hired Bill Brown to protect us, and he has done as good or better than any sheriff has ever done. The last thing we need is to experiment with a new sheriff.
California has a total of only 58 sheriffs. Choosing the right and best person to lead and represent them is a decision they take very seriously. For 2017-18, the California State Sheriffs’ Association elected our own Sheriff Bill Brown to be their president. Not surprisingly, the police chiefs of California did the same thing in 2005 when Bill Brown was the chief of police in Lompoc. He is the only person ever to have served as president of both the California State Sheriffs’ and California Police Chiefs associations.
One of Bill’s opponents is endorsed by the deputy sheriffs’ union. The union’s primary interest is in increased pay and benefits, which is not the sheriff’s primary interest. His first priority is to protect public safety.
Isla Vista’s extreme weekend parties and often dangerous Halloween and Deltopia events have been brought under control. When called for, Sheriff Brown creatively used collaboration and the law to solve these chronic problems.
Sheriff Bill Brown pushed for and succeeded in finally getting a much-needed new jail underway. This has been a multi-year effort, and he never let up. He obtained $80 million from the state to build the jail, which is under construction and will be finished early next year. This new jail will be a place of rehabilitation and learning a trade, a place for inmates to get a fresh start and become productive citizens again.
Sheriff Brown leads with his heart, not a heavy hand. He is truly a special man. Please join me in voting to re-elect him on June 5.
This article appears in May 31 – Jun 7, 2018.