Dear Editor,

Two years ago, Sheriff Turner approached me and asked me a question about the next new hire. His question to me was “would you trust this guy in a gun fight; would he stand by you or run?” Little did I know he asked the deputies the same about me when I was hired.

I thought about the three candidates running for Sheriff and asked myself the same question, which is why I am choosing to endorse Mark Crider. Not so much for the gun fight situation, though it wouldn’t hurt, since he is a firearms instructor. But I know he would support the split-second decisions deputies make daily.

Mark Crider has proven his integrity and morals when challenged by the largest law enforcement agency in the United States: the FBI. This particular episode involved a veteran who lost a hand during a training incident. The veteran dreamed of being an FBI agent from the time he was a young man. After being discharged from the military, his dream became a reality. After completing the basic testing process, he was accepted into the FBI training program. However, the FBI discharged the veteran saying he could not perform certain tasks because of his missing hand. Mark Crider was compelled to testify on behalf of the FBI and decided to support the terminated veteran because it was the right thing to do. This veteran is now an FBI Agent thanks, in part, to Mark Crider. The measure of a man is not what he does for his friends, but what he does for complete strangers.

I first met Mark Crider at a Designated Marksman Rifle (DMR) class he was instructing along with another FBI Agent from Chicago. This class was a week of nothing but drills and precision shooting. It was a world-class training opportunity and I was thankful to take part in it.

Mark Crider is the obvious and best choice for the position of Walla Walla County Sheriff. His service in the U.S. Navy and FBI has instilled in him advanced leadership and training abilities. Mark Crider’s connections to both local-level and federal law enforcement agencies throughout the country will allow the deputies of Walla Walla County to enjoy greater training opportunities. This will significantly enhance the deputies’ ability to continue professionally serving the citizens of Walla Walla County.

Jared Brown

Deputy Sheriff

Walla Walla