The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

Dear Editor,

I am amazed by how many people seem to think that being born/raised, or simply working in a department in Walla Walla makes you qualified to lead. You certainly would not pick, a doctor to do surgery, or a mechanic to work on your car, or your investment advisor, with only those criteria in mind. You also would not pick the coach of the Seahawks just on the fact that he had grown up in Seattle or played on the team. Yet, that seems like what many want to do when they choose a Sheriff for Walla Walla.

Membership in a community is not the same as having leadership abilities. The times are changing and what worked in the past, no longer works so well.

I was part of the Community Council's Reducing Gang Membership Through Prevention. There are currently something like 300- 500 gang members in Walla Walla. There have been recent gang related murders; there could easily have been more. Sheriff Turner is the only candidate with real experience and community credibility in dealing with this problem. He and Chief Scott Bieber are coordinating efforts (describes at length in the press and community forums) to bring gang members to the table. The other candidates are not a part of these efforts at all.

Furthermore, Tom Cooper and Barry Blackman have little or no experience in developing an organizational budget or leading an organization. Sheriff Turner has successfully led the Walla Walla County Sheriff's Office for three years, developing and staying under budget. He has established 24-7 patrol coverage, initiated the formation of a citizen led Sheriff's Foundation, reestablished a K-9 program at no cost to the county, and worked with community leaders to deal with the growing gang problem. In short, he has successfully accomplished the goals he set when he first ran for office. These are documented facts, not matters of opinion.

Every sheriff in every county in this state endorses Sheriff Turner. Sheriff Casey Salisbury, Vice President of Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs, has publicly stated that Walla Walla County is blessed to have John Turner as Sheriff and that his organization and the people of the state need John Turner's legal and law enforcement background to enable law enforcement in the State to comply with rapidly changing laws, such as, legalization of marijuana.

Sheriff Turner is clearly the capable, qualified, person to continue as Sheriff of Walla Walla.

Ted Richerzhagen

College Place