The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

Dear Editor,

I feel the candidates for County Sheriff; Mr. Blackman and Mr. Cooper, have no respect for other peoples' time. I drove two and a half hours with a friend to hear the debate in Burbank on Tuesday only to find Blackman and Cooper left the venue due to not wanting to be videotaped. Grow up men! We are in a world of people videoing people in public. What a shabby thing to do. Isn't that what law-enforcement do when they want to be sure the facts remain straight and honest? What, five Sheriff Turner committee members scare you off? At any rate sheriff candidates should be "brave" enough to attend a debate full of non supporters.

This election for County Sheriff seems to be a no brainer. I am voting August 5th, to re-elect Sheriff John Turner who shows up for the people he swore to protect and who supports and comes to bat for the deputies so they may have the updated equipment and leadership to do their jobs safely. Restoring the K-9 program which has helped our deputies more safely capture the criminals has been a process Sheriff Turner said he would do in his first election and he did. I live in the county, out of the city and with 24/7 patrol makes me feel safer. The WW Commission Deputies Association just signed off to continue this service in our community. Sheriff Turner brought this schedule to the department.

When I attend the WW Fair with my family and see how professional the Walla Walla County Sheriff Department look in their updated uniforms and my grandson tells me he wants to be a cop, is a reflection of the department to the youth growing up in our community. Re-elect Sheriff Turner to maintain the high quality of service and the forward thinking. At the Burbank forum on July 8th, I learned it was Deputy Jimmy Greco who suggested, not handling the paperwork in one building, but out in the Burbank schools, to show their presence. This has been a very good idea which Sheriff Turner credited to his deputy. His continued Quarterly Roundtable Community meetings show he is interested in our concerns. His team has partnered with other law enforcement agencies and established the WW Valley Strategic Gangs Initiative.

It's a no brainer, vote August 5th to re-elect Sheriff John Turner.

Candice Schrader

Walla Walla