KELSEYVILLE — The incumbent sheriff and his challenger squared off over unfounded allegations and a hands-off attitude managing the department Monday night during a law enforcement sponsored event to question sheriff and district attorney candidates.
“We”re in a react mode from allegations of misconduct of convenience,” Sheriff Rod Mitchell said. “That”s a problem and a challenge when we try to meet the needs of the community. People can”t compete on a level playing field when you”re digging a hole for them.”
“I promise you one thing, I will stop the favoritism, the cronyism and the nepotism that”s plaguing this department like a cancer,” said Deputy Francisco Rivero, a candidate for sheriff.
About 150 law enforcement officers and staff attended the event at the Kelseyville High School cafeteria. Employees from various law enforcement agencies submitted questions that were whittled down to seven questions with opening and closing statements. Mike Durant, vice president of Peace Officers Research Association of California and an officer out of Santa Barbara, mediated the event.
Mitchell thinks morale is better than it was three months ago and that with jobs there are always three groups of people ? those who are discontent, the ambivalent or the perfectly happy, he said.
Rivero said morale is in the “eye of the beholder” and that the department has a two-tiered system, those “beholden to Mitchell” and those who are afraid to speak out because they think they”ll lose their jobs.
Mitchell said he has not heard one complaint that hasn”t been investigated by his office.
“Your confidence is what matters most to me,” Mitchell said to the crowd.
He said he thinks the department is meeting the concerns of the community and he hopes to stay in office because he loves his job.
Rivero said he wants to create a decentralized department focused on crime prevention that allows the public a seat at the decision-making table.
He said he would not tolerate racial profiling or discrimination.
“I believe the sheriff holds the most power of any position in the county,” Rivero said. “The sheriff needs to make himself accountable for his decisions.”
District Attorney Jon Hopkins and challenging attorneys Don Anderson and Doug Rhoades also debated at the event.
Hopkins said he doesn”t plan to change his office”s policy of no plea-bargaining.
“A judge decides the sentence for a felon, not a felon,” Hopkins said. “That way we don”t end up a flea market.”
Anderson said Lake County is one of two counties in the state that doesn”t offer plea bargains. He thinks plea-bargaining could save money that could be used to better compensate and recruit deputy district attorneys, he said.
Anderson thinks the district attorney would still maintain the majority of the power, he said.
Rhoades would seek to plea bargain because he thinks many cases went to trial in Lake County to argue about an extra year when they could have been settled, he said.
“Sentence bargaining would serve the public,” Rhoades said.
Hopkins said there aren”t enough teeth in methamphetamine enforcement with the Substance Abuse and Crime Prevention Act, or Proposition 36, but he has set up training in asset forfeiture so that dealers and traffickers can be penalized.
Anderson said he also doesn”t think Proposition 36 is working and that offenders should have one chance to test clean.
Rhoades thinks about half or one-third of criminal cases involve methamphetamine and law enforcement needs to devote more resources to the problem, he said.
All the district attorney candidates said deputy district attorneys would retain the power to charge criminal cases.
Anderson said although he”s not a “silver tongue smoothie,” he”s still a good candidate for district attorney.
“I want my employees to have faith in me and I have to earn it,” Anderson said. “But I also have to have faith in the people working for me.”
Hopkins said he thinks defense attorneys can”t just take over his office without prosecution experience.
“I have experience as a strong and favored prosecutor,” Hopkins said.
Rhoades thinks one of the most powerful things a person can do is admit they might be wrong, he said.
“Thinking you know the answers to everything and being sure is one of the most dangerous things you can do,” Rhoades said.
Law enforcement agencies closed the event to the public so that their questions could be answered, said Sgt. Brian Martin of LCSO.
Dues from the agencies were used to rent the Kelseyville High School cafeteria, including the Lake County Deputy Sheriff”s Association, Lake County Correctional Officers Association, Lakeport Police Officers Association, Clearlake Police Officers Association, Lake County Probation and the Lake County Victim/Witness Program and the Lake County deputy district attorneys.
About 40 people ranging in age from children to the elderly stood outside the cafeteria listening to Rivero”s protest before the private meeting.
Rivero told the outdoor crowd the law enforcement agencies were telling them to “drop dead” and sit outside in the parking lot.
“They told me ?If you guys get too rowdy, we can”t control you,”” Rivero said. “That”s laughable. We”re cops.”
The agencies issued a statement informing the public why the meeting was held privately.
“We respect your rights to be informed and are taking measures to do so,” according to the statement. “In return, we request that you respect our rights to have this meeting where our members and the people who work in public service can have their particular concerns addressed in a manner that remains focused and distraction free.”
Contact Katy Sweeny at ksweeny@record-bee.com or call her directly at 263-5636, ext. 37.
