CA Lawmakers Want Sheriffs with No Police Experience

[11B10]

Ca. and especially San Francisco County, just continue to sink into the abyss. I would change one word in Sen. Wiener's 'analysis'. In the last sentence, substitute "QUALIFIED" for "ELIGIBLE."




https://www.policemag.com/593433/ca-lawmakers-want-sheriffs-with-no-police-experience

[rd62]

Ca. and especially San Francisco County, just continue to sink into the abyss. I would change one word in Sen. Wiener's 'analysis'. In the last sentence, substitute "QUALIFIED" for "ELIGIBLE."




https://www.policemag.com/593433/ca-lawmakers-want-sheriffs-with-no-police-experience

That should work out well...

[jnc36rcpd]

I suspect the California legislature will happily pass this legislation...and then have apoplexy when a Proud Boy or just some conservative Republican runs for sheriff somewhere in the state.

[RoyGBiv]

I was about to post an Idiocracy meme but I see that we're in the LE forum, so, I'll just agree that this is a monumentally stupid idea.

I wonder what percentage of California land area is under the primary jurisdiction of a Sheriffs Department, vs. some other city/municipal LE.?

[jd950]

Is it pronounced "weener" or "whiner" ? Just curious.

Anyone know which one in the picture is the Senator?

[Zincwarrior]

Ca. and especially San Francisco County, just continue to sink into the abyss. I would change one word in Sen. Wiener's 'analysis'. In the last sentence, substitute "QUALIFIED" for "ELIGIBLE."




https://www.policemag.com/593433/ca-lawmakers-want-sheriffs-with-no-police-experience

This is for the elected position yes?
Just a note: Texas
https://www.county.org/About-Texas-Counties/About-Texas-County-Officials/%E2%80%8BTexas-County-Sheriff

County Sheriff Qualifications8

The County Sheriff must meet the following qualifications at the time of appointment or election:

U.S. Citizen
Resident of Texas for at least 12 consecutive months
Resident of the county for at least six consecutive months
Registered to vote in the county
At least 18 years of age
Not have been finally convicted of a felony from which they have not been pardoned or otherwise released from the resulting disabilities
Not have been determined by a court with probate jurisdiction to be totally mentally incapacitated or partially mentally incapacitated without the right to vote

Candidates for this office generally must meet the above qualifications at the time of filing.

[Caballoflaco]

Yeah, I don’t think this is an uncommon thing, and it’s only been a law in CA for thirty years. LE experience isn’t required to run for Sheriff in AL either.it will be interesting to watch, but the sky may just no be falling.

[DDTSGM]

Totally agree, the sky ain't falling, in our state the Sheriff still has to come through the Academy if he/she isn't certified already.

Why would you want it any other way for an elected office?

[TGS]

I'm going to danger that most of the state constitutions/laws on the books that don't require police experience or police training/academy/certification to run for Sheriff are holdovers from the old days when such things such as academies and training didn't really exist, and Sheriffs were non-professional jobs (many times even a side job). As LE become more professional and civil rights more intricate, it likely wasn't a hot topic on the books for many states since Sheriffs are typically a political job leading an organization, and not necessarily running the street where such inexperience would rear its ugly head in a dramatically comedic, quick manner due to 4th Amendment violations.

Many "street" positions used to be the same way. Some still are. It wasn't until 2014 or so when Vermont finally got around to requiring any police training to serve as a Constable, which are full fledged LEOs. Certainly not a common thing these days, I'm just mentioning it to build context. Remember, the first police academy in the US was founded in 1908, and most of the US didn't use police academies or require such until well after WWII.

So, I think these situations are quite a bit different than what's going on in California, where the end-state is clearly to insert non-LE "woke" types into the role for the nearly express intent of LE reform.

[AMC]

I'm going to danger that most of the state constitutions/laws on the books that don't require police experience or police training/academy/certification to run for Sheriff are holdovers from the old days when such things such as academies and training didn't really exist, and Sheriffs were non-professional jobs (many times even a side job). As LE become more professional and civil rights more intricate, it likely wasn't a hot topic on the books for many states since Sheriffs are typically a political job leading an organization, and not necessarily running the street where such inexperience would rear its ugly head in a dramatically comedic, quick manner due to 4th Amendment violations.

Many "street" positions used to be the same way. Some still are. It wasn't until 2014 or so when Vermont finally got around to requiring any police training to serve as a Constable, which are full fledged LEOs. Certainly not a common thing these days, I'm just mentioning it to build context. Remember, the first police academy in the US was founded in 1908, and most of the US didn't use police academies or require such until well after WWII.

So, I think these situations are quite a bit different than what's going on in California, where the end-state is clearly to insert non-LE "woke" types into the role for the nearly express intent of LE reform.

This is 100% correct. As referenced in the article linked in the OP, the law as passed in 1989 to require LE experience and certification was called the "Hennessy Rule", in response to the SF Sheriff, Mike Hennessy. He was a prisoner rights advocate who figured out he could do more for prisoners by becoming sheriff. He referred to his deputies as his "Program Staff", and employed a convicted murderer as Under Sheriff for years. The law was changed to prevent that happening again.....and reversing it is clearly with the intent of electing Scott Weiners political allies in every county in the state. They will OVERTLY politicize law enforcement in every way imaginable.

As a side note, strangely enough, Mike Hennessy was an avid shooter. And once when his deputies interrupted a robbery, and the suspect pulled a knife and was subsequently ventilated, Mike Hennessy told the press, "Pull a knife on my deputies, you're gonna get shot. If you get shot, you're probably gonna die."

[HCM]

This is for the elected position yes?
Just a note: Texas
https://www.county.org/About-Texas-Counties/About-Texas-County-Officials/%E2%80%8BTexas-County-Sheriff

In TX the Sheriff still has to come through the Academy if he/she isn't certified.

Our prior local sheriff was a retired USAF general who did get state certified. She is now the U.S. Marshal for our judicial district.

[TC215]

I’ve found that the majority of those in law enforcement upper administration don’t have any police experience.

[AMC]

I’ve found that the majority of those in law enforcement upper administration don’t have any police experience.

Oh God....this is so true it hurts.

[KellyinAvon]

In TX the Sheriff still has to come through the Academy if he/she isn't certified.

Our prior local sheriff was a retired USAF general who did get state certified. She is now the U.S. Marshal for our judicial district.

Do you remember the name? That's a surprising career path for a Flag Officer. I guess they can't all work for defense contractors.

[Joe in PNG]

One of the world's worst sheriffs, Willis McCall (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Willis_V._McCall), was a fruit inspector before he was elected.

And he then set a record of railroading, brutality, racism, corruption, and outright nastiness that is still talked about today.

[HCM]

Do you remember the name? That's a surprising career path for a Flag Officer. I guess they can't all work for defense contractors.

second result for google search "Air Force General Sheriff"

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susan_Pamerleau

The only surprise is she won a term as a republican sheriff in a traditionally Dem County.

The sheriff of a county with 2 million people is an administrator running a large jail and court system not Walker TX Ranger. It's actually a very logical fit. Better than an attorney.

Similarly, the U.S. Marshal for a judicial district with multiple large cities is a political appointee and administrator, not Sam Gerard.

[KellyinAvon]

second result for google search "Air Force General Sheriff"

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susan_Pamerleau

The only surprise is she won a term as a republican sheriff in a traditionally Dem County.

The sheriff of a county with 2 million people is an administrator running a large jail and court system not Walker TX Ranger. It's actually a very logical fit. Better than an attorney.

Similarly, the U.S. Marshal for a judicial district with multiple large cities is a political appointee and administrator, not Sam Gerard.

That name is ringing a bell (I retired in 2007.) Seems like she was Personnel or something like that.

[okie john]

They will OVERTLY politicize law enforcement in every way imaginable.

I think that's 100% predictable. I also think it's 100% predictable that these people will make horrible decisions that get other people killed and none of them will be held accountable.


Okie John