Letter To The Editor: Vote No On Question 1

By DANIEL SCHMIDT
Los Alamos
 
I recently moved to Los Alamos from Los Angeles. I am a retired Los Angeles Police Officer. 
 
I have seen the politicization of the LAPD when they removed Chief Daryl Gates after the 1994 riots, which was initially a lifetime appointment. This lifetime appointment was done for the specific reason of not having the specter of corruption over the chief’s office and being corrupted by the elected city officials.

This has changed and the chief’s position is a 5-year term of service, with the possibility of a second 5-year term. What this has done is made the chief political and cannot effectively police without city council interference, who ultimately can choose to dismiss the chief at any time.

The office of the sheriff is an elected position that is responsible to the people, not politicians. This allows the highest law enforcement officer in the county to respond to the citizens directly without elected official’s agenda’s being able to corrupt the highest law enforcement office.

This freedom allows the rights of the people to choose who should lead the highest law enforcement office in the county, not a select few. Then the sheriff can be elected or unelected by the people as is our right in a republic.

Based on my experience with over 20 years in law enforcement I urge you to vote no on question 1 and keep the office of the sheriff.

LOS ALAMOS

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