Close to Home: Sheriff responds to task force

The Community and Local Law Enforcement Task Force has voted on the recommendations that will be presented to the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday. I thank the members of the task force for their nearly 18 months of service to our community. My priority as sheriff has always been the safety of our community, and I recognize that a strong relationship with the community we serve is essential.

They have developed many recommendations, the vast majority of which I support. In fact, some of the recommendations are things we were doing prior to the creation of the task force. For example, when I became sheriff, I instituted vigorous outreach to the Latino community by establishing a permanent Latino Advisory Committee. Additionally, the Sheriff’s Office had already allocated money and started testing personal video recorders for deputies - which are now ready for deployment to staff.

I am committed to protecting the rights of all citizens. That commitment prevents me from supporting the interim recommendation that Deputy Erick Gelhaus be removed from patrol duty. He has been cleared of any violation of the law by the District Attorney’s Office and cleared of any violation of policy by an internal investigation. Deputy Gelhaus and his actions have been thoroughly scrutinized in comprehensive investigations.

Our justice system does not exact punitive measures on citizens who have not committed crimes. Just as I would not disenfranchise a citizen in similar circumstances, I will not do that to Deputy Gelhaus.

Over the last year and a half, there have been a few suggestions that I have heard from the task force and other members of the community that made sense to implement right away. While I differ from the task force regarding the recommendation of separating the Coroner’s Office from the Sheriff’s Office, a model used by 50 of California’s 58 counties that has proven productive, effective and financially sound, I can appreciate the point raised about the perception of a conflict when a Sheriff’s Office employee is directly involved in a fatal incident. Upon learning of the task force’s suggestion, we put in place our current practice, which is to enlist an independent pathologist from outside of our county whenever a Sheriff’s Office member is involved. By removing our Coroner’s Office from the investigation there is, therefore, no potential for an allegation of undue influence.

With this practice in place, I do not think the county needs to create the added bureaucracy and cost of another department.

I support the development of an independent auditor program. I am confident that I and the Board of Supervisors can cooperatively create a system that serves the people of Sonoma County well.

The Sheriff’s Office is moving forward on many community-oriented projects. We are expanding some of our established outreach programs, such as the very popular and successful citizen’s academy, which now includes both a youth and a Latino academy. Through collaboration with the Board of Supervisors, the Community Oriented Policing unit was reinstated in last year’s budget and is now almost fully staffed. Already, COP deputies are assigned and working in the west county and Roseland areas.

I encourage you to attend a citizen’s academy, reach out to the COP unit or request crime prevention programs. This is your Sheriff’s Office, and I have complete confidence in my staff, sworn and civilian. Whether they patrol the streets, answer 911 calls in dispatch, provide administrative support or work in a detention facility, Sheriff’s Office employees are doing their absolute best to keep you safe and provide outreach in your communities.

Steve Freitas is sheriff of Sonoma County.