By JARET MCDONALDMy reason for running for sheriff is simple: I will provide excellent service to the residents of Los Alamos County in a manner consistent with the Charter. The duties of the sheriff in Los Alamos County are different than the duties of any other sheriff in New Mexico.
Traditionally in New Mexico, the sheriff provides law enforcement services outside of incorporated communities. However, Los Alamos is an H Class county, which is one more way our county is unique in New Mexico. It also is a Home Rule county, which allows it to, in general, exercise any power or perform any function not expressly denied by statute.
Our county and municipal functions are combined. In 1968, voters put in place a charter with roles for all departments, including the sheriff and police. The charter states that our police department is in charge of law enforcement and the sheriff shall not duplicate nor overlap duties.
Therefore, the duties of the sheriff in Los Alamos are a civil function, for example: to seize property pursuant to court order and serve civil papers. In 1976, the Charter-defined duties of the sheriff were challenged in the 1st District Court of New Mexico. The court ruled that since our County was a Class H home rule county, the County Council could indeed determine the roles of the sheriff. There have been neither ordinances nor any Charter changes to the role of the sheriff since that time.
While the current sheriff has been tracking sex offenders, there isn’t a clear definition of who should be in charge of tracking sex offenders: the police department or the sheriff’s office. If elected, I will work with the police department to define this critical and very important role by ordinance, as, in the longer term, parts of this role may be better fulfilled by a full time, well-staffed law enforcement agency with a law enforcement mandate. In the interim, I will be sure the residents of Los Alamos are well protected in this area. I think the residents of Los Alamos are best served by the sheriff’s office being a complementary organization to the LAPD, not a competitive law enforcement office.
A law enforcement background, which I have, may occasionally be helpful in performing the sheriff’s duties, but it is not necessary, as has been amply demonstrated by many prior holders of the office.
I will bring to the office valuable management and business skills, 43 years of residency, as well as broad-based public safety skills. If elected, I will take the duties of this part time office seriously and apply common sense solutions to all the issues.
For example, the activities of the sheriff’s office are underreported. I will, as an improvement, submit a regular blog or report to the local media, which will share what the office has been doing. The blog will include such information as sex offender tracking, papers served, and a community safety bulletin that will cover several different items. For example, one such bulletin would be a notice to outdoor enthusiasts that hunting is going on in our forests (LA County and others). I would detail the type of weapon, dates of hunt, and type of animal. This could help keep bikers, hikers, runners, and non-hunters safer, and foster mutual and greater respect for our outdoor community. The key to community safety is consistent and clear communication of any and all issues within our department.
Thank you very much for considering my candidacy. I ask for your vote in November.
