All residents should vote for sheriff

I’ve been working with Tom Greene for Sheriff for more than a year now. I’ve found that he’s the only candidate that actually has the ability, knowledge, and credentials to step into the sheriff’s office on day one and start work.

However, as I talk about the need for a highly qualified lawman to continue and improve on what our current sheriff, Rick Bart, has accomplished, I’m finding residents in many cities and towns throughout the county who don’t understand that they have a serious stake in who is elected sheriff in their county. They’ve told me that “they have a police department and a police chief, so our residents don’t need to vote for sheriff.”

Nothing could be farther from the truth. If you look on Greene’s Web site, greeneforsheriff.org, you’ll find this information:

“Under Washington state law, the sheriff is the chief law enforcement officer of the county. He or she is responsible for maintaining the peace, putting law breakers in jail, putting down riots and serving the court. These responsibilities are countywide — even within the cities.

“The sheriff is ultimately responsible for public peace and safety, whether or not a given city has its own police department. Therefore, city voters should pay close attention to the qualifications of the candidates for sheriff. The candidates’ experience, credentials, training and education should be no less than their police chief’s qualifications to hold their positions of public trust.”

It’s critical that every resident and citizen in Snohomish County vote for sheriff. Please take the time to look at the qualifications of both candidates and make your vote count in the coming election.

Connie Lewis

Greene for Sheriff Campaign