San Diego County Sheriff’s candidates share their views – The San Diego Union-Tribune

Seven candidates are running for San Diego County Sheriff in the race to replace retired Sheriff Bill Gore. The candidates listed on the June 7 ballot are retired sheriffs Sgt. Charles Chuck Battle, police Capt. John Gundo Gunderson, chief criminal prosecutor John Hemmerling, Undersheriff Kelly Anne Martinez, Combat Infantry Capt. Juan Carlos Charlie Mercado, retired sheriffs Commander Dave Myers, and peace officer Jonathan Peck. Mercado did not reply to requests for a Q&A response. Of these candidates Peck is the only Ramona resident.

We are running a Q&A with the candidates, two each week, through June 2. This week we continue the series with Dave Myers and Jonathan Peck.

Name: Dave MyersAge: 60Residence: La Mesa, 29 years. Born and raised in San DiegoFamily Members: Husband of 18 years, two children, one granddaughterEducational Background:2008 Management Certificate, Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST)2004 University of Pennsylvania - The Wharton School, Certificate, Finance Management2004 Stanford University - Certificate, Financial Management-Leadership2004 Harvard Law School Certificate, Financial Management1983 17th Regional Law Enforcement Academy, Miramar College 45 units (Deans List for Academic Excellence)Chapman University, Criminal Justice Investigation/Advanced InvestigationCA Department of Justice, Under the Influence/Drug AwarenessSan Bernardino Sheriffs office, Advanced Officer Training/Gang Awareness Train the TrainerInternational Law Enforcement Institute, Gang Awareness trainingCA Gang Investigations Association, Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs

Professional Background: Ive worked in law enforcement for 35 years, starting out as a police officer with the Carlsbad Police Department, and then working my way up the ranks at the Sheriffs Department from a patrol deputy to commander. Ive been tasked with handling almost every part of the Sheriffs Department. As commander, I managed 24 patrol stations and substations encompassing all of San Diego County. In addition, I managed the Special Investigations Division, which included homicide, narcotics, terrorism, and gangs and Courts Division, which is responsible for the security at all Superior Court facilities. I created the Sheriffs Department Border Crime Suppression Team to target cartel drug smuggling, human trafficking and gun smuggling and brought millions of federal dollars to our region to combat murders, robberies and rapes along our international border. For 15 years, I served as an elected trustee on the San Diego County Employees Retirement Association, twice elected board chairman. Ive authored several articles, including one on lone wolf terrorism, LGBTQ In Law Enforcement, and regional law enforcement collaboration.

Current Occupation: Sheriffs Commander (retired)Board member, Community Advocates for Just and Moral Governance (MOGO)Honorary Chair, Woody Williams Medal of Honor Foundation (Honoring Gold Star Families)

Dave Myers

(Big Mike Photography)

Why do you want to become sheriff?Ive known I wanted to be a police officer since I was a kid. I was in law enforcement for 35 years and worked for the Sheriffs Department for 33 years. The breakdown of trust between Sheriffs leadership and our communities is unfair to county residents and makes it harder for our deputies to do their jobs. The conditions and record-high death rates in our jails and crime lab mismanagement are unacceptable. Ive been overwhelmed with those in the Sheriffs Department and community members are pushing me to run for Sheriff. I could have stayed retired, but I dont want to leave the department in its current condition. We need to restore accountability and rebuild trust.

The crime rate increased in Ramona by 17 percent from 2020 to 2021, with violent crime increasing 8 percent and property crime increasing 22 percent. How would you address rising crime in Ramona to help reduce those numbers?First, Id hold the command at the Ramona station to account. The Sheriffs Department is a very large organization with access to resources all over the county. Crime trends need to be constantly monitored and when we notice increases, we must adjust resources from around the county to immediately address any possible increases. In the Sheriffs Department, we are one organization. We must know what proactive policing measures are successful and implement successes across the county in crime prevention and policing techniques. We must have open and transparent community involvement.

Drug use and drug-related crimes are a big issue in Ramona, according to the communitys current sheriffs lieutenant. How do you plan to deal with drug issues in Ramona and the backcountry?We are in an opioid crisis in the county of San Diego. Weve seen historically high numbers of opioid deaths. What I wont do is create fear in our communities by perpetuating a false narrative surrounding fentanyl. Sheriffs leadership produced and published a fake news story about fentanyl which creates fear in communities. All local and national medical experts debunked the fentanyl overdose video Sheriffs leadership peddled. As communities we all must work to help long-term drug dependent persons, welcome crisis stabilization centers into our communities and be very proactive in enforcing drug smuggling laws against the cartels and the scourge of prescription opioids.

What is your plan for dealing with homelessness and homeless issues in Ramona and the backcountry areas?For far too long, the unsheltered have been criminalized. In my over three decades of law enforcement, I found very few if any unsheltered community members who enjoy living on the streets. As communities we are defined by our compassion. As communities we must coordinate with local governments to assist our less fortunate community members. I believe government has an obligation to house and assist with hands up not necessarily handouts for community members to gain access to housing, medical care, and education. When a community helps, it creates hard-working, tax-paying citizens who will thrive and contribute to a communities success.

Name: Jonathan PeckAge: 41Residence: RamonaFamily Members: Married with four childrenEducational Background: Trained in the San Diego Unified SchoolsProfessional Background: 19 years in law enforcementCurrent Occupation: Law enforcement, five years in Los Angeles and 14 years in San Diego

Jonathan Peck

(Courtesy Jonathan Peck)

Why do you want to become sheriff? People in my community asked for a constitutional candidate to represent them and their interests. I am that candidate. On a personal level, my children and my wife deserve a community like I grew up in. As a provider and protector I intend to fight for that community.

The crime rate increased in Ramona by 17 percent from 2020 to 2021, with violent crime increasing 8 percent and property crime increasing 22 percent. How would you address rising crime in Ramona to help reduce those numbers?The retired Sheriff and the now undersheriff administration has been geared toward the politically correctness instead of the Constitutional rights of the law-abiding citizen. I intend to bring the Sheriff team back to their original constitutional duties to protect U.S. citizens and stay above the political chaos.

Drug use and drug-related crimes are a big issue in Ramona, according to the communitys current sheriffs lieutenant. How do you plan to deal with drug issues in Ramona and the backcountry?The invasion that has been allowed on our southern border is unacceptable. Article VI of the Constitution says to protect the nation from foreign invasion and domestic violence. The political rules in California have stopped the Sheriffs from protecting us from the drug cartels, sex trafficking and foreign invasion across our border. This is directly related to the California elected officials who no one is putting in check to stop these crimes. At the Tri-Community Sheriff meeting, Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva, San Bernardino Sheriff Shannon Dicus and Riverside Sheriff Chad Bianco all talked about their efforts in our backcountry. I intend to team with them to shut down the Chinese and Mexican cartels illegal operations in San Diego County.

What is your plan for dealing with homelessness and homeless issues in Ramona and the backcountry areas?The Sheriff basic duty is to protect the citizens rights, from foreign invasion and domestic violence so they can enjoy life, liberty, property and the pursuit of happiness. The homeless are citizens and need their rights protected. I as sheriff will ensure they are treated equally under the law. Law enforcement doesnt want to arrest a homeless person or any person who is in need in our community. Law enforcement want ways to protect, help and serve. We use to have a community of helpers. Does it still exist today?

Homelessness is a dilemma that our public officials have perpetuated on our citizens of San Diego County long enough. They have thrown give-away programs, housing programs, free hotel accommodations and toleration programs at this situation, all causing an increase in homelessness and vagrancy. The homeless need aid in getting back on their feet, not welfare. There are homeless drug addicts: stop the drug trades. There are homeless who lost their jobs due to the pandemic shutting down businesses: Change elected officials who shut those businesses through emergency policy. There are homeless with mental disorders: give them a place to go to get help: who shut down those institutions or stopped the community ministries doing this. There are homeless who want to be homeless: these need to be given options of becoming a good community member or be encouraged to seek their living elsewhere.

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San Diego County Sheriff's candidates share their views - The San Diego Union-Tribune