Look like I missed a great opportunity to learn a little about the next Kane County Sheriff last night. According to the Kane County Chronicle, there was a “forum” that covered all sorts of interesting stuff. Compelling topics like who was hired by who’s dad to be a deputy in the Sheriff’s Office in the 1970’s, and how many degrees everybody has:
Each touted their advanced degrees and extensive experience as reasons why they should be sheriff – but also exchanged a few barbs.
Kramer’s father George Kramer was sheriff from 1978 to 1986 and hired him in 1979, giving him his start at the sheriff’s office.
Kramer said he was one of 12 who passed the test and all were hired.
“We both talked about our fathers who were previously in law enforcement. At the end of the day, they are not running for Kane County Sheriff,” Mayes said.
“We talk about master’s degrees – I could make as compelling an argument about experience,” he said. “A degree without experience is nothing. But experience with a degree really allows you be able to work and continue moving forward.”
It’s a shame more people didn’t set the DVR up to record Wheel of Fortune and saunter on down to watch this thrilling event, isn’t it?
I blame you because… I always blame you.
The real shame, though, isn’t the overall bland or unimportant issues that seem to be driving this election. The real issue is that that’s what everybody discussed at the forum because, presumably, that’s what the public sees as important. If the article is any indication, the most important issues in this Sheriff’s election are:
- Experience – “We talk about master’s degrees – I could make as compelling an argument about experience,”
- Candidate’s dads – “We both talked about our fathers who were previously in law enforcement. At the end of the day, they are not running for Kane County Sheriff,”
- Are you friends of the current Sheriff – “Mayes said he has been endorsed by the current Kane County Sheriff Pat Perez, who did not seek re-election. Kramer said when he left the sheriff’s office nearly five years ago, it was to run against Perez.”
- Do we need more cops in the department, or a bigger budget –“To a question about how statistics show there should be 112 officers and the department has 92, the candidates were asked if they favored increasing the number of staff and how they would pay for it.”
Well, folks, that’s pretty sad. We prioritize these sorts of things- which are the same general, mundane things in every local election- and then wonder why we end up with a system like we have. Or, at least I do.
You miss 100% of the Kane County Sheriff’s debates you don’t go to.
But, shame on me because I didn’t go to this forum. Had I known ahead of time, I probably would have. Of course, the things I’d be most interested in are:
- Can we train sheriff’s deputies to better deal with the mentally ill before we get any more war machines?
- Given the general, national decline in crime rates (especially violent crimes) in the past few years, does the department really need more officers?
- What are creative way to reduce the county jail population so that the taxpayers don’t continue to have to rent space at other jails?
So, there’s that. I guess we’re all a little to blame- the public for not caring about things that really matter, and me for not going to the forum. Should be interesting to see how this election plays out, and what will happen when the winner has to start making real decisions.