Candidate profile: Kootenai County Sheriff, Ben Wolfinger (R)

| September 25, 2012 10:45 AM

Birth date: 6/26/61

Profession: Law Enforcement Officer

Educational background: A.S. Degree in Law Enforcement

Idaho Peace Officer’s Standards and Training Academy Advanced and Management Certificates

Public service (elected or appointed offices): Past Coeur d’Alene City Councilman (12-19-00 to 01-03-06); Past Commissioner on Governor’s Traffic Safety Commission (approx. 15 years)

Community service (service clubs, nonprofit boards, etc.):

Coeur d’Alene Area Chamber of Commerce: Past Chair of Public Policy Committee (twice), Past Board Member and Chairman of the Board of Directors; North Idaho College Law Enforcement Program Instructor (01/89 to present); Past Chairman of Law Enforcement Advisory Committee; Sunrise Rotary – Past member; Boy Scouts of America, Past member of Liability Committee; United Way of Kootenai County; Past Board Member and Chairman of the Board of Directors; Real Life Ministries: Sunday School Teacher for Pre-school aged children (10th year); Current Board Member and past Chairman of the Board of Elders

How many years as a resident of your city: 30

Marital status: Married

Family: 2 adult sons, 1 daughter in law and one grandson on the way

Hobbies: Fly Fishing, Golf, Watching Team Sports

1. Why are you running for office? After more than 29 years serving the people in Kootenai County as a member of the Sheriff’s Office, I believe that I have the knowledge and background to lead the Sheriff’s Office to the next level of service for the people who live in and visit Kootenai County. I know the corporate history, what has worked and what has not. My time in Kootenai County has connected me to a wide variety of people so I hear what the people are looking for in their Sheriff’s Office.

2. What do you see as the three biggest issues you’ll face?

The Jail

Employee Retention

Property Crime Suppression

3. If elected, what steps will you take to resolve these issues?

The Jail: We must continue to look at two avenues of dealing with the jail issue. First, we must look at unique ways to provide adequate and compliant jail space. Private Jails are just one option. The other avenue includes partnering with other public and private programs to address root causes for offenders to reduce recidivism.

Employee Retention: This applies to all employees, not just deputies. We must be competitive in the market place. In order to reach this goal, we must have a good working relationship with the BOCC and jointly set priorities for levels of both required service, and services that may be optional.

Property Crime Suppression: One of the answers here is collaboration with the communities that we serve. It involves education for community members and utilizing their eyes and ears to assist the deputies in suppressing criminal activities. Good law enforcement requires active citizens and we must embrace this kind of partnership.

4. What specific skills or experience qualify you for this job?

Sheriffs’ Offices are unique. They have all of the requirements of a Police Department and a whole lot more. I am the only candidate who has worked in, and/or managed all aspects of any Sheriff’s Office, and in particular, this Sheriff’s Office. This experience and the ties I have made with the communities that we serve allow me to step right into the position without any down time for a learning curve. We have many concerns to address and challenges to overcome. I have already been involved in working towards solutions for these concerns and challenges. If we want to move the Sheriff’s Office forward and provide improving services for the public, then we must elect the candidate that has the agency history and the community knowledge combined with the ability to carry that load.

5. Why should voters elect you, rather than an opponent?

I am the only candidate who has deep connections to Kootenai County and Northern Idaho. I am the only candidate who has worked in and/or managed all aspects of a Sheriff’s Office and in particular, the Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office. I am the candidate who knows Kootenai County and the Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office best.