Sheriff candidates speak at forum

COEUR d'ALENE — Differences in where the two Republican Kootenai County sheriff candidates stand on topics were expressed during a forum at Candlelight Christian Fellowship on Monday night.

Sheriff Ben Wolfinger will be challenged by John Green in the May 17 primary. The winner will face Democrat candidate Tina Kunishige in November.

The Republican candidates were asked about how to address jail overcrowding.

Green said more transactions to bond inmates out of jail — as long as they are not a threat to the public or themselves — should be allowed.

"There needs to be scrutiny as to who is locked up," Green said. "If inmates are a danger to the public, then they need to be incarcerated. But these people have not been convicted of a crime yet in most cases. If a person is bondable and not a danger to the public or themselves they should be able to bond out."

Wolfinger said jail overcrowding was an issue even when he came to the sheriff's office in 1983. He said if the jail would have been built to size as recommended 16 years ago, the department wouldn't have the problem it has today.

He said 15 years ago 70 percent of the jail inmates were accused of misdemeanors. Today, more than 70 percent of inmates there are felons. Therefore, most of the current inmates are considered a threat to society.

Wolfinger said the average length of stay for inmates is less than 18 days.

Wolfinger said as the county grows, there needs to be a jail expansion for felons because the county already transports some inmates out of the area, which is a cost to taxpayers.

County commissioners are currently seeking a cost estimate to expand the area for felons at the jail with surplus funds and without raising taxes.

On the topic of Constitutional carry, Green said he's an advocate.

"If you are a law-abiding citizen, adults shouldn't have any restrictions on their ability to carry a firearm," Green said, noting exceptions exist, such as no guns in courthouses.

Wolfinger said he has concerns about the recent permitless carry law that was passed by the Legislature.

"There are irresponsible people," he said. "If all I dealt with are responsible people, then life would be good."

Green said, if money was available, he'd like to see more parity between detention and patrol deputy pay at the sheriff's department.

But Wolfinger said deputies are well aware the pay scale for detention deputies is lower than patrol deputies.

He said increasing deputy pay about a year ago was a way to reduce turnover and that has worked — only two deputies have moved on since that time.

"We need to make sure we hit the (pay) market across the board (with all employees)," he said. "We were losing deputies every two months."

Responding to a question about a concern that there aren't enough deputies in some rural areas, slowing response times, Wolfinger said the sheriff's office has to put its resources where the call volume dictates.

"Yeah, it would be great to add more deputies, but that's a commissioner question," he said. "We have to put deputies where the problems are. A disadvantage of living in the rural area is that you don't always have a deputy there when you need one."

Green said the district deputy program in which a deputy is assigned to a specific area should be put back in place. He said he has heard that one is desired by some Cougar Gulch residents.

Such deputies, he said, are more efficient than those who aren't familiar with an area.

"How to utilize deputies is important," he said.

Both candidates touted their background and said that could give them an advantage with voters.

Wolfinger has 33 years of experience at the sheriff's office.

"I have knowledge; I have experience," he said. "I have community contacts and partnerships. That's huge. If we want to serve the community, we need to know what's going on. I have proven leadership."

Green, a Constitutional lawyer, said he believes his law background would be an asset at the county. He has a bachelor's degree in criminal justice and has a doctor of jurisprudence degree.

About 100 people attended the forum, which was co-sponsored by Kootenai Shoshone Farm Bureau, Coeur d'Alene Lakeshore Property Owners Association and North West Property Owners Alliance.

NOTE: The Press decided to focus on the sheriff candidates during Monday night's forum because previous commissioner candidate forums have been covered. A forum with sheriff candidates hadn't been covered. The Press featured all the candidates in the May 17 election who were willing to participate in the Voters Guide that published on April 15. The guide is also posted at www.cdapress.com under the "Newsstand" tab.