SHERIFF: I'm with Green

With everyone’s attention on the presidential circus, it’s easy to forget there are several county and state offices on the primary ballot next week. These impact us directly and there’s a chance our votes still count in local elections.

Perhaps the most important is the contest for Kootenai County sheriff. The incumbent is being challenged for the Republican nomination by John Green. Mr. Green has 39 years of education, training, experience in law enforcement and the law. He’s been a patrol officer, law enforcement trainer and a lawyer in private practice. Most important, John Green understands the primary role of the sheriff is to protect the life, liberty and property of the residents of Kootenai County. The sheriff takes an oath to uphold the U.S. and Idaho Constitutions. Mr. Green knows and understands those documents and takes that oath seriously. The sheriff isn’t merely a “law enforcement” officer, he’s a peace officer. One of a sheriff’s most important jobs is to ensure we are afforded due process of law. Recently in Bonner County a veteran was threatened with confiscation of his property by the VA. The sheriff made sure this didn’t happen, and later the VA said they’d made a “clerical error.” In a recent forum, John Green stated unequivocally that he would have done exactly as the Bonner County sheriff did, protecting the man’s right to due process. Our current sheriff mumbled something about not knowing the details.

I’m voting for John Green for sheriff next Tuesday, May 17.

KEVEN JOHNSON

Coeur d’Alene