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Lining up early to become sheriff

| October 7, 2018 1:00 AM

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Whitehead

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Edmondson

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Jones

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Norris

By BRIAN WALKER

Staff Writer

COEUR d'ALENE — Even with November's general election just around the corner, it's hard not to notice what's taking shape for the Kootenai County sheriff's race in 2020.

With Sheriff Ben Wolfinger announcing earlier this year that he won't seek re-election in 2020, four Republican candidates have already submitted treasurer reports with the Elections Office, allowing their campaigns to begin.

The candidates are Richard Whitehead, Scott Jones, Kim Edmondson and Robert Norris.

So what's driving the strong early interest in the position?

"I love what I do, but it's certainly not because of the pay, responsibilities, headaches and sleepless nights," Wolfinger said with a laugh.

Wolfinger's yearly salary is $86,996, which is lower than multiple leadership positions within the sheriff's office.

The undersheriff's position pays $104,329, a captain's position with nine years of experience and a bachelor's degree $102,283, a new captain $91,272 and a lieutenant with seven years of experience and a bachelor's degree $88,614.

Wolfinger said he has heard residents talk about the sheriff only being required to work a minimum number of hours, but he has never been able to find anything in code to that effect.

"I work 40 to 50 hours a week, not including reading emails at home," he said. "There's no question that it's a full-time job."

Wolfinger said he plans to keep that pace until he finishes his term and vowed to avoid the short-timer's retirement itch before he finishes office.

"I want to leave the sheriff's office a better place than when I started, and I'd expect the next sheriff to do the same," he said.

Wolfinger said that after being in law enforcement for 38 years, it's time to step away.

"It's time to go be a grandpa," he said.

Kootenai County Elections Manager Carrie Phillips said the sheriff's scenario follows a local trend that, when an elected official retires, a healthy number of candidates appear for voters to consider.

All candidates said they are interested in the job because, as the county continues to grow, crime will also likely climb with that, making the position pivotal for the future.

Whitehead, who retired from law enforcement in Texas and continues to operate a law enforcement training firm, was the first to put his name in the hat when he filed his report in April.

"I felt the calling to get back into law enforcement more hands on," said Whitehead, who was defeated by Steve Anthony during his run for Post Falls City Council last year. "With the open seat, I expect six to eight candidates before it's done."

Edmondson, a KCSO captain, has worked her way up the ranks at the agency for nearly 27 years.

"Based on where I'm at in my career, it's the right thing to do," she said of her candidacy decision.

Some wonder if Edmondson's run will be a replay of when Wolfinger worked his way up the department before being elected to succeed Rocky Watson as sheriff and if there's internal grooming going on, but both Edmondson and Wolfinger denied that's the case.

"If that was the case, why would I have gotten demoted one position during the reorganization?" she said of the county's decision to eliminate the major ranking to make her a captain. "I've worked for what I've been able to achieve in the agency and it's hard to get there. You test often."

Wolfinger said having experience within the department gives candidates an advantage because they have an internal perspective, but there's no grooming.

"She's taken the opportunities that are available and has worked hard for them," he said. "She was doing that before she decided to run for sheriff."

Wolfinger said he hasn't decided if he'll endorse a candidate for his job.

"I have a year and a half to think about that," he said.

Jones said he was required to quit his job as a federal prosecutor in Spokane to run for sheriff.

"I don't know if too many of us would have chosen to run against Ben (if he was seeking re-election)," he said, referring to his thought behind the early candidate interest. "People believe it's safe here but they're also aware Spokane is close and not as safe. They don't want that to spread here. We're anticipating a huge population growth over the next 10 years and, with that, comes additional crime if law enforcement isn't led by the right people."

Before beginning his career in prosecution, Jones was an intelligence officer in the Marine Corps.

Norris, who is retired from a 30-year law enforcement career and is a current member of the KCSO Search and Rescue team, said he's running for office for the first time because he sees needs.

"We need an intervention and directional program for at-risk youth," he said, adding that he envisions the effort to be a partnership between churches, the probation department and other agencies.

Norris said a long-range plan for the sheriff's office is needed, especially since the jail, even with the new expansion, will be at capacity.

"There are cracks in the dam, and I don't want to lose our security and appeal," Norris said.