SHERIFF: Patrol background essential

I read with great interest the other day the well written letter by retired KCSO Deputy Jeff Burns, which cements my opinion that Kim Edmondson is not qualified to be our next Sheriff.

As a retired sheriff’s deputy, there are two distinct paths one can take in their careers: Administrative or Police work. Edmondson is an administrator. She has almost no experience in patrol, which is the make or break part of law enforcement. Patrol is where you learn to make critical life and death decisions, problem solving skills and how to effectively communicate with the public.

These important lessons do not happen through osmosis over night or get honed and polished in just a few months. It takes years and years of “street work”, to turn line officers and supervisors into effective, decisive leaders and managers. How can she cultivate leadership through the ranks as an administrator?

Based upon what I’ve read about her and also learned from her fellow deputies, it is clear that Edmondson does not possess the necessary leadership skills. Because of her lack of ‘real’ law enforcement experience, she clearly has benefited from one of the two “tisms” rampant in public service: nepotism or favoritism. These traits do not give anyone the necessary supervisory tools to lead a public safety agency. In fact, of all the candidates out there, my law enforcement experience has led me to conclude that Bob Norris is the way better option because he possesses both the leadership skills and experience.

BRET UHLICH

Coeur d’Alene