Experience on display in Bonner County sheriff's race

PONDERAY — Experience was a prevalent theme at Thursday’s Bonner County Sheriff’s candidate forum at the Bonner Mall.

The level of experience was obvious for at least two of the candidates gunning for the Republican nomination. Incumbent Sheriff Elaine Savage and former Sheriff Chip Roos, both of whom are also former deputies and undersheriffs, have on-the-job experience their challengers lack.

“I did this job in the county longer than any else in this county,” said Roos, who served 12 years as sheriff.

Savage brings three years of experience as sheriff, during which time she worked to increase salaries and benefits, and provide better equipment and training. Savage currently oversees three budgets, which total $5 million.

“Not one of these budgets, during my term, has been overspent,” Savage said.

Three others in the GOP hunt, meantime, are either former or current sheriff’s deputies and said that Roos and Savage had to start somewhere.

Rocky Jordan, the only one of the trio currently working with the department, played up his college education in law enforcement and cited his experience as head of security for a department store, which acquainted him with mountains of paperwork.

“I deserve this job because I’m going to work the hardest for you,” said Jordan, a former Arizona highway patrolman who boasts 25 years of law enforcement experience.

Geoff Rusho also brings to the race nearly 20 years of experience in law enforcement in northern Idaho, but emphasized that he’s also a businessman in the community, which adds another dimension to his perspective as sheriff in addition to money management skills.

“I really look at it from a business point of view with our budget,” Rusho said.

Daryl Wheeler, a former deputy who currently serves as a patrol commander for the Sandpoint Police Department, also counts 20-plus years of peace officer service and admits he doesn’t have the type of budget experience as the former and sitting sheriff. But line-item budgeting does not require a degree in jet propulsion.

“It’s doesn’t take rocket science to do that,” Wheeler said of budgeting.

Larry Hanna, a Democrat running unopposed in the primary election, said much of his pertinent experience comes from the U.S. Navy, the National Park Service, the Federal Aviation Administration and from being a business owner.

“I expect to be seen as a peace officer enforcing the law,” he said.