Pair trade visions of sheriff's office

Editor’s Note: This is the first of two stories highlighting the candidate’s answers from Monday’s county candidate forum.

SANDPOINT — Roughly 150 Bonner County residents packed into the Sandpoint High School auditorium Monday night to hear what candidates for county races had to say.

Candidates running for the District 1 and District 3 commissioners’ seats as well as for sheriff’s office answered a plethora of questions from audience members about issues in the community.

The two sheriff candidates — incumbent Daryl Wheeler and current Bonner County Commissioner Steve Bradshaw — both said they identify themselves as being constitutional sheriffs but seemed not to agree whether the other shared that sentiment.

Wheeler said in the years he has served as the Bonner County sheriff, he has changed the culture of the department for the better — in more ways than one.

“I’ve served as your sheriff for the last 15-and-a-half years,” Wheeler said. “[I’ve] created the building blocks to really create a premiere law enforcement agency.”

However, Bradshaw did not share the same sentiment.

“We have a sheriff’s office that is dysfunctional,” he said.

If elected, Bradshaw said he would bring honesty, transparency and functionality to the office, which he said has been lacking in all three areas for years.

When asked how the candidates would work to attract and maintain good candidates for the sheriff’s office, both men shared similar answers. While the two agreed that retention of great employees has been a problem in the department for years, they voiced varying reasons for why that is.

Bradshaw said that the sheriff’s office employees’ pay is as high as the county can manage, yet they are still leaving. He alleged it’s because of poor management rather than poor pay, again voicing that alleged dysfunction in the department has been the biggest reason that employees have not stayed with the county.

Bradshaw also again alleged that Wheeler was only a constitutional sheriff while he was in the public eye.

“I don't want to be a constitutional sheriff when it’s convenient, I want to be a constitutional sheriff 24/7,” he said.

Wheeler said the main issue with retaining great employees comes down to pay. With bigger counties surrounding Bonner County, he claimed it is hard to compete with them while they are able to offer higher salaries for the same work. If re-elected, he hopes to create a position for a full-time promoter who can help the department compete with nearby agencies in terms of retention.

Additionally, the sheriff made comments regarding the alleged unlawful arrests made by Bradshaw and fellow Commissioner Luke Omodt in January of two county residents.

“Do you want a sheriff who makes unlawful arrests or do you want a sheriff who will follow the law?” he asked.

When asked what the biggest issue facing the Bonner County Sheriff’s Office is today, Wheeler said the recruitment and retention of good officers continues to be the biggest challenge.

To hire and fully train a deputy, he said, it costs the county nearly $100,000 — a large sum to pay when employees leave shortly after for a higher-paying position in a neighboring county.

Bradshaw said an issue that is not only facing Bonner County, but the entire country, is laws being passed that “don’t allow policemen to be policemen.” This affects how effective the county’s deputies are allowed to be at their jobs.

Additionally, the commissioner alleged that a huge issue the county’s department is facing is a dishonest sheriff.

“We need a sheriff that will tell the truth and will honor his office and his oath and deputies will want to work for him,” he said. “Leaders attract team players. Bad leaders drive them away.”

Both candidates were asked why they consider themselves to be the best choice for Bonner County sheriff.

“That’s easy — I will never lie to you under any conditions,” Bradshaw said. “If the truth hurts you, so be it. If the truth makes you feel bad, so be it. But I will tell you the truth whether it’s palatable or not.”

Bradshaw said that he will work to be the county’s constitutional sheriff around the clock and will not do so only when it is convenient for him.

“I’m committed to following the law,” Wheeler said. “It’s really important that we do follow the law.”

The sheriff alleged that the reason the county has so many lawsuits against it right now is that the commissioners have not been following the law as suggested by their legal counsel.

“If you’ve got the truth on your side, you pound on the truth,” he said. “If you’ve got the law on your side, you pound on the truth. And when you’ve got neither the truth or the law on your side, what you do is you pound on the table.”

The last question asked of the two candidates was how they plan to work with other employees they may not see eye-to-eye with.

Bradshaw answered that currently, he and Wheeler don’t agree on much, but when it comes to working together to benefit the county, he feels like they can accomplish most things. Although there is tension between the two, Wheeler must still come before the board of commissioners to request items for the sheriff’s office. While he may not understand the thought process behind those requests, Bradshaw said he has never denied a sheriff’s office request purely because he does not agree with Wheeler.

“We still get what needs to be done, done,” Bradshaw said.

Wheeler said that no matter how much he is poked and prodded, he tries to maintain a high level of professionalism.

“I have been trying to be brought down into the gutter and be participating in gutter politics, and I refused to do that,” he said.

Wheeler said that by looking at what has been said during the forum and what has been communicated, residents should form their own judgments on the truth.

In his closing statements, Wheeler said it comes down to two words — public safety.

“Do you feel safe now?” he asked the audience. “Do you want a sheriff that has every qualification and certificate that’s available in the state of Idaho? Do you want someone who’s been a leader throughout the state?”

Wheeler said he has proven himself a great law enforcement officer for 38 years and will continue to work to keep the county safe in every aspect for as long as the residents continue to trust in him.

“I am committed,” he said. “I am not a storyteller … I am committed to keeping this county safe and committed to be the person who’s been a pushback against the government when they want to take over and intercede in your life and violate your rights.”

Bradshaw also said he would protect the county’s residents against overbearing government in his closing statement. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he said he was one of the only ones fighting for resident’s rights, and he’s continuing to do so today.

“You’ll hear that I don’t have law enforcement training, but what you won’t hear is that I have fought for you for over five-and-a-half years and I will continue to do so,” he said. “I may not have law enforcement experience, but I have management experience and I have a functioning brain. I know what it takes to get a job done.”

Bradshaw said if elected, he will ensure transparency in the agency so taxpayers are able to fully see where their money is going and what is happening throughout the department to better the county.

“Like I said, I will tell you the truth whether it is palatable or not,” he said. “You need a sheriff that is honest and has integrity.”

Wheeler and Bradshaw will be on the primary ballot for the sheriff’s race May 21.