1

August 20, 2010

TO: Carson Now

RE: Carson Now – Editorial by Bob Guimont

FROM: Ken FurlongSheriff

In a recent editorial, Sheriff candidate Bob Guimont posted on your home page his politically editorialized response to a shooting that took place in Carson City on August 14th. Bob suggested, in an apparent attempt at humor, that the current administrations stance (in blue) is to turn our heads and ignore the problems. Quoted from his editorial:

“Yea, we don’t have a gang problem or a drug problem.”• This administration has done more about recognizing and aggressively confronting

gangs/drugs than has ever been done in the history of Carson City.o Creation of a position for education in our elementary and middle schools.o Creation of a drug street enforcement team.o Creation of a gang street enforcement team.o Creation of a gang tri-county enforcement team.

• I sit on board of directors with:o Partnership Carson City; Priorities include gangs and drugso Ron Wood Family Resource Center; Priorities include helping families in

needo Boys & Girls Club; Priorities include helping children and familieso Latino Connected Community; Priorities include education and cultural

identificationo Circles of Life; Priorities include lifting families from povertyo Gov. Task Force on Methamphetamine; Priorities include attacking Meth

from every possible angle.

Bob must have missed out on the last 8 years of doing something about the problem; certainly his campaign has not identified anything that he has done to improve upon himself or the quality of life of our residents.

“I think everything is just fine.”• Sounds like political rhetoric to me, however, my response to drugs and gangs has

been moving this community in the right direction:• Our gang and drug unit deputies are exceeding our written and defined

expectations. How do I know this:o Our children report positive trends during health risk assessments in our

schools; they are listening and learningo This administration tracks performance expectations, including crime in the

community.• The crime rate in this community is approximately 30% lower than 15

years ago, and 30% lower than when I took office.

• The crime resolution rate in Carson City is up over 160% since I was elected.

• Crime rates were significantly impacted, coinciding with the implementation of my own prevention and enforcement initiatives.

• It became necessary to implement the Tri-county team in response to county boarder recognitions to continue to aggressively confront gangs.

While all of our key indicators say we, in this community, are moving in the right direction, Bob believes otherwise, and rather than helping, he insists Carson City is such a poor place to live.

Bob has not stated, much less written, a gang response plan. Instead, if you look at his signs and listen to his quotes, he wants to go in a different direction.

“Nothing to see here folks and if you think about it if we ignore it all together it will probably just go away on it’s own.”

• Guess we should excuse Bob’s perception, since he was not there• On the scene were more than a dozen deputies and reserves, 2 Sergeants, 2

Captains, a Chief Deputy, the Undersheriff, and myself that did not ignore it. • Bob could have been there with the SWAT Team, instead of ignoring it, but he quit

the team when a Sergeant (supervisor; his friend) was placed in charge.• Bob could have been the SWAT Sergeant on the scene, but he quit being a

Sergeant too.• While Bob was not there, enthusiastic motivated deputies were doing everything in

their power to do something about the problem; including finding and arresting 6 people, instead of ignoring it.

• And I think the team responded appropriately and well, and did not ignore it.

Bob’s response in the last eight years has been to ignore every positive initiative and do nothing to help. In fact, Bob has ignored everything for 15 years, having the very same state certified peace officer qualifications that he had when he became a Carson City Deputy in 1995 (he had years of experience before that in Storey County).

In fact, 73% of those deputies hired in the last 5 years who are assigned the same duties as Bob, with 15 years service, have either greater education, career certifications, or both. Bob likes to talk, but do as little as possible.

“Smile and wave because the shooting really didn’t happen if you think about it.”• Well let’s think about it:

o I prepared a press release, because it did happeno Some of our most motivated officers worked the equivalent of 3 shifts in a

row non-stop, because it did happeno A strong deputy prepared a written immediate action/response plan, because

it did happen.o A Sergeant prepared a longer term written response plan, because it did

happen.o 6 people were arrested; more in the days following, because it did happen.o A SWAT Team was used for entry/response, because it did happen.o Immigration officials are assisting in the investigation; which continues,

because it did happen.

The only thing that didn’t happen was for Bob to understand what did happen. “Everything is O.K. and nobody was hurt!!”

• Bob is correct; nobody was injured (read about it in the press?).

Bob does go on in his editorial to explain himself and his own thoughts or beliefs (in green) as having some benefit:

“I am sick and tired of this garbage in our city and it is time for all of the gang members to leave or go to prison.”

• In my eight years as Sheriff, Bob has never once volunteered to join a unit focused on the problem.

• A real plan includes initiatives for those who DON’T “leave town or go to prison”. Bob, after eight years since he first ran for Sheriff and now again, still has no plan; not even a bad one.

“I don’t care about them they are scum bag criminals that have been bullying our citizen’s and ruining our quality of life for some time now and they need to go.”

• Bob is a front line deputy sheriff; and, he has never joined a single initiative to create a better quality of life; shame on Bob, not everyone else.

• A real front line deputy sheriff’s job includes taking the initiative to improve our resident’s quality of life; shame on Bob, not everyone else.

“That includes everyone that is assisting, helping, hiding them and lying for them.”• Those who were helping, hiding and assisting were arrested

Bob may not know that other deputies were actually out there doing their job (and his). He may not have known, since he wasn’t there, because he’s never engaged to be a part of the solution,

“It is time the gang members and drug dealers receive special attention with an ending that makes the real Carson residents comfortable with the city and the quality of life again.”

• Bob has never volunteered to offer that “special attention,” that this administration has put in place, including the following current and active programs:

o Education and enforcement commitments in our schoolso Doubling the enforcement commitments against drugso Creating full time enforcement against gangso Creating a stronger more efficient K-9 programo In all, the tax dollars spent on the problem by this administration have more

than doubled in the last 8 years

And in the last eight years, Bob’s salary has increased substantially by union bargaining and he is still doing the same thing he was doing eight years ago. At least others have taken on greater roles and responsibilities. “Gang members are spineless cowards that one on one and without a gun are nothing.”

• No argument with you there Bob, so how about lending a hand?

“I meet people everyday that are 10 times what these gang members think they are.”• No argument with you there Bob, so how about lending a hand?

“See you soon gang members.”• No argument with you there Bob, we need deputies who are willing to get on board

and make a difference.

Bob has done nothing in the last 15 years to qualify himself for Sheriff. Instead he complains and quits when it doesn’t go his way. The real core of public safety recognizes issues, concerns and trends, and does something about them to create a better community.

The position of the Sheriff is not about complaining or quitting, it’s about seeking opportunities and executing initiatives that improve on the safety of this community.

The fact is, Bob knows very little about what he is talking about.

The Carson City Sheriff’s Office, under my direction, is engaged in education, prevention, intervention and enforcement targeting gangs and drugs all across the community. This has been an activity that has been on-going for many years and is showing solid indicators of success:

Carson City Crime Rate: 2001 to 2010

“Crime and Justice in Nevada”, published by the Nevada Department of Public Safety

Carson City Sheriff’s Office Crime Resolution Rate: 2001 to 2010

“Crime and Justice in Nevada”, published by the Nevada Department of Public Safety

These two key charts are just an example of strategic indicators used by public safety administrators (all over this country) to focus public safety needs. At the Carson City Sheriff’s Office, this administration has over 350 internal and external activities tracked on a monthly basis that look at the present and forecast the future to determine cause, effect, and what resources are needed to produce the desired outcome. At the root of many crime circumstances, as is often analyzed, drugs and alcohol play key roles in our society.

I agree with the analysis, therefore, it must go without saying that I believe strongly that our emphasis on drugs and gangs is correct and that we, this community, should continue our diligent efforts.

Since elected Sheriff in 2003, the Sheriff’s Office has implemented mechanisms to track crime in the community from many different perspectives. One such data collection centers on what is referred to as “All Crime Occurrences” in Carson. The information suggests firmly that late in 2005 a positive directional crime trend was showing indications of problems. The theory was that gangs were the most contributing factor. Following a failed ballot initiative in 2008, this administration implemented organizational restructuring to create positive change. In late 2008, crime in Carson returned to it’s downward trend and in 2010 reached its lowest levels since the data collection began.

All Crime Occurrences: 2003 to 2010

Carson City Sheriff’s Office Crime Reporting

While some would just suggest that they are “sick and tired” of certain activities, others, like myself, bring about innovation and initiatives community wide to correct the bad and create a better quality of life.