Two former Central Valley police chiefs are going head-to-head
with incumbent Sheriff Laurie Smith for her position in a race that
has generated fiery rhetoric among contenders.
Two former Central Valley police chiefs are going head-to-head with incumbent Sheriff Laurie Smith for her position in a race that has generated fiery rhetoric among contenders.
Former Parlier police chief Martin Monica and former Gustine police chief Richard Calderon both served for about eight months as police department heads before leaving under contentious circumstances. Both also have decades of experience with the San Jose Police Department and contend that the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Department needs change.
“(Smith) puts herself out as the only true leader, but she’s been an unproven leader in her lack of response to the community,” Monica said.
Meanwhile, Smith stands on her record, citing accomplishments such as creating a program to help mentally ill patients get to the courthouse and starting training programs that are renowned statewide.
“I think that we’re going in the right direction, and we do a good job,” Smith said. “I’m proud of this organization.”
Ultimately, voters will get to decide June 8 who should fill the role.
Martin Monica
Monica, a 55-year-old substitute teacher from Santa Clara, worked for the San Jose Police Department for 18 years and served as chief of police in the Fresno County city of Parlier in 2002.
He has made his presence known at a variety of events, including a Feb. 13 Santa Clara County Activists for Animals function in Palo Alto, where he helped distribute vegan cookies, and a Feb. 14 protest in Stevens Creek of the NUMMI plant closure in Fremont.
By participating in such events, Monica said he wants to address some of the root causes of crime. For instance, he went to the Activists for Animals meeting in part because studies show that people who abuse and kill animals often end up harming people, he said.
“A lot of people in law enforcement say (these community events have) nothing to do with law enforcement, and that’s the problem,” he said. “Traditional policing is very narrow-minded.”
Monica will focus on community policing, which entails working with the community as a team to solve and prevent crimes, he said. He has written articles on community policing and domestic violence for law enforcement magazines.
His experience as Parlier’s police chief helped prepare him for the sheriff’s department role, he said. He managed a staff of about 15 people there as well as some reserve officers.
Yet, he also ran into some controversy, being fired after only about eight months. City officials accused him of various misdeeds, including improper use of a cell phone, failing to show up to work on a regular basis and overspending the budget. Monica said none of those charges were factual, stating that the questioned expenses had been approved by the council and that he worked 80 hours per week.
He said the real reason for his dismissal was that a police sergeant, who was married to a Parlier City Council member, was accused of molestation, and Monica asked that the sheriff’s department handle the case rather than police. Ultimately, he said it was his ethics that got him fired.
Although none of his endorsers come from a law enforcement background, he has gained the support of former Palo Alto Mayor Peter Drekmeier, he said. He has also tried to drum up support in South County, passing out literature with his son at Gilroy Premium Outlets on Monday.
“I want to get into this department, clean it up and get it back on track,” Monica said.
Richard Calderon
Calderon is no stranger to law enforcement in Santa Clara County, having served with the San Jose Police Department for 30 years in several positions including as captain. He also served as police chief in Gustine for 8.5 months last year.
Several people approached him about running for sheriff, telling him that there was low morale within the department, he said.
The department needs to lower liability costs as the county has paid out millions in sheriff’s-related claims over six years – including $990,000 to the Hells Angels – he said.
“You need to evaluate all of those incidents, determine where mistakes are being made, and then change policy or provide training,” he said.
Calderon said he was active in the community as Gustine’s police chief, and he would be the same as sheriff. He also is pushing for further cooperation with Santa Clara County police departments.
His time with the Gustine Police Department was cut short after City Manager Silveira decided to buy out the remaining four months of his year-long contract. He had “professional conflicts” with the mayor and city manager, Calderon said this week. In one example Calderon gave, Mayor Rich Ford said during a City Council meeting that the council had the right to lower police’s wages without meeting with unions first, while Calderon said that was not possible.
Gustine City Manager Margaret Silveira told the Merced Sun-Star in January that they had differences over how the city could spend federal stimulus money. Gustine Mayor Rich Ford told the Sun-Star that Calderon was heavy-handed on citizens for minor infractions, such as traffic violations.
However, Calderon said he had the support of the officers and the community. He said he asked his officers to hand out a survey about police service and received positive results.
He has the endorsement of San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed, the National Latino Peace Officers Association, the County Employees Management Association, and the Foothill/De Anza Police Department’s Police Officers Association, among others. He also has received endorsements from retired sergeants, captains and lieutenants of the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Department.
“I will be proud to serve the community,” he said.
Laurie Smith
Smith, 58, not only has made a name for herself in Santa Clara County during the past 12 years, she has garnered statewide attention after becoming the first female sheriff in California in 1998.
Smith ran unopposed during the past two elections, so she is still getting used to the harsh criticism that comes with this type of campaign.
“I’m obviously not going to speak ill of my opponents, and I’m running on my record,” Smith said.
One of her greatest accomplishments has been setting up a collaborative training program with regional community college districts, she said. She also takes pride in a program that helps mental health patients get to the courthouse.
Still, during the next four years, she said she hoped to see a continued improvement in services provided.
“The biggest challenge is the budget,” she said.
Smtih received endorsements from dozens of individuals, including Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and various state and federal leaders. Locally, Santa Clara County Supervisor Don Gage, former supervisor Sid Sanchez and Gilroy City Council members Dion Bracco, Perry Woodward and Craig Gartman have provided endorsements.
Still, she has gotten much criticism from political opponents.
For instance, Monica said she bribed correctional officers by saying that she would only give them sheriff’s department-issued identification cards if they would endorse her. Smith disputed these claims, saying she simply told them she would not be able to get them their identification cards until next year.
In addition, both Monica and Calderon have taken issue with her handling of the DeAnza rape case, in which in which several members of the DeAnza baseball team allegedly sexually assaulted a 17-year-old girl in 2007. The district attorney dropped charges, saying there was insufficient evidence to make a conviction.
“Why did it take 12 to 14 hours (for deputies) to get out there?” Calderon asked last week. “For a gang rape, it is important to gather the evidence immediately.”
Smith said sheriff’s deputies responded to the incident as soon as they were notified of it.
As for Calderon’s complaints about rising department liability costs, she questioned his financial figures. She also noted that the Hells Angels incident occurred in January 1998 before she was sheriff.
Smith said her endorsements are evidence of the support for her leadership and for the sheriff’s department as a whole.
“(Elected officials) are only going to give their name if they believe a candidate is doing a good job and doing the right job,” she said. “It is a validation of the organization, I think.”
