I do not “Rant and Rave,” rarely talk politics and never write to newspapers. After the League of Women Voters candidate forum, I must break from this practice. While there, I listened in disbelief as Jeff Asher explained that I (and 21 others) voted, as a Sheriff’s Guild member, to support Ron Krebs for sheriff because I wanted to “go along to get along.”

Let’s be clear, I support Ron Krebs because I respect him and feel he is by far the best candidate. For Asher to imply that 25 out of 26 guild members did not support Asher because they feared retaliation from the sheriff is ridiculous and insulting to every deputy, dispatcher, sergeant, detective, and corrections officer. This is not a group of insecure people.

Asher stated he “has not met most of the officers” who voted and “has not worked with them.” There are 17 guild members on San Juan alone who work with Jeff daily, most have for years. Is there a single guild member that Jeff “has not met”?

Jeff made two true statements. He said that Krebs “has tremendous control over this [guild support].” Krebs does, through his performance, influence the guild’s support. If he leads and manages well, treats his people with respect and justice, if he is the best candidate, we will support him. If Jeff was the better man for the job, we would have supported him. We did not.

Trying to explain the nearly unanimous guild support for Krebs, Jeff said, “people are indebted to him [Krebs]” as though we only supported Krebs because he allows us to work here. Well, I am indebted to Krebs, but not the way Jeff says. “People” should be indebted to Krebs, not just the guild, but the public as well. Ron has done a great job raising the level of performance, professionalism, consistency, accountability and morale within the sheriff’s office. All these things contribute to a safer, better-served community.

I will be voting for Ron Krebs (of my own free will) and I strongly encourage you to do the same.

Andy Urbach

Corrections Officer