Candidate for
Sheriff-Coroner; County of Santa Cruz

It takes proven experience and commitment to lead the Sheriff's Office.

I have worked for the Sheriff's Office since 1988 and held positions in every bureau as a Deputy, Sergeant, Lieutenant and Chief Deputy. I have worked side by side with Sheriff Phil Wowak the last three years helping him manage the day-to-day operations.

After many years of outstanding service, Sheriff Wowak has decided to retire and I have his full endorsement and confidence. In a recent public opinion poll, the Sheriff's Office received a 71% approval rating thanks to the great work by all of our staff.

I grew up in Santa Cruz County, attended local schools and have raised my family here. I love this community and the beauty and diversity that our county possesses. I am proud to have served you for the past 25 years.

As your Sheriff, I will continue to work hard on the myriad of public safety issues that affect us all and will focus on the following:

Community Policing: We will increase volunteer staff at the five Sheriff's Office sub-stations to better serve their communities. The public is the eyes and ears of the Sheriff's Office and increased engagement with the community will result in better outcomes in crime prevention and problem solving.

Re-fund 17 deputy sheriff positions: These positions are crucial to better serve the public, ensure public and staff safety, reduce overtime and improve response times.

Recidivism Reduction in Corrections: Last year alone recidivism rates decreased 4% in Santa Cruz County; in large part due to the programs I implemented as Chief Deputy of Corrections. The re-tooling of the Rountree Medium Jail facility to be used as a treatment, education and re-entry center will provide the education and resources needed to reduce crime and recidivism, making Santa Cruz County a safer place to live.

This is our home and through community partnerships and collaboration with our justice partners I can continue to keep our families safe.