The San Juan County Sheriff’s Office is at a crossroad. Sheriff Bill Cumming has decided to retire after serving as sheriff for 24 years.

The county and the Sheriff’s Office are already facing very tough budget decisions. The new sheriff must be ready to lead the Sheriff’s Department into the future while dealing with these new budget constraints. This must be done while maintaining the level of service the community has come to expect and without affecting the safety of the employees who work for the Sheriff’s Office.

The sheriff is not just the manager and leader for the Sheriff’s Office, he is a leader for the community and sets the tone for the law enforcement in San Juan County.

We are asking you to look closely at the candidates for sheriff. Listen to what they are saying and what their plans for the Sheriff’s Office are for the future. Speak to them personally and ask them questions. The next sheriff will have a significant influence on the future of the Sheriff’s Office and the way it serves the community now that the steady leadership of Sheriff Cumming is ending.

With this future in mind, we feel that candidate Jeff Asher, while doing his job well as a deputy, does not have the leadership abilities or management skills to move the Sheriff’s Office forward for our community. We have worked alongside Deputy Asher for many years, some of us his entire career, and based on this experience we have not seen the qualities we are looking for in our next sheriff. Please keep this in mind as you consider the candidates for the next sheriff.

Undersheriff Jon Zerby (42 years law enforcement)
Sgt. Scott Brennan (22 years law enforcement)
Deputy Scott Johansen (26 years law enforcement)
Deputy Eric Gardiner (14 years law enforcement)