JeffCo County Sheriff Election

[hollohas]

Folks - any thoughts on the two candidates for JeffCo Sheriff, Shires and Shrader? I don't know much about them and haven't been able to dig up much info other than what's on their websites. Hopefully some folks here have some experience with them and can share their thoughts. Some productive discussion/debate would be good before Primary Election day on June 24th.

[hollohas]

Damn, no one has any thoughts regarding the election of the Sheriff for one of the biggest departments in the state?

Shires has a very straight forward pro 2nd stance. He says striaght out the 2ND isn't just for personal defense but that it's for defense against bad government. But the ideas outlined on his site are very basic....this good be good or bad. That could mean he is a no BS cowboy type of guy or it could mean he's just not very thorough.

Shrader seems to be a professional from the detail on his stances on the website. He gives more insight to his views in the 2nd amendment, says he won't enforce the new laws but stops short taking as strong a stance on the 2nd as Shires did. His website is also much more like a typical politician. Me vs them kinda deal. "I'm awesome, the other guy sucks" style. Perhaps he's more of a politician than a constitutional lawman.

Thoughts?

Bueller?

[USMC88-93]

Shrader is endorsed by Mink, and like mink when asked directly he said he would sign off on NFA paperwork. I do not know anything about the other guy and need to do my own research before the vote.

Can you post links to both candidates websites? Here is Schraders Facebook link. https://www.facebook.com/Shrader4Sheriff

[Ronin13]

Most of the deputies I know (one retired after 20 years) are pulling for Shrader. He seems like a stand up guy. I've known Mink for about 12 years, he wasn't a bad sheriff IMO, and he trusts Shrader. Good background, likes guns, and there was talk he was going to pull back the reigns on some of the techno BS that Jeffco has been going crazy for, and actually push for his deputies to get more involved. Right now, we need some hard changes up here in Evergreen, it seems like a lot of the deputies up here are fishing for stuff instead of focusing on community policing the general consensus is that they're bullies and just like to pick on the youth and be hard chargers. That's not what this town is about, we need deputies that are good at crime prevention, fire cooperation (especially after the Blue Bell Fire fiasco), and more community interaction. I've known the EHS SRO for about 15 years, she's awesome and said she's voting for Shrader, so if that's who she backs, that's who I'm backing.

[Bailey Guns]

Shrader was a corporal and was my supervisor for a while when I started at JeffCo in the late 80s. Straight shooter, honest and easy going and he never changed for the years I worked there. I know he's a hard worker and is no doubt highly qualified.

Having said that, I also know and have worked with Jim Shires. I don't think he has the administrative experience that Jeff does, but he certainly has street experience.

I wouldn't hesitate to vote for either of them, frankly. The residents of JeffCo have a couple of good choices this time around.

[hollohas]

Yes, it seemed to me they were both good candidates which is very refreshing. Input from people who know the guys was exactly what I was hoping for. A friend of mine who works in the County attorney's office also spoke highly of Shrader.

[Ronin13]

Shrader was a corporal and was my supervisor for a while when I started at JeffCo in the late 80s. Straight shooter, honest and easy going and he never changed for the years I worked there. I know he's a hard worker and is no doubt highly qualified.

Having said that, I also know and have worked with Jim Shires. I don't think he has the administrative experience that Jeff does, but he certainly has street experience.

I wouldn't hesitate to vote for either of them, frankly. The residents of JeffCo have a couple of good choices this time around.
Carl, do you know Ron Newman? He said almost the exact same thing you did... [Beer]

[Bailey Guns]

Yeah...I know Newman. We weren't buds or anything, just acquainted thru work.

[MED]

I spent some time looking into each person, and this is what I found. Shrader was linked to the cover-up at Columbine, and there are some people out there who really hate the guy. I didn't find anything that would confirm his signing off on NFA forms so I really don't know how he will be on gun related issues. I found the articles on the IA investigations brought on his opponent after he entered the race disturbing. His opponent had a clean record for like 26 years but hit a brick wall when he challenged Shrader; this really bothers me. I always liked Mink until I saw this, and the bully tactics to promote his friend. I didn't find much on Shires except that he was endorsed by RMGO. It looks like the working sergeant vs. the bureaucrat (the establishment) to me, but I don't know them personally.

[Jeffrey Lebowski]

I'm just glad it isn't Bill Kilpatrick.

[Ronin13]

I stand corrected, maybe because they both have an S at the beginning of their names. The SRO I'm friends with is pushing for Shires. Talking to my dad, who knows both guys, he says he's not pleased with either candidate... Shrader is a bureaucrat who my dad fears will be more of the same we had from Mink. Shires was a SGT, not much experience compared to Shrader. Met both guys briefly last weekend at the Evergreen Rodeo Parade, they're both pro-gun, although Shires seems way more excited about that aspect of his platform. I dunno, I wanted to vote for Shrader, but I'm thinking I'm going to have to go with Shires, he strikes me as the type that won't be too big of a bureaucrat and less of a politician.

[OneGuy67]

I have no dog in this fight as I don't live in Jeffco and I don't know either candidate.

I had a discourse on Facebook with a buddy of mine who is carrying water for Shires. We discussed the fact that Shires does not have any formal education, has not attended any of the leadership courses that most all other Sheriffs and Police Chiefs normally attend prior to attaining the positions, and has no budgetary experience or administrative experience. He believes Shires is the best person for the job. I respectfully disagree with him.

There are two big leadership courses that are almost always a "must have" for all heads of agencies and they are the Northwestern University School of Police and Command and the FBI's National Academy (N.A.). There are then regional leadership courses that are looked upon favorably to round the leadership education. Additionally, higher education is also being looked for at that level as well. Most agencies are looking for someone with at least a Master's Degree for their Chief of Police and it has become the "norm" for medium and larger agencies in the Metro area to want these types of educational and leadership checkoffs for the heads of their law enforcement agencies.

Shires does not have any of these things. He started with Jeffco in 1985 in the jail and moved to patrol duties in 1990. He was a Public Information Officer (PIO), a staff inspector, and was promoted to Sergeant in 2012. He has zero budgetary experience on any level and if elected, he would be responsible for a budget of $91,613,538 (2014 number).

Schrader started with Jeffco in 1984 in the jail. He attended the FBI National Academy in 1994 as a Sergeant (which is pretty good since most people there are usually a Lieutenant or higher in rank); promoted to Division Chief in 1999 and supervised every section of the department, patrol, detention, investigations, and support services and currently manages the $90 million dollar budget. He has a Bachelor's degree and finishing his Master's degree.

Some would argue this is a battle between the agency insider and the underdog (sergeant vs. beaurocrat as one put it). It might be, but the agency isn't a small law enforcement agency like a 4-10 officer department; it has over 550 sworn deputies and over 200 civilian employees. Which one of the candidates has the experience to deal with the political issues that will come up with an agency that large, the budgetary issues, the management issues, the personnel issues, the legal issues, etc.?

If this was a business (your business) that had over 750 employees, that large of a budget, who would you want to run it? Someone who has zero experience at that level, hoping his limited experience and enthusiasm will carry him through or someone who has been part of the command staff of the business for over 15 years?

Again, I have no dog in this fight. I've just been a cop for a long assed time and know my limitations and trying to be the sheriff of an agency that large isn't in my experience level. Neither is it in Shires.

http://www.shires4sheriff.com/home.html

http://www.shrader4sheriff.com/

[Ronin13]

For those that don't know yet, Schrader won... Looks like we'll get more of the same... but at least we can rest easy knowing he's in favor of NFA sign offs and CCW.

[MED]

...but at least we can rest easy knowing he's in favor of NFA sign offs and CCW.

I saw this earlier. Yeah...maybe; I don't know if I trust him. He seems like a guy who will do or say whatever he feels is expedient for him at the time.

[Bailey Guns]

I saw this earlier. Yeah...maybe; I don't know if I trust him. He seems like a guy who will do or say whatever he feels is expedient for him at the time.

Well he was never that way for the many years I knew him. But, I suppose people can change.

[MED]

Well he was never that way for the many years I knew him. But, I suppose people can change.

I certainly can't say anything with authority; it is just a feeling based on what I read. I hope he turns out to be a good sheriff.