If you’re thinking politically as you consider who you want to hire for this position, you’re starting in the wrong place. The sheriff does not write law; he (The candidates are both male this time) writes policy for his department and deputies to enforce the law. When laws are written that are unclear, that do not include all the proper elements for creating enforcement policy or that do not represent the personal thinking of the sheriff, he must still figure out how to write good policies for those laws.

To write smart, effective policy, the sheriff must bring smart, expansive, comprehensive thinking to every single decision he makes (and there are no small decisions in this department). To do this, he needs to draw from a broad educational and experiential background. He needs to be willing to seek counsel from other smart people. He needs to be willing to be challenged by thinking that does not agree with his own.

Whether you are liberal or conservative, Republican or Democrat, Sean Smith is the only candidate who can do this. The people hire and fire the sheriff. Hire Sean.

Wayne Mass

Durango