1. Please state your background and qualifications for Sheriff and why you are running for this position.

I am the most qualified candidate for Sheriff. I am a 15-year veteran
of the Sheriff's Department. I have been promoted in rank four times
by Sheriff Michael Hennessey and now currently serve as a
Captain. I've performed just about every function in the Department,
including managing budgets and personnel. I've been a commander at the
maximum security jail, worked with offenders going through detox and
assisted with educational programs at the Five Keys Charter
School. This experience and preparation for the job earned me the
near-unanimous support of the San Francisco Deputy Sheriffs'
Association, the women and men who do the job and run the
Department. I have a deep expertise of the department; a clean
understanding of where we should be going and how to get us there; a
knowledge of the budget and all of it nuances; in addition, Michael
Hennessey leaves behind a strong foundation of success. The best
person to continue his legacy is someone who has been a part of that
success. I am that person.

2. Would you support merging the Sheriff and Police Departments? Please describe any benefits or flaws that you see in the plan, and
any corrective solutions that you might make.

No. The initial cost of merging the Sheriff and Police Department is
very high and makes this option out of the question at this current
time. I believe we should reestablish collaborative efforts with the
Police Department in areas such as prisoner transportation and
security. These past efforts have increased public safety by allowing
for more officers to answer calls and patrol the streets.

3. What is your opinion of the Sheriff's Department current staffing
levels: Are departmental payroll and overtime practices economically
prudent: Do you have any practical solutions for reducing staffing
expenses and the work burden on departmental employees:

As Sheriff I will re-examine the organizational structure of the
Sheriff's Department to ensure efficiency in continuing the Sheriff
Hennessey's legacy on successfully carrying out our city chartered
mandated duties. I believe alternative work schedules will reduce
overtime and use of sick leave. I believe that consolidation of some
services will also address staffing concerns.

4. Do you feel that excessive force has been used by Sheriff's deputies in recent years?

Unfortunately the reasonable use of force is a necessity to the nature
of our business. Sheriff deputies use reasonable force on individuals
to ensure the safety of the staff and other individuals in custody,
and to effect arrests. As a former lieutenant in charge of the
Internal Affairs Division of the Sheriff's Department, I still take
all reports seriously. I hold the sworn officers under my command to
high standards of conduct, to maintain the integrity of the Department
and ensure the safety of those in custody. I accept the responsibility
of relieving deputies of duty or dispensing other disciplinary
actions.

5. Under what circumstances do you advocate the use of strip searches? What steps would you implement to ensure the civil liberties of those subjected to this procedure?

Our Department has a very clear strip search policy that ensures the
protection of civil liberties and the dignity and respect of
individuals being searched. As a captain I have been responsible for
continuous professional training for staff to adhere to our policy and
observe the rights of those searched. As Sheriff, I will establish a
set of core principals for our sworn staff that would include
observance of civil liberties. Second, I will continue to train sworn
staff to be sensitive in observing individual civil liberties while
still balancing a need to maintain the safety. Third, as Sheriff I
will hold all staff accountable for their indiscretions.

6. What funding sources would you explore in order to re-institute or fully fund rehabilitation and recovery programs that might have been
cut under recent budgetary constraints?

As Sheriff, I will proactively pursue funding from local, state, and
national government organizations. I will make sure the department had
a qualified grant writer. Our Department has strived to ensure
services are not lacking no matter how much the budget is reduced;
however, I do understand that our ingenuity can only go so far. We
will have to make sure our programs have the necessary support and
resources to effectively reintegrate individuals who are in custody
back into the community. Our programs play a key role in maintaining
public safety.

7. What is your position on the outsourcing of medical care of inmates?

At the moment, medical care of the inmates here in the San Francisco
County Jail system is outsourced to the San Francisco Department of
Health. In the past, our Department has discussed the feasibility and
cost effectiveness of outsourcing medical care to a private company,
but during my career, it has been decided that transitioning away from
the Department of Health is not worth the cost. In my experience the
Department of Public Health provides individuals in custody with a
high level of care. I am concerned that outsourcing medical care may
reduce monetary costs at the expense of quality of care.

8. What is your position on cooperating with ICE, especially the S-COMM program recently declared mandatory by President Obama's DHS?

I believe we should continue our current policy that achieves a
balance between our sanctuary city status and the intent of the
Secured Communities Program. I believe that there should be a
collaborative effort between local, state, and federal law enforcement
to create a multi layered plan for this issue. As the Sheriff before
me has done, I will continue to advocate strongly for a compassionate
approach to this issue that does not displace or effect undocumented
residents with little or no criminal offence.

9. Do you believe that retrieving resalable recyclables from blue bins left on the curb should be cause for arrest?

No.

10. What is your position on "sit/lie?"

It's a poorly thought out proposal that should no longer be enforced.

11. What do you think of "care not cash?"

I think it works and is the right vehicle for San Franciscans to
further debate and refine the issue of helping the homeless.

12. Would you forbid deputies from participating in foreclosure evictions by homeowners being evicted by a bank?

I am sensitive to the issue since evictions under any circumstances
fall within our Department's responsibilities. As Sheriff, I hope to
expand our already successful Eviction Assistance Program. I also hope
to bridge the gap between property owners, banks, and the courts to
allow for more collaboration in deal with evictions.

13. Please provide us with a list of your current endorsers.

Organizations
. Peace Officers Research Association of California
. San Francisco Deputy Sheriffs' Association
. San Francisco Sheriffs' Managers and Supervisors' Association
. San Mateo County Deputy Sheriffs' Association
Elected Officials
. Former San Francisco Supervisor Bevan Dufty
. Supervisor Malia Cohen
. Supervisor Sean Elsbernd
. San Francisco Board of Education Commissioner, Sandra Fewer
. Commissioner for the San Francisco Planning Department, Rodney Fong
. Former San Francisco Supervisor Tony Hall
. Former State Senator Quentin Kopp
. Speaker Pro Tempore Fiona Ma
. San Francisco Board of Education Commissioner Kim-Shree Maufus (#2
choice)
. San Francisco Board of Education Commissioner Rachel Norton (#2
choice)
. San Francisco Democratic County Central Committee Member Connie
O'Connor
. John Swett Unified School District Trustee Jerrold "Jerry" Parsons
. Commissioner for the Department on the Status of Women, Julie Soo
. Vice President of San Francisco Board of Education Norman Yee
Community Leaders
. Former Chief Deputy Tom Arata
. President of the Sheriff's Managers and Supervisors Association
Lisette Adams
. Former Sheriff's Captain William Chionsini
. Former Chief Deputy John Courtney
. Former Candidate for Sheriff Michael Evans
. Former Chief of Bart Police Gary Gee
. Former President of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors Matt
Gonzalez
. Former Candidate for Sheriff Sergeant Matthew Haskell
. Former Director of The Department of Emergency Management Vicki
Hennessy
. Former President and Co Founder of Asian Peace Officers Association
Richard Jue
. Former Chief Deputy Veronica Keller
. Former Chief Deputy Carl Koehler
. Chairman of Louie's Association Chinatown, Quan W. Louie
. Former Chief of Police Dr. Anthony Ribera
. President of the San Francisco Deputy Sheriffs' Association Deputy
Sheriff Don Wilson
. President of the Outer Sunset Merchant and Professional Association
Benny Yee

14. Is there anything else that you would like to add?

As you can see from list of endorsements, I am the only candidate with
a broad base of support, from Matt Gonzalez to Sean Elsbernd. Sheriff
Hennessey leaves behind a strong foundation of success. The best
person to continue his legacy is someone who has been part of that
success. As the only candidate with 15 years of experience
implementing the progressive and innovative approach to criminal
justice of Sheriff Hennessey, I believe I am most capable of carrying
forward the principles in the Criminal Justice Plank of the California
Green Party Platform.