This writer does not normally pay attention to elections for Stanislaus County Sheriff, but this year’s race between incumbent Adam Christiansen versus one of his deputies, Tom Letras, could be interesting. The incumbent has a bona fide challenger and issues appear to exist.
Analysis by a Local Businessman
A longtime local business owner talked to this writer about the race. He was quite animated about the performance of the incumbent Sheriff, citing a litany of grievances.
The business owner said that because of the negligence of Sheriff Christiansen, the department had to pay off about $5 million in lawsuits. He said that because of the pay off, the Sheriff was 22 men short in the jails. Because the jails were 22 men short, the jails had to let out over 200 criminals before the end of their sentences. Because the criminals were let out early, Stanislaus County has experienced an unprecedented crime spree.
The business owner further lamented that the average voter no longer reads the local newspaper and is ill informed. He predicted that Christiansen would easily be elected because the voters aren’t paying attention to what is going on in the Sheriff’s office.
Pollsters have found that with all things being equal, incumbents have a 20 percent advantage among voters. If the voters are as uninformed as the business owner contends, then Adam Christiansen will be reelected in a cakewalk.
The Helicopter Shenanigan
When former Sheriff Les Weidman held office, his employees allegedly went hunting with the Sheriff in the County owned helicopter. On one occasion wine was reportedly delivered to a social event at Diablo Grande golf course using the same helicopter.
Incumbent Adam Christiansen reportedly continued the tradition of questionable usage of the Stanislaus County helicopter when he took it into San Joaquin County to drop golf balls on a golf course for a charity event. The Sheriff justified the decision based on the fact that the helicopter was in use for training purposes anyway and that it was not needed within the County at the time it was diverted. Critics contended that the helicopter could have been needed within Stanislaus County and that the diversion reduced the ability of the department to respond to an emergency had one arisen.
Death In The Men’s Jail
Former Modesto Mayor Carmen Sabatino has been harshly critical of Sheriff Christiansen’s performance. Mr. Sabatino cited the death of an inmate at the hands of sheriff’s deputies, which he labeled a murder. Although the District Attorney’s office ruled the inmate’s death an accident, critics complain that excessive force was used to subdue the now deceased prisoner.
Mr. Sabatino also has noted that the Sheriff once commented that Christiansen would like to have Sabatino held in jail so that the former Mayor could suffer the experience.
The Cakewalk
An old saying in police circles is if no one complains about the work one is doing, then one is not doing his job. Complaints are a normal part of police work. The question is, will the complaints gain traction and a new Sheriff be elected? Or will the complaints be seen as a normal part of police work, resulting in reelection by cake walk?
After this article was posted, this writer interviewed a supporter of Sheriff Christiansen to find out what she liked about his performance. The supporter said that the Sheriff has been very responsive to her requests for service in the neighborhood. She said that he responds promptly and always treats her with respect.
Sheriff Adam Christianson has been a total failure in Stanislaus County. No one in their right mind should vote for this man.
Lawsuits against the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Department have cost taxpayers $9.4 million during Sheriff Adam Christianson’s tenure. 41 cases have been lodged against the department since Christianson took office in July 2006 (ModBee info). According to the Modest Bee In the past seven years, legal claims have ranged from deputy brutality and K-9 bites to serious accidents involving patrol cars and several deaths of people in custody. Internal lawsuits alleged sexual harassment, racial prejudice and abuse of disabled workers; with Sheriff Adam Christianson denigrated his deputies calling them “limp, lame and lazy” & treating them like second-class citizens. Anthony Boskovich of Santa Clara County stated in a Modesto Bee interview that Christianson’s was “the worst-run department I’ve ever seen. It’s run in a very slipshod way and it’s going to end up costing the county a ton of money,”. A Pleasanton lawyer told the ModBee lawsuits were “related to what I consider to be ineffective management and poor policies”. He also stated “very rarely do you expect a department to be sued as many times for internal complaints.” & “there are a lot of problems with the administration in that sheriff’s office.” His statements directly reflect Sheriff Adam Christianson’s management or rather lack of proper management / administration. Tom Letras one of Sheriff Adam Christianson’s own deputies called the Sheriff a “bully”. Sheriff Deputy/ Police Chief of Patterson California Tori Hughes has questioned why there has been no discussion from Sheriff Christianson as to how to prevent these lawsuits. Sheriff Adam Christianson fast tracked, who many believe an undeserving/ unqualified, Kari Abbey to Detective whom ultimately gunned down her daddies renter for personal business on the Westside of Modesto triggering large protest and outcries from the community. When folks off the block requested to speak to the Sheriff about the “murder” Christianson refused; yet he had time to hobnob with then losing gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman (adding insult to injury or rather death of Rita Elias). All this did was create a hostile environment between the community and law enforcement. Many within the community have stated both trust and confidence in the Sheriff’s office has been lost and until Sheriff Adam Christianson departs it will not be regained. Sheriff Adam Christianson’s mismanagement of the Stanislaus County jail has lead to numerous deaths of inmates including the “murder” of whistleblower Craig Prescott whom to this day justice has not been served because the Sheriff deputies that brutalized him to death have never been charge with the crime leading to many of Sheriff Christianson’s own supporters to question his honesty, integrity and ability to protect the community. I could go on & on but I may run out of room on this blog post..
Well, in my opinion and many others Sheriff Adam Christianson himself IS both the problem and a failure in Stanislaus County and the only way to solve this problem is to vote him out of office come June 3rd, 2014.
We must all vote ABC & F in the next election; June 3rd, 2014.
Anyone but Christianson and Fladager!
Vote Tom Letras for Sheriff.
Vote Frank Carson for District Attorney.
Let’s put an end to good ol’ boy cronyism in the Stanislaus County.
First of all inmates were released early to make room for the incoming state prison inmates.Second anyone can file a lawsuit but that does not make the allegations true. Third lawsuits are often settled out of court because of litigation costs. About Kari Abbey,all she was guilty of was defending herself from someone with gang ties who pointed a gun at her.The fact that it was a bb pistol does not matter because Abbey diod not know that.Some people are always looking for someone to blame.Get your facts straight S. Hansen.