The Fresno CVPPAC Endorses Margaret Mims for Sheriff

The Fresno CVPPAC Endorses Margaret Mims for Sheriff
By Mike Rhodes

The Central Valley Progressive Political Action Committee (CVPPAC), at a meeting on September 23, 2006, endorsed Margaret Mims for Fresno County Sheriff. Mims is a Democrat and CVPPAC members felt she was more supportive of civil liberties than her challenger, the Republican Cal Minor. The incumbent, Richard Pierce, decided not to run for re-election. He had been involved in a number of controversial incidents, such as the infiltration of Peace Fresno, his moonlighting with a rent-a-cop business, selling sheriff’s patrol cars to the rent-a-cop business, and allowing a major agribusiness company on the West side of Fresno County to use law enforcement computers.

The questions and answers below are from interviews of the candidates conducted by the CVPPAC.

CAL MINOR

CVPPAC Question # 1

Proposition 75 was on the ballot last November. It was the proposition that would have forced unions to get written authorization to spend members money for electoral campaigns. Did you support or oppose Proposition 75 and tell us why.

I voted against it. I was a member of the Hwy Patrol Group and it was a bargaining unit. The proposition would have put an impossible task on them.

CVPPAC Question # 2

The Fresno County Sheriff’s department was involved in the secret surveillance and monitoring of peaceful political groups like Peace Fresno and the Campus Peace and Civil Liberties Coalition. What, if anything, would you do to stop the Sheriff’s department from spying on peaceful community groups that are not engaged in criminal activity?

"I don’t believe in this type of activity." There is nothing wrong with law enforcement attending any event that is open to the public, but they have to be visible. They (law enforcement) need to identify themselves. If there is evidence of criminal activity, an undercover operation might be necessary. But we should not use undercover officers just to see what is going on at a demonstration. Law enforcement needs to protect both sides in a demonstration.

CVPPAC Question # 3

There has been an effort in Fresno to get an Independent Police Auditor to oversee the Fresno Police Department. We realize that this proposal would not directly affect the Sheriff’s department, but we would like to know what you think about the idea of having an Independent Police Auditor. If you support the idea, would you be willing to speak in favor of the proposal? If you oppose the idea, explain why.

"I don’t support it, but my opinion could change." San Diego has one that is working. Cal says that under his jurisdiction there will be honest communication with the community. "Law enforcement has to police itself. If we have no integrity in the community, then we have lost it. We have no purpose in being there."

CVPPAC Question # 4

If you had an opportunity to save money by outsourcing services, for example at the Fresno County jail, would you do so? If you support the outsourcing of services to save money, tell us what impact you think this change would have on employees.

"It would have a tremendous impact on the employees that you were outsourcing because they would be out of a job." He does not support outsourcing if the jobs that affect public safety. Food services are already outsourced. All should be evaluated in terms of budget and what is best for the public. Maybe the guards at the hospitals can be outsourced to save money.

CVPPAC Question # 5

What is your opinion of the practice of private corporations hiring off duty police officers to provide security. Do you have any concerns that the officers might look out for the interests of the corporation who is paying them, more than an individuals rights?

"I believe so." Not good public policy - it is a cloudy area.

CVPPAC Question # 6

What is your opinion of Free Speech Zones set up to provide demonstrators a location to protest at an event? Do you think Free Speech Zones are consistent with the First Amendment’s guarantee of Free Speech? Under what conditions should law enforcement be able to prevent protestors from using public sidewalks?

"It is not clear in my mind what authority there is to enforce something like that (Free Speech Zone)." Cal says that in his 33 years in law enforcement that there is nothing he has seen that says we can place somebody in this area. "It is law enforcement’s duty to see that both sides have a right to the sidewalk." He says he feels like he is walking a tightrope to watch out for everyone’s rights. He said that any dictates for a free speech would probably come from Federal agencies. He said he would ask the Federal Agency for their authority to establish a Free Speech Zone.

Question # 1 from the floor:

I am deeply outraged at the present sheriff’s behavior - bribe on consultation fee. Board of Supervisor’s only gave him a reprimand.

"I would never take a consultation fee." I would never do that. "What he did was wrong." His integrity was tarnished and department was tarnished as well. I am a man of my word.

Question # 2 from the floor:

Are you a college graduate?

No I am not. I have about 100 credits.

Question # 3 from the floor:

You said you would add 70 deputies.

"I said we would reassignment 70 deputies."

Question # 4 from the floor:

What are they doing now?

"Right now, there are 20 of them assigned to Valley Medical Center for hospitalized prisoner security. There are 20 at the county jail doing the same job that correctional officers could do." There are also some vacant positions that could be filled and 20 or so deputies assigned to the schools. He would like to re-assign the deputies to the rural areas.

Question # 5 from the floor:

What would you do to address Over crowding of jails?

Department of Mental Health need to work with police to identify the people with mental health issues and get them out of jail. He was told that over 20% of people in the jail have severe mental health problems. "That is not the place for them to be." Cal said "We have to explore the O.R. release program." He said "Judges are putting the monkey on sheriff’s back" because they don’t want to be responsible if someone goes back into the community and commits a crime. Cooperation with other agencies needs to be done.

Question # 6 from the floor:

Your brochure says you are Fresno’s anti-gang cop Do you have any programs or plans to work with these young people to get them out of gangs?

"I’m very proud of my experience with M.A.G.E.C (Multi Agency Gang Enforcement Consortium). I think we made a difference." They took a very aggressive posture on enforcement but they would work hand in hand with the Home of Hope. Services need to be in rural schools early to instruct parents to turn the child around. Same approach can be used in Sheriff’s department. He made a point of saying that in addition to law enforcement, there needs to be a prevention component to the work.

Closing Comments:

I am proud of my accomplishments. When I worked in the department, I had a team of people who worked together. I would set the tone and accomplish the goals.

MARGARET MIMS

CVPPAC Question # 1

Proposition 75 was on the ballot last November. It was the proposition that would have forced unions to get written authorization to spend members money for electoral campaigns. Did you support or oppose Proposition 75 and tell us why.

I was opposed to proposition 75. It forced the union to get written authorization before the union could spend funds. I was opposed to 74.75 and 76. There was no reason for the law.

CVPPAC Question # 2

The Fresno County Sheriff’s department was involved in the secret surveillance and monitoring of peaceful political groups like Peace Fresno and the Campus Peace and Civil Liberties Coalition. What, if anything, would you do to stop the Sheriff’s department from spying on peaceful community groups that are not engaged in criminal activity?

There has to be reasonable cause of criminal activity before there is surveillance. She said that she has never been told why Peace Fresno was infiltrated. "I believe that a decision was made a first line supervisor level and they were on a fishing expedition. It shouldn’t have happened. In the future, when I’m Sheriff, any kind of surveillance or infiltration of any group has got to be made by a group of people with different perspectives and based on the possibility of criminal acts going on." Transparency is needed and she would like to form a Citizen Advisory committee.

CVPPAC Question # 3

There has been an effort in Fresno to get an Independent Police Auditor to oversee the Fresno Police Department. We realize that this proposal would not directly affect the Sheriff’s department, but we would like to know what you think about the idea of having an Independent Police Auditor. If you support the idea, would you be willing to speak in favor of the proposal? If you oppose the idea, explain why.

"I oppose that idea for the Sheriff’s Department." I believe that a Citizen’s Advisory Committee needs to be formed. We are not adversarial with community like the Fresno Police Department. I think we are not there. She thinks that IPA could be a good idea in the short term for the Police Department. until they gain the trust of the community.

CVPPAC Question # 4

If you had an opportunity to save the City of Fresno money by outsourcing services, would you do so? If you support the outsourcing of services to save money, tell us what impact you think this change would have on employees.

"We have outsourced before." We have done as much as we can. She talked about the issues of liability when outsourcing public safety personnel.

CVPPAC Question # 5

What is your opinion of Free Speech Zones set up to provide demonstrators a location to protest at an event? Do you think Free Speech Zones are consistent with the First Amendment’s guarantee of Free Speech? Under what conditions should law enforcement be able to prevent protestors from using public sidewalks?

"If it is Public, it is public and it is a free speech area." A public sidewalk is a free speech area. There could be a cooperative agreement but you are not bound by law to keep it. The First Amendment gives everyone the right to free speech in a public area.

CVPPAC Question # 6

What is your opinion of the practice of private corporations hiring off duty police officers to provide security. Do you have any concerns that the officers might look out for the interests of the corporation who is paying them, more than an individuals rights?

"Absolutely, there has recently been a law changed. We used to not allow deputies to go to work for private security firms. It was a conflict of interest. There was a law four years ago that said you can’t keep them from doing that." Mims said that she thought the practice was a conflict of interest. Private corporations hire public Police Officers. Yes, officers will protect the corporations rather than the citizens. There is conflict of interest. There is a liability.

CVPPAC Question # 7

Should video surveillance cameras be used to monitor peaceful political activities?

"Not unless there is probable cause to believe there is going to be some kind of criminal activity. We need the leeway to use those resources if we have information that we believe there is going to be criminal activity. No surveillance is necessary if it is peaceful groups, only if there is criminal activity.

Question # 1 from the floor:

What would you do as the Sheriff do to deal with over crowding of the jails? What do you think other agencies should do?

She said her platform states that she is against methamphetamines, she will stop overcrowding in jails, and keeping our money local. Methamphetamine deals directly with our overcrowding in our jails. There must be alternatives to incarceration since many are single mothers that are affected. "I’m not for legalizing drugs." She also said that "we have over 400 Federal inmates in our jail. Our contract is for 260. My plan is to say ‘feds, come and get your folks...I do not believe philosophically that we should be a revenue source and kick out (of jail) our local people who will come out and hurt us."

Question # 2 from the floor:

Define what you mean by suspicion of criminal activity (as it relates to infiltrating community groups):

"The rights that we have as Peace Officers, the power that is inherent in our position...we should be the protectors of the oppressed, not the oppressors." We need to get information about criminal activity from more than one source before we infiltrate a group.

Question # 3 from the floor:

How would you respond if the Department of Homeland Security said we had a national emergency and you needed to enforce a curfew or if they asked you to do something?

"That is the beauty of the Sheriff. The Sheriff is a Constitutional office - not under any kind of order of the Federal Government. The Sheriff can make her own mind up about when to take or when not to take action. The feds can not order the Sheriff to do anything." Sheriff needs to be elected not appointed to able to be independent and make decisions that protect the people.

Question # 4 from the floor:

You mentioned methamphetamine, is marijuana a problem?

"It’s September, we always have problems with marijuana in September (it is harvest time)."

Question # 5 from the floor:

Would you legalize Marijuana?

No. If it is socially acceptable it leads to a problem to smoking and driving. methamphetamine is highly addictive drug. People can use it only once and get hooked. It tears apart families. Mims offered to research and find out how many people are in jail for marijuana use?

Question # 6 from the floor:

Wouldn’t the Joint Task Force be the law enforcement entity that would carry out the plans for the Department of Homeland Security? Wouldn’t they control the local law enforcement agency?

"The JTTF is a task force. We share intelligence, we share information, and if we need to address a problem we can do that jointly as a task force. The task force has no power in itself to issue orders to sheriff’s who are a part of that task force."

Closing Comments:

I have experience. I am a second generation sheriff. I don’t know everything but have past experience. I have passion for the job. No degree is required but I went to school and have an AA, BA and a MA. Competitive activities were an asset. I am different from the present sheriff. Do not connect me with the present sheriff. I will make changes and reorganize the sheriff’s department.