It's official: Clallam County sheriff Bill Benedict is running for reelection.
This is the guy who thought it was GREAT news that we had the bulldozer rampage here, because all the press attention around our local dysfunction "really put us on the map!"
Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dumb.
Sadly, stupidity like that is pretty typical Bill Benedict. He's like an even more egotistical Barney Fife, with a hefty dollop of sexism thrown into the mix. He's a key part of the macho, gun-totting backwoods mentality that infects the Clallam County Courthouse, and it would sure be nice to see him have an opponent - and to get defeated.
So, calling all cars, calling all cars! We need us a new sheriff, folks. And we need a good candidate, not the usual suspects. Please?
Happy to do one-on-one campaign events.
Benedict isn't smart, but he's got enough survival skills to know that he is most likely to survive politically if he plays up to the good ol' boys. The fact that this is his natural inclination anyway just makes it that much simpler for him.
ReplyDeleteI actually think he has done a good job as Sheriff. He has upgraded department policies and procedures, held the line on expenditures (especially overtime), improved communications with the local citizens and morale is reportably at an all-time high.
ReplyDeleteI would argue that "morale being at an all-time high" is debatable, and, even if true, not necessarily a good thing. From what I've heard, that "morale" among his people is high because he allows them to engage in some questionable activities that wouldn't be tolerated by a professional law enforcement department.
DeleteEven if - and that's a big IF - Benedict has done a good job as sheriff, he is still being undercut by the County court system, which is refusing to prosecute more and more cases for any reason they can think of. Their favorite tactic seems to be saying they can't afford to prosecute someone, so they dump it back onto our cities - who then say that they can't afford to prosecute, either. So crooks and lowlifes are walking free from our jail every day, probably laughing at what a "good job" local law enforcement is doing.
DeleteI've been disappointed in the way some of our local police officers handle themselves. They're trying too hard to be hard, and are out of step with a lot of modern policing approaches. However, the city cops are way ahead of the sheriff's deputies, who seem to think this is still the untamed west.
DeleteThe issue I take issue with Benedict on is courthouse security. It sure seems like the Clallam County courthouse is the last one in the country that doesn't have metal detectors or some sort of increased security measures. My friends who work there are none too thrilled with it, but the Commissioners don't want to spend the money, and Benedict isn't an advocate for doing more.
DeleteThis lack of security isn't old fashioned and folksy - it's dangerous, and out of step with the times. Anyone going to argue that we don't have some high profile nuts with guns around here? (Willis Gormley, Scott T. Collins, etc.) Someday there's going to be a preventable tragedy at the courthouse, because some nut with a gun is going to come in with a head of steam and a grudge.
A real, proactive sheriff would want to protect his people, the employees of the county, and the members of the public who have to come to the courthouse. But Benedict doesn't want to make waves, or rile up those same self armed good old boys, by pushing for the county to do the right thing. It's not just penny wise, pound foolish - it's cowardly, and a real shame.
When it comes to Court House security, it's out of Bill Benedict's hands. When something goes down, it's "Call Gary." Now, if there are two things that need dealing with at once, well, I guess then that's the weakness of the Gary System
DeleteBut I totally agree that the Court House is a tragedy waiting to happen. Too many doors, too many nuts, and too few people concerned about all that.
And, as if by magic, a stalwart man of integrity and honor appeared from the usual mists of deceit and corruption. Amazing that power of desire.
ReplyDeleteIf only we had understood it before. Think of where Port Angeles would be now, if only we had desired a good candidate for all the positions over the last 10 years?!
Are you talking about the second gentleman pictured above? Your use of the phrase, "power of desire" leads me to wonder...
DeleteSorry my sarcasm was too obtuse.
DeleteI do hereby dub thee "Bulldozer" Bill Benedict. Here's hoping there's another local tragedy/travesty that gets us even more "attention" so "Bulldozer" Bill can feel good about his community.
ReplyDeleteYou know what they say: There's no such thing as bad press.
DeleteBy any reckoning, your town getting international exposure for the strange, violent and potentially deadly actions of a local lunatic doesn't really count as good news. The fact that Benedict thinks such things are a net positive is bizarre. Perhaps the people of Chernobyl and Ukraine should be "happy" about all the press they've gotten?
DeleteWhatever failings Benedict may have, at the end of the day, the tone and priorities of the County are set by the Commissioners. And they have shown that they are willing to put up with quite a lot of idiocy, abuse and other harmful practices under their watch.
ReplyDeleteWith all that in mind, Benedict's re-election (or not) is less important than who will be sitting in Mike Doherty's seat next year? Is Mike running? If not, who is? After all the BS and self-destructive behavior the Democrats exhibited last time there was a Commissioner's race, it's hard to believe anyone (other than possibly Doherty - again) would be willing to sign up as a candidate. Especially since Doherty just barely squeaked in again last time he ran - and he was running against a nutjob.
Yes, as evidenced by Mr. Payne's recent hiring of Mr. Conroy - who then immediately left - there are some bigger problems in the Court House than Bill Benedict.
DeleteYou have to love it. To their credit, the PDN hounds everyone. Left, right, center - they go after 'em all, and do their damnedest to just drive everyone out of town, and let the world know without a doubt that Port Angeles is a poisonous little town.
DeleteWhat ever did happen to David R. Fox?
ReplyDeleteI understand Mr. Fox is going to manage Peter Ripley's next campaign.
DeleteDream Team!
DeleteJust so you all know...Sometime in the last couple of hours, this blog passed the 10,000 pageviews mark, and there have been nearly 1300 comments made as well. That's pretty remarkable. Hopefully this all means that more information is getting out to more people in Port Angeles and Clallam County, and a clearer picture of what our local governing bodies look like is emerging.
ReplyDeleteNone of this could happen without you. So please keep on sharing your thoughts and whatever information you come across that's relevant, and this blog will continue to be a conduit for breaking through the stasis and deadwood that's been blocking things up here.
Congratulations, CK. For the first time, probably in Port Angeles' history, people are getting to understand what is really going on around here. Why things are the way they are. Why things happen as they do.
DeleteThis hasn't been happening with the PDN, or KONP. People have been frustrated by the obvious lack of "investigative reporting" coming from their only local "news" sources.
Now, people can see, understand, and hopefully act.
Hey "Bulldozer" Bill, that fake kidnapping in Sequim is getting national attention!
ReplyDeleteASSOCIATED PRESS April 16, 2014 (SEQUIM, Wash.) -- Police are investigating possible charges against people who staged a fake kidnapping in a park, terrifying parents and children who thought it was real.
Onlookers in the park watched as a minivan with two masked men pull up and one man jumped out, grabbed a toddler and took off. He was the boy's father. He later returned and explained the incident was recorded to create a video for social media on child abduction prevention and awareness.
Uh, it's just too bad every single time Clallam County gets this kind of press, it's for something really stupid and/or criminal, but hey - you can't buy publicity like that, right?
I've never seen such a fine collection of idiots.
ReplyDelete