The candidates for
Sheriff Todd Garrison, a Republican, is facing Democratic challenger Ralph Misquez, a former undersheriff, on Nov. 7. This is the most hotly contested local race in
Patrol in rural areas
In response to a question about how he would improve patrols in rural areas, Garrison pledged to ask the commission this year for funding for additional deputies for the patrol and community policing divisions. Though he pushed for a public safety tax increase last year that helped the department fill more than 20 vacancies, the number of positions budgeted for the department is still dozens below the national standard.
“The county is growing at a very fast rate, and I think law enforcement has fallen behind,” Garrison said. “We have to increase the numbers.”
Misquez agreed.
“Sheriff Garrison is correct as far as the county not keeping up with growth,” he said, adding that both the uniform patrol division and community policing need additional officers.
“The uniform division is the backbone of any department,” Misquez said. “(Community policing officers) build the trust of the community.”
Misquez also pledged, if he’s elected, to evaluate the department’s structure to determine whether any administrative positions can be replaced with patrol officers.
Illegal immigration
In response to a question about border security, Misquez and Garrison both said illegal immigration is a big concern.
Misquez said the enforcement of immigration law is “a federal issue, and I think it should be left a federal issue,” but added that the
He said counties should not try to direct resources into enforcing border laws, and if additional money becomes available, it should instead fund community policing.
Garrison also said the sheriff’s department must focus on local crime, not border security.
“The federal government has failed to do their job the way they should have done it, and it’s affected us,” Garrison said. “Forty percent of the people in our jail right now are illegal aliens.”
He said that’s proof that people who come here illegally are committing other crimes such as robbery and domestic violence, and said the federal government must come up with the resources to help local law enforcement agencies deal with such crime.
“Those are the crimes I’m concerned with,” Garrison said.
Personnel records, grant writing
Both candidates were asked whether they would be willing to make public their personnel records and those of their undersheriff candidates. Both gave me and the commission access to their personnel records when they applied for the commission appointment secured by Garrison 18 months ago, and said they would do it again.
“My life is an open record, and so is my undersheriff’s,” Misquez said of Joel Cano, who he says will be undersheriff is he’s elected.
Garrison said he and Undersheriff Chuck Franco would give access to their personnel records by signing waivers allowing others to view them.
“I have no problem with that,” he said.
The candidates were questioned about grant writing. Misquez said the sheriff’s department writes its own grants, and he supports the securing of state and federal money though grants. Garrison said grants are necessary and the department has received more than $1 million in grants since he took office about 18 months ago.
Dispatch problems
In response to a question about the function of the Mesilla Valley Regional Dispatch Authority, Garrison said there have been recent problems, but he believes they were due to a lack of funding and are being addressed. He noted that, before cellular phones, dispatch might have received two calls when there was an accident, but it’s not uncommon now to receive 30-40 calls, so the need for staffers has increased greatly.
“I think this dispatch center is on track,” Garrison said. “We have a ways to go, but it’s going in the right direction.”
Misquez said he has little experience with that dispatch center. Much of his recent career was with the New Mexico State University Police Department, which has its own dispatch system. But he said all calls should be recorded, so that if there are problems with response times or other issues, investigation can later reveal the problems.
Partisan politics
The candidates were also asked how they would bridge the gap of partisan politics to work with other public officials.
Misquez said he has been campaigning for this position since 2003 and has spoken with and listened to a lot of people all over the county.
“I’ve opened my arms to everyone, and I’ve been non-partisan,” Misquez said.
He also pointed out that he and Garrison, both lifelong residents of the
“We’re friends. We’ve had coffee,” he said. “…I think we can all work together as a community. If we did that, we’d be stronger and safer.”
Garrison agreed. He said he has worked with all commissioners, regardless of party affiliation, “to get the job done, and that’s what I think it’s all about.”
He said the only time the job is partisan is during an election.
“After that, it’s all about serving the public. It’s all about doing what’s right for the people,” Garrison said.