You're probably asking, “Why are you running?” That’s simple. The San Angelo Police Department has deep seated internal issues that have not been fixed in the almost 19 years I’ve been employed here. These issues are nothing new and have been around since before I was hired. The administrations I have served under have not adequately addressed them. I don’t trust that anyone else will bother to fix them either. If elected, my command staff and I will ensure that these problems are finally resolved.

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As a political candidate for office, political speech is protected speech under the 1st Amendment. The Barnette decision, Buckley v. Valeo, and numerous other case laws and laws have upheld this. These legal protections ensure that candidates for elected office have the freedom to discuss issues of importance to the election without fear of reprisal. Will there still be attempts at reprisal for what I have to say? I hope not, but it has happened in the past. One of my fellow candidates experienced it first hand in a previous election. If this happens to occur, you will learn of it, and it will be handled through the appropriate legal means.

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Nothing I bring up during this campaign is meant to be a personal smear against anyone. The things you'll read today and hear in the coming months are simple truths. They are indictments of failed policy and failed leadership principles, not of individuals. Chief Carter's administration has accomplished some incredible things that were much needed for this department. I will not disparage his noteworthy accomplishments.

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The other candidates have pledged to have a clean race. I promise to do the same. I will not stoop to bad-mouthing either of them. Each candidate brings with him a unique perspective on what he believes the Police Department needs, based on personal experience. However, that does not mean I will not share with you the internal issues from which our department suffers. Why? These problems are damaging the morale of our officers and need to be known by you, the voter, regardless of who you vote for.

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WHAT THE DEPARTMENT NEEDS

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This department needs a Chief of Police who is not a politician nor a candidate seeking a career political appointment. It needs a leader who is willing to make difficult and sometimes unpopular decisions. It needs someone who is not an integral part of the “good ol’ boy” system which is pervasive and ruinous to small departments like ours. It needs a person who doesn't owe anyone a single thing.

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While working as a public servant for you the last 19 years, I have kept myself out of the public eye for several reasons. One of the most important issues to me is the appearance of undue influence. I have seen what it does to otherwise good people. Nobody has influence over me. I owe no favors to anyone. I cannot be swayed by personal connection. To me, that is incredibly important. I cannot recall the number of times I have had to handle a criminal issue and been told, “I know the chief! I'll call the chief! I went to school with the chief!” Any officer can attest to this happening to them at some point in their career. That will no longer be an issue for officers to deal with because it would simply be untrue, since maybe less than 100 people know me outside of this uniform.

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Regardless of the election outcome, I am still sticking around a while longer, but this is my chance to see things get fixed and offer public solutions to internal issues that are never discussed openly. I'm not here to give you empty promises, campaign slogans, or platitudes. I am telling you the issues the department has, and I am offering plans to fix them. Whether I win the election or not, I still win because the issues that need to be discussed publicly will be made known to you, the voters. That's my reason.

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