Things are careening out of control in Fresno County government. It seems no one over at the Hall of Records knows how to make a budget, and it's now affecting public safety. The Board of Supervisors is scrambling to figure out how to fund the sheriff's department budget, and the sheriff has yet to show that she's running an efficient operation. What a mess. A crisis reveals the quality of leadership, and this crisis has exposed a lot of holes in the Fresno County operation, starting with the supervisors.
The performance last week of Sheriff Margaret Mims was particularly disappointing. She let criminals out of jail early to make a political point, refused to share the names of the felons getting out of the slammer with Police Chief Jerry Dyer and has questionable budget practices at a time she says she's out of money.
For those reasons and others, Bill McEwen and I have named the sheriff as our "political loser of the week" in our weekly podcast on fresnobee.com. Click here to listen to the podcast. We didn't have a "political winner" as part of our ongoing protest of the state not passng a budget. But Bill and I were unanimous on our loser of the week.
By the way, City Manager Andy Souza said Mims has finally shared the early-release information with the Police Department. But it took a public records request from the city's lawyers before the information was transmitted to the PD. There are so many things wrong with the sheriff's attitude on this, I don't know where to start. But so much for cooperation between the sheriff and police chief on protecting public safety.
Dyer wanted the early-release information because many of the felons that Mims released will be preying on Fresno residents. With the info, he could tell his officers which bad guys were being let out, and advise the officers of the criminal MO of the newly freed crooks.
But Mims initially said take a hike, chief. Finally, though, the Sheriff's Department gave Dyer the information. There shouldn't even have been a delay. This wasn't like she was being asked to give the information to Al-Qaida. This was the chief of the largest police organization in the Valley making the request so he could protect his citizens.
Here's the text of the letter the city send to the Sheriff's Department last week:
Pursuant to the California Public Records Act (C.P.R.A.) the City of Fresno ("City") requests all information on inmates, who over the last five years due to the Federal Consent Decree (jail overcrowding) or budgetary constraints, were subject to early release from the Fresno County Jail. This request includes, but is not limited to the name of the inmate, the inmate's booking date at the Fresno County Jail, the inmate's charges and the date of release from the Fresno County Jail system.This information is a matter of public record and the City requests the material be delivered electronically within the guidelines of a C.P.R.A. If the material can be delivered in a more efficient manner through another method, the City of Fresno accepts delivery by that method. The City agrees to pay all reasonable costs associated with this request.
With all of the cash paid to Sheriff's Department to evict bad tenants, they should be rolling in buckets of cash. Bloody hell, the El Capri has paid loads of the green stuff. Hmmmmm, the sheriff kicking tenants to curb is almost like kicking 'felons' to the curb, 'go forth and sin some more'.......
Mr. Boren did not use quotation marks for the alleged statement that Sheriff Mims directed to Chief Dyer. Might he be busy bending reality to set up himself up for another reenactment of Solomon? This reminds me of the volunteer fireman who commits arson and is assumed to be a hero until the truth is revealed.
Top Ten ways Mayor Autry can help the Sheriff.
1.Explain the law to a federal judge to lift the federal consent decree. Mayor Autry has experience in this arena with Judge Wanger and homeless lawsuit.
2. Negotiate with Donald Trump to bail out the Sheriff’s budget. Once again Mayor Autry has experience in this area with Running Horse.
3. Host a fundraiser for the Sheriff utilizing the Fresno Police Department Canine unit to provide entertainment with a fireworks display.
4. Provide the Sheriff with a business model to increase revenue with an extortion campaign targeting local bars.
5. Provide the Sheriff with an enforcement plan to operate check points to tow vehicle and charge hundreds of dollars in release fees. Only 3 DUI arrests, but 63 vehicles towed equals big bucks.
6. Eliminate Chief Dyer’s protection detail and transfer the saving to the Sheriff to house prisoners. The chief is a strapping, gunning carrying cop and should be able to protect himself, especially since the sheriff feels safe in the community by herself. He can give up the ego thing for the good of all.
7. Teach the Sheriff to pander to Indian casinos throughout the state in exchange for donations. Since the City of Fresno is reaping donations from Indian casinos without actually having any in the city it may work.
8. Use funds dedicated to the downtown lake to supplement the Sheriff’s budget. Besides the developers being upset, the only other stake holders would be transients and they can be accommodated by handing out towels and soap at the fountain in front of city hall.
9. Have the Sheriff lease her office at headquarters to a private party and use that money to augment her budget. She can conduct business and meetings at a north Fresno Starbucks with the mayor.
10.Modify the Mayor’s protest of not wearing a tie until the state budget is adopted, to wearing the Bubba Skinner uniform until the Sheriff quits releasing inmates. This might lend credibility to the Mayor’s comments about public safety.