Both sheriff candidates interviewed once more with the Free
Lance about the key issues in the race. With time winding down
before the Nov. 2 General Election, Undersheriff and sheriff
candidate Pat Turturici continues to focus much of his campaign on
gang prevention and continuing to provide more safety in San Benito
County.
Editor’s note: A similar profile of Darren Thompson will appear in the same slot this afternoon.
With time winding down before the Nov. 2 General Election, Undersheriff and sheriff candidate Pat Turturici continues to focus much of his campaign on gang prevention and continuing to provide more safety in San Benito County.
In a phone conversation with the Free Lance, Turturici focused on gang prevention and infiltration of gang members from surrounding areas.
“What concerns me is what is happening in Salinas and Watsonville,” he said. “They (the police) scatter them (gang members) out of the county and they are looking at San Benito County as a place to go to. They are not welcome here.”
Turturici would arrest the gang members who try to call the county home, he said.
“Well, we are going to be tough on suppression,” he said. “We must take the threat of gangs seriously.”
To do that, Turturici called for better communication with surrounding agencies, such as the Hollister Police Department, and more preventative outreach programs. He wanted to see more implementation of the Gang Resistance Education and Training program, which Turturici established with San Benito County Office of Education Superintendent Mike Sanchez last year.
The program sends a deputy to talk to fourth-grade students about the negatives and dangers of joining a gang, Turturici said. The program graduated 600 students last year.
“What I can tell you is that since I started gang suppression, teen arrest numbers have gone down,” he said. “They know our guys are out there working.”
Regardless, though, Turturici acknowledged the battle against gangs is a hard one.
“It’s going to be a lot of hard work but as sheriff, I’ll get it done,” he said.
The idea of consolidation with the Hollister Police Department could also be used to further help communication between the two law enforcement agencies in the area, he said.
“Walking door to door a lot of people – the majority of people – are in favor of consolidation,” Turturici said. “If city leaders and the city council approach me about it, I’ll support it.”
Turturici expressed significant interest in consolidating the two agencies.
“I would lead – I would be a huge proponent of it,” he said. “I think the benefit is that we would be able to work much better with the Hollister Police Department. We would be one unit.”
There would be a small adjustment, he said.
“There would be some growing pains – some time to adjust,” Turturici said. “Overall, we would be fine with it.”
Regardless of possible changes, as a whole, the department needs to “do a better job of running a transparent operation that is held strongly accountable,” he said.
Turturici would have an open-door policy for deputies and the public. To run a good department, Turturici said he needs the public’s feedback.
“I will encourage my deputies to come to me with any problems, also the public,” he said.
As the undersheriff for the past six years, Turturici believes it’s that work that sets him apart. Since he was promoted, Turturici has been the main person drafting the budget and controlling overtime, he said.
“Whoever becomes sheriff is going to have to control the budget – I have 10 years of experience,” Turturici said.
For the profile on Darren Thompson, go here.
