Why I’m Running for San Diego County Sheriff

I’ve heard from, and have met with, thousands of San Diego County residents. They are concerned about the San Diego Sheriff’s Department lack of responsiveness to community issues.

Issues such as the growing opioid drug problem, the failure to implement body worn cameras for deputies, lack of transparency on deaths and inmate violence in county jails, the appallingly low numbers of women and minorities represented on the Sheriff’s command staff, hundreds of rape kits going untested, shady meetings between the current Sheriff and a convicted foreign national. I have heard about the perceived biased policing with communities of color and LGBT residents, and the decline in policing activities due to the “Ferguson” effect.

These issues do more than degrade the quality of life for our residents, they make us less safe and contribute to the growing mistrust between officers and residents. They cost taxpayers more and deprive individuals of opportunity and hope.

Many brave women and men in uniform strive daily to do their best to serve and protect. However, with rising crime rates law enforcement agencies need to reimagine the fundamental task of keeping our communities safe. What our current state of affairs demonstrates is a failure on the part of our law enforcement leadership to own up to the shortcomings of policing today. They are not asking the difficult questions nor implementing proven strategies of building real community partnerships. All of which can keep our Deputies, and our communities, safe.

We must implement fair and impartial law enforcement procedures. We can leverage the tools of law enforcement and increase efforts to work with social service providers to assist with community issues such as mental illness treatment, long-term drug rehabilitation, homelessness, etc.

I’ve been with the Sheriff’s Department for 32 years and I believe the Department is in a state of stagnation due to a reactive and outdated policing culture.

I am running for Sheriff because I believe we can get there. It begins with a change in leadership, making the Sheriff’s Department more transparent with our communities, holding our law enforcement leaders accountable, and re-engaging with our residents to establish mutual respect and community trust.

I hope you’ll take the time to read more about my experiences and I look forward to conversations in the coming months about how we can work together.

Dave Myers

Candidate for San Diego County Sheriff 2018