Mark Sievers
It’s campaign season again, which means we are treated to a
barrage of political signs, robo-calls, bumper stickers and
brochures.
We live in a self-governing republic. That means two things.
First, we don’t (or shouldn’t) have a class of career politicians —
we rely on individuals to step out of their private lives, endure
the torment of a public political campaign and run for elected
office. Second, we rely on citizens to cast votes and hope that
they do so in an informed and responsible manner.
In the upcoming primary election, Teller county residents will
vote for the following offices: Sheriff, County Commissioner,
Assessor, Clerk & Recorder, Treasurer and Coroner.
The largest single department in the county and perhaps the most
contentious political race is for Sheriff. The race pits Mark
Manriquez and Mike Ensminger, two men who at one time worked
together in the San Diego Sheriff’s Office.
The office of Sheriff is that of our chief law enforcement
officer, who is charged with supervising more than 60 employees and
about $4.5 million in taxpayer money. The Sheriff is also at the
“tip of the spear” in protecting our Constitutional rights. The
Sheriff enforces arrest warrants, executes evictions and
foreclosures, issues concealed weapon permits and enforces a host
of state and local laws.
Sheriff is one of the most important elected positions in Teller
County. My litmus test for that office include the following five
areas:
First, does the candidate demonstrate honesty, integrity and
responsibility in their personal life? This is as simple as do they
pay their debts and do they honor their family? Not paying one’s
debts is arguably theft and indicates a willingness to break a
promise for personal financial gain. In my opinion, someone who
does not pay their debts is not someone who should be in charge of
taxpayer monies and the largest budget in the county. Not honoring
one’s vows to one’s loved ones is also an indicator of dishonesty
at a very core level.
Second, does the candidate have leadership, managerial and
supervisory experience? The Sheriff’s office is the largest single
department in our county government. The Sheriff should have the
necessary experience to balance the competing demands of the
department’s responsibilities, its employees and the resources
available to it. Experience in saying “no” to employees or
proposals and prioritizing activities in the face of limited
resources and conflicting demands is also critical.
Third, does the candidate have recent law enforcement
experience? The Sheriff should have experience and skills that are
cutting edge and recent. The Sheriff should also possess the
requisite POST certificates expected of law enforcement officers in
Colorado.
Fourth, is the candidate absolutely committed to defending the
Constitution above all else? For example, would the candidate limit
or restrict citizens’ Constitutional right to own and carry
firearms (a 2nd Amendment right) if his employees urged limiting
that right on the basis of “officer safety” (e.g., registering all
concealed carry permit holders so that officers know who might have
a gun)? Would the Sheriff enforce an ordinance that restricted free
speech (a 1st Amendment right) by limiting when political signs
could be displayed on private property? Also, would the Sheriff
search your house or stop you and search your car without a warrant
if he thought there were drugs or illegal activity inside?
Finally, is the candidate committed to smaller, more efficient,
less intrusive government? Our government is too big and we have
saddled future generations with unsustainable debt. We increasingly
look to government entitlements and bailouts to meet our basic
needs (health care, retirement, housing, lending) rather than rely
on our individual efforts. Taxpayers are reacting to this growth in
government with initiatives that seek to reduce the size of
government. In my view, a candidate should respect the taxpayers
and resist growth in government. For example, when confronted with
the public demands to shrink government and reduce expenditures,
will the Sheriff reduce the size of the department or will he
ignore those political and economic realities and continue to grow
the department by seeking grants (“free” government money that is
really just more taxpayer money from a different source) to
purchase more “toys” for the department and put more people on
public payroll?
I’ve looked at the candidates for Sheriff and made up my mind.
My vote is private, by the way.
I would urge citizens of Teller County to do their homework on
this important race and make up their own minds. I suggest
consulting these web sites for information about both
candidates:
Mark Manriquez — www.mark4change.com.
Mike Ensminger — www.mikeensmingerfortellersheriff.com.
Background court records for both — www.candidatereports.org.
Mark Sievers is a lawyer who lives outside of Cripple Creek and
is the former chairman of the Teller County Republicans. His views
do not necessarily reflect those of the Pikes Peak Courier View or
Colorado Community Newspapers.