Last week at the U.S. Capitol, in one of my final duties as president of the Major County Sheriffs of America (MCSA), I presented Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota with our organization’s Legislator of the Year Award for her commitment to public safety and her record of collaborative problem solving. In accepting the award, Senator Klobuchar said, “I always believe that courage is not standing by yourself yelling at people in the Chamber, but courage is whether you’re willing to stand next to someone you don’t always agree with for the betterment of this country.”
In a statement I wrote on the recent events in Minneapolis, I said the tragic shooting deaths of Renee Good, a 37-year-old mother, and Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old nurse, were gut-wrenching tragedies. I also said the investigations into both should be allowed to conclude before judgement is cast, and I expressed concern that inaccurate and provocative remarks made by political leaders on both sides of the aisle exacerbate polarization and make the goal of achieving bipartisan immigration reform even more elusive.
At a subsequent protest rally held in Santa Barbara, several local elected officials demanded I speak out against federal law enforcement actions and explain how the Sheriff’s Office can protect the community from immigration enforcement. In response to my statement, 2nd District Supervisor Laura Capps told the crowd, “I disagree with the Sheriff. This is not a moment for both side’s language.”