Shane Gardner Talks With O Vancouvria!

Shane Gardner for Sheriff Sign, W 16th at Columbia

Its a light early Wednesday (Tuesday) here at O Vancouvria!, what with my BIG YELLOW van's radiator cracking and causing a hundred-foot cloud of toxic steam to rise into the air off Marine Drive yesterday morning (yes, I'm fine, thank you). In keeping with light and crisp fall themes, we got in touch with Shane Gardner, NON PARTISAN candidate for Clark County Sheriff. 

Sheriff Gary Lucas, our man about town (and firm supporter of the new County Charter) has been in office nigh on 32 years - a LONG TIME for anyone, and an especially difficult time of growing pains here in rapidly urbanizing Clark County, which has gone from 200,000 residents at the time he took office to now around a half million total (estimated). Whomever takes over from Lucas this November 4 has got a lot on their plates as well - anything from overcrowded and unsanitary jail conditions, to continued over-criminalization of minor offenses committed by our ever-increasing poor folks in this County, to community policing in increasingly dense corridors and neighborhoods in Hazel Dell, Orchards, and elsewhere. The County Sheriff is NOW in the position, UNTIL HAZEL DELL, SALMON CREEK, FELIDA, AND ORCHARDS INCORPORATE OR ANNEX TO VANCOUVER, of being an urban/suburban police force. 

The Sheriff's office, including the Jail, is the LARGEST CHUNK of the County's budget, consuming 76% of an ever-shrinking (thanks to current Commissioner policies, led by anti-Charter foe David Madore (pronounced "Ma-dor-eeee, like the liqueur) annual pie. 

Sergeant Gardner, who serves as the Sheriff's go-between and outreach person to community organizations, non-profits, and schools (including organizations that serve our urban and suburban poor and homeless) is the right man at the right time for our County's needs. While Gardner didn't answer directly answer questions about his support for the County Charter (Jim Mains, his campaign manager and head of High Five Media, producers of Hello Vancouver!, assures me he DOES support the new Charter) nor did he answer questions about jail conditions or community policing in these urban areas, its clear from his responses to MY questions (that I ask of all the candidates this fall) that his head, and heart, are in the right place. 

I am, of course, eager to learn MORE about Sgt Gardner's hermit crab (names and pictures, please), and eager to see more of Shane himself in and out of uniform in casual wear (he's easy on the eyes, with blond hair and muscles, though the belly does need some work). I hope that his easy-going progressive attitude carries over with him into office, because so far he's responsive to community interests and ideas and OPEN to change. Something we need more of from those who protect and serve in the Sheriff's office, Corrections, Mabry Work Crew Center, Probation, and the Jail. 

Here's our talk with Shane, read on. We'll be back on Thursday with Dr Anson Service, progressive Republican candidate for Sharon Wylie's seat in the 49th District (west Vancouver), and more on Vancouver homelessness and tiny house zoning from City management.

PS Shane - WHAT ABOUT HELLO VANCOUVER!? (that's gotta be the funniest thing you've done so far on the campaign trail if you can't think of anything else?)

PPS MORE ABOUT THE HERMIT CRAB PLEASE. 

Q & A With Shane Gardner: 

1) What would you like us to know about yourself?  Our campaign website has answers to many of these questions.   Www.shanegardner.com If there were just one takeaway I would want you and your readers to have, it's that I care deeply about our community and our agency and have been involved in many facets of the community for years.  I believe the office of the sheriff can have a profound positive affect on the community around it.   2) What would you like us to know about your opponent?  When I started this race I committed to running for the office of the Sheriff and not against anyone.  My opponent had a long and distinguished career with CCSO.  We are different packages. 3) What experience do you bring to this office?  I bring a variety of experience to the office.  From military experience as both a non-commissioned and commissioned officer, to civic involvement and leadership (Rotary, Leadership Clark County, The Substance Abuse Advisory Board, The PREVENT! Coalition of Clark County, Clark County Meth Action Team, and chair of my neighborhood association), to being a communicator (B.A. in Speech Communications from Central Washington University and being bilingual), to having school aged kids in public schools and understanding the challenges of everyday families in our communities. 4) What strengths do you have for the position?  Leadership as well as community connection and understanding.  In 2012 the Neighborhood Association Council of Clark County (NACCC) named two county employees as "outstanding Employee of the year".  I was one of them.  From being the Associated Student Body President of my high school to volunteering for and completing Ranger School in the US Army, I have not shied away from leadership responsibilities.  In 2005 in the midst of our Meth epidemic, I worked with a local legislator to have a new law passed in the state of Washington regarding tincture of iodine, a precursor to manufacturing meth. Recognizing that we cannot arrest our way out of our problems as a society, I also joined the Substance Abuse Advisory Board in 2005.  In this capacity I have worked closely with treatment providers and those in recovery learning how we can better serve those affected and afflicted with addictions.  I have a great understanding how mental illness and substance abuse addiction are sometimes but not always connected.  One size does not fit all for treatment or recovery.  The Sheriff's office can hold those that break the law accountable with incarceration but if we want to break the cycle and prevent the victimization of our community, we need to look outside our purview to see how we can partner with our neighbors to create the safest community possible. 5) What hopes do you have for the Sheriff's Office if elected?  Our three branches (Corrections, Enforcement, and Records) feel like silos.  I hope to bring all the branches into one Sheriff's Office team.  I also hope to strengthen our relationship with our community and make sure everyone knows we are their agency.  We want to enforce the law with the community, not on it. 6) How will you bring that vision (for the Sheriff's office) into action?  I have already started by being transparent, and naming the first team member I would bring to the agency.  Many people don't understand that while the elected Sheriff is the leader of the agency, the Undersheriff is the day to day manager of operations.  The undersheriff is appointed by the elected sheriff and is paid 25% more.  The Undersheriff must have understanding of jail operations, enforcement operations, and all of the civil matters and record keeping.  Many in our community also don't know that internally we are about to undertake several major projects: RegJIN will be a new report writing system that we (along with over 40 agencies from the Portland metro area and Clark County) are transitioning to.  It has been a project in the works for 5 years and will come to fruition next year, CCSO will be acquiring a new jail management system (this is a program to keep track of jail operations, and inmate tracking, etc), new radios provided by CRESA for every vehicle and Deputy.  Add on to that the first new administration in 24 years and it is a pretty difficult path the next administration will have to walk. To help me with the transition, and to successfully address all the internal concerns above, I have recruited Rob Gordon, former Washington County, Oregon Sheriff to be my Undersheriff if elected.  Rob brings extensive jail management experience (twice named Oregon State Jail administrator of the year) and understanding of enforcement and civil operations (twice named Oregon State Sheriff of the year).  He will bring a fresh set of eyes to our agency that has been largely homogenous for quite some time.  His full bio can be found here: http://shanegardner.com/leadership-team/ I look forward to combining my vision and leadership with his management experience and the expertise of several members of CCSO to build the team which will serve this community to our fullest potential. 7) Why are you running for this job?  I care about this community and agency, was encouraged to by people I respect in the community, and believe I have something to offer. 8) Tell us something humorous that's happened on the campaign trail.  I can't think of anything at the moment but have several wonderful memories that I will always cherish from this experience. 9) What's your favorite color/s, and why?  Blue. No, yel.... Aahhhhh. (Sorry, Every time I hear the question "What is your favorite color." I think of Monte Python's Holy Grail).