The duel between two Sacramento County sheriff’s captains is nearly over. Local voters will choose one of two candidates in the Nov. 2 election to replace outgoing Sacramento County Sheriff John McGinness. Sacramento County Sheriff Capt. Jim Cooper is in the final stretch of his runoff campaign against Sheriff Capt. Scott Jones. Cooper, who is also an Elk Grove City Council member, sat down with The Sacramento Press on Thursday afternoon to discuss his ideas and qualifications for the sherif... KathleenHaley The Parrhesiac comment-39768 2010-10-30T04:44:28Z 2010-10-30T04:44:28Z Good information to know - my gut reaction is alwasy to vote against ANY candidate that the Bee endorses. The Parrhesiac 2010-10-30T04:44:28Z The Parrhesiac comment-39767 2010-10-30T04:42:15Z 2010-10-30T04:42:15Z RichE - I will educate you - Questions of candidates may or may not be specifically related to their direct duties, often they are posed to illicit a candidates philosophy on a particular subject. Such as asking Barbara Boxer what her position is on Roe V. Wade. She has NOTHING to do with Roe V. Wade, nor could she vote to overturn it - yet there are dozens of commercials on air that discuss her position on the subject, which she has NO AUTHORITY over. Yet for many, this is a deciding factor on whether or not to support her. Q11: I would expect a "good sheriff" not to release illegal immigrants into our neighborhoods; but it is done daily throughout California. This county is all but a sanctuary county. Q2: I want to vote for a sheriff who believe in alternatives to incarceration - there is a time and place to lock up criminals, there is also a time and place to use diversion AND prevention programs. If you think my questions were "right wing” then you have no understanding of what the "right wing" is about - if anything they are classical liberal slanted questions. The problem with our city, county, state and federal government is that 95% of candidates never have to answer the tough questions to get elected. The Parrhesiac 2010-10-30T04:42:15Z JoesacramentoDotCom comment-39762 2010-10-29T21:22:14Z 2010-10-29T21:22:14Z I voted for Cooper. I worked with him when I was in telecom and he was in the gang task force, and have always had a high degree of respect for the man. JoesacramentoDotCom 2010-10-29T21:22:14Z Midtown George comment-39736 2010-10-29T19:59:16Z 2010-10-29T19:59:16Z I found Kathleen Haley's interview with County Sheriff Captain Jim Cooper informative. And, it has helped me make up my mind as to who to vote for County Sheriff. I will be voting for Jim Cooper. I have read not just this interview, but I have reread the Sacramento Bee's October 2nd endorsement of Scott Jones. To me the big difference between the two candidates is Jim Cooper's 10 years on the Elk Grove City Council, with two terms as Mayor. Both have spent the law enforcement careers in the Sacramento County Sheriff's Department, both are Captains. However, Scott Jones has been the right hand of Sheriff John McGinnes. To me a vote for Scott Jones is a vote for the status quo. Even the Sacramento BEE in its endorsement of Scott Jones states that our local Sheriff Department is failed culture. Change is needed, Jim Cooper is the person to do the job. Midtown George 2010-10-29T19:59:16Z Charlie comment-39733 2010-10-29T18:41:27Z 2010-10-29T18:41:27Z I sure hope that those of you who "ask" the hard questions---have found time to seek out the candidate and ask him these questions. You care about these kinds of answers. Then, because the SAC PRESS is amenable to citizen input---you can publish it ---here. It is important to exert individual responsibility in voting for a candidate----especially, if you believe the PRESS is not responding to your particular point of view which can include bias, religious differences, party affiliation, and even downright quirkiness. Charlie 2010-10-29T18:41:27Z JoesacramentoDotCom comment-39731 2010-10-29T18:14:03Z 2010-10-29T18:14:03Z I think the interview was soft. I like The Parrhesiac's questions, and agree with him/her 100% on the types of questions that should be asked JoesacramentoDotCom 2010-10-29T18:14:03Z Rich E. comment-39726 2010-10-29T16:18:19Z 2010-10-29T16:18:19Z parrhesiac, how has the experienced long term republican politicians worked out? oh that's right, we are in a war we can't win, the economy is in the crapper (and don't give me this obama BS, any administration's policies generally take 18-24 months for the affects to be felt, so guess who's policies we are feeling now?) and the republicans want to take us back to bush administration days. last time i checked, we prospered better in the 90s when clinton was in office than we did in the 2000s. Rich E. 2010-10-29T16:18:19Z Rich E. comment-39725 2010-10-29T16:14:48Z 2010-10-29T16:14:48Z fantastic, so you think your questions are great. then go get a job in journalism and ask them. yous questions are one-sided, right wing BS that has nothing to do with the safety of our streets and the citizens of sacramento. for instance: Q11: Would you release an illegal immigrant onto the streets of Sacramento from your jail? here is the answer: "no". so how does that make or not make mr. cooper a good sheriff? here's another good one: Q2: Do you believe that the US's incarceration rate is a problem? what if he says yes, what is the sheriff going to do about it? his roll would be to enforce the laws. if he thinks the incarceration rate is a problem, do you want him to stop enforcing the law and arresting people? how do your questions qualify mr. cooper as a good sheriff? you blast a writer for the questions they ask and then you ask pointless questions yourself. that is the problem i had with you intitial response. everything you ever write is negative. why don't you actually give solutions to problems. why don't you answer your own questions? Rich E. 2010-10-29T16:14:48Z The Parrhesiac comment-39717 2010-10-29T14:51:45Z 2010-10-29T14:51:45Z Yeah I know RichE, the only question you would ask is: Are you a Democrat? And dont even give your speil that you are an "independent free thinker" - you're no free thinker if you think my questions were garbage - unlike you, I have experience and education in law enforcement - next time don't make such snide comments on subjects you know little of. The Parrhesiac 2010-10-29T14:51:45Z The Parrhesiac comment-39716 2010-10-29T15:06:41Z 2010-10-29T15:06:41Z Nice - "I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character...." well so much for that idea. I dont know Jones, but your comment that he is divisive, along with your "African American" comment could imply that Jones would treat minority officers differently - expand on that. As for your comment on experience - hows that been working out for our very experienced long term politicians? Experience is nice, but critical thinking skills, intelligence and innovation are much more important - The Parrhesiac 2010-10-29T15:06:41Z Henrietta Cisneros comment-39713 2010-10-29T14:12:03Z 2010-10-29T14:12:03Z While I am not very fond of Haley's work, this is a strong and informative piece. I am slightly right of center republican. I will be voting for Jim Cooper, a democrat, over the republican, Scott Jones. It's not that I think Jones is a bad guy, I just think Cooper has a wealth of more relevant experience. Cooper is a cops cop. He is well respected in the department while Jones is divisive. Lastly, while certainly not a determining factor in casting my vote, it will be an incredible milestone in electing the first African American Sheriff of Sacramento county. Go Jim Cooper! Henrietta Cisneros 2010-10-29T14:12:03Z Sherrie Tyler comment-39712 2010-10-29T13:38:56Z 2010-10-29T13:38:56Z I enjoyed this article and thought it was informative. I already voted for Sacramento County Sheriff Captain Cooper by mail. Sherrie Tyler 2010-10-29T13:38:56Z Rich E. comment-39709 2010-10-29T13:03:36Z 2010-10-29T13:03:36Z i doubt you could write 100 good questions considering the first twelve were garbage. Rich E. 2010-10-29T13:03:36Z The Parrhesiac comment-39705 2010-10-29T15:03:39Z 2010-10-29T15:03:39Z Oh for god’s sake - can't any 'Journalist" ask any decent questions of candidates? You got this guy to give you an interview, and you ask questions that we've heard a hundred times before? We didn't learn ANYTHING about this candidate with this article except that he wants more officers - gee big surprise! Geez what I would give to ask this guy a few questions; I doubt he would give me straight answers though. Q1: Why do you think the United States incarcerates its citizens at a higher rate than any other nation on earth - even more so than Russia, Iran, Communist China and North Korea - the "axis of evil" countries? Q2: Do you believe that the US's incarceration rate is a problem? Q3: If you could wave a magic wand, what would you do to lower this incarceration rate - (This does not include magically making crime go away - it means from a law enforcement and corrections prospective - remember, the Sherriff runs the jail) Q4: Will you issue concealed carry permits to law abiding citizens? Q5: What are your thoughts on the Oath Keeper organization? Would you join, if not, why not? (and saying your not familiar with the organization is not acceptable - do the research - get back to me) Q6: What do you think is the best way to reduce crime amongst youth? Q7: How can law enforcement stop the explosive growth of the gang culture in America? LOL - smoke would come out of his ears over that one... Q8: What does proactive law enforcement mean to you? Is SCSO proactive or reactive - explain - Q9: What can you do to stop or slow down crime from illegal immigrants and violent gang members that come from South of the border. Q10: Would you report each illegal alien taken into the jail facility to ICE? Q11: Would you release an illegal immigrant onto the streets of Sacramento from your jail? Q12: What is your position on Prop 19? If it passes, are you planning on cooperating with the federal government proscecuting marijuana crimes? Q13: Did you support the proposed "gang tax?" Q14: Do you think that the SO's salaries, pensions and benefits are sustianable? Do you believe these issues are related to agency cutbacks, layoffs and manpower shortages? Q15: If you had the funds, would you support putting dash cams in every agency vehicle (Not just patrol) - and cameras in every part of the jail? I could write a hundred good questions - not like the typical softball questions you read about in local papers and on the Sac Press - but then again he would most likely give some canned response - like all those that run for office. Each of these questions would be followed up in detail, so he would have to expand on them, and wouldn't be allowed wiggle out of answering them - like all politicians running for office. Quick canned sound bites don’t answer anything. Then I'd decide if he was worth voting for. The Parrhesiac 2010-10-29T15:03:39Z