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Dyer Ponders Race for Sheriff: Fresno Chief Asks Attorney General's Office Whether He Could Stay Top Cop If He Won.

Posted on: Friday, 3 March 2006, 15:00 CST

By Kerri Ginis and Bill McEwen, The Fresno Bee, Calif.

Mar. 3--Fresno Police Chief Jerry Dyer might try to become the county sheriff, too.

Dyer said Thursday night that he has asked the state Attorney General's Office to research whether he could remain Fresno's top cop if he won the race for the Fresno County sheriff's position being vacated by Richard Pierce.

The police chief said he was motivated to explore the possibility of holding both positions by increased community interest in consolidating overlapping services by the two departments.

"Obviously, this is outside the box," Dyer said of running for sheriff. "But I think there might be an opportunity to enhance the law-enforcement services to citizens throughout Fresno County."

About a month ago, Dyer told The Bee he didn't think he would run for sheriff but said he wanted to see whether consolidation efforts gained steam before deciding.

He cited the Greater Fresno Area Chamber of Commerce's hiring of a management firm to study public safety services as a reason to believe consolidation could happen.

Sheriff's Capt. Colleen Mestas is among five announced candidates for the position. When told of Dyer's possible entry into the race, she said the police chief told her two months ago he wasn't running and "put out an e-mail telling his troops the same thing."

Said Mestas: "If Jerry Dyer enters the race, the water's fine, come on in."

Dyer said he hasn't received an opinion from the Attorney General's Office about the legality of being both sheriff and police chief.

"The question is whether it would be a conflict of interest," Dyer said.

Dyer was asked whether he would run for sheriff if winning meant he'd have to resign as police chief. He paused for about a half-minute before saying he hadn't made a decision. The filing period to run for the sheriff's post ends March10.

The possibility of Dyer's entry into the race follows the Fresno Deputy Sheriff Association's endorsement of a candidate not employed by the department -- retired California Highway Patrol Capt. Calvin Minor.

Union president James Bewley said the decision sends a clear message: "It's time for change."

Minor said he was ecstatic to receive the support of roughly 480 deputies, dispatchers and deputy coroners represented by the union.

"I think it just validates what I've been saying. People want a fresh viewpoint brought to the job," he said. "The department is a fine department, but there's room for improvement. Someone bringing a different viewpoint will be good for it."

So far, the other candidates are deputy sheriff Chris Curtice, Capt. Jose Flores, Mestas and Assistant Sheriff Margaret Mims.

Union members endorsed Minor, who received 114 of the 155 votes. Mestas received 22 votes; Curtice received 12 votes; Flores received four votes; and Mims received three votes.

But the union's 17-member Board of Directors barely approved Minor's endorsement with seven in support and six opposed.

Four board members were absent for the vote.

The Board of Directors ultimately decide the endorsement, Bewley said. Although the vote was close, Bewley said, it was clear the union wants the department to move in a new direction.

"We all know the department has a little black eye right now," he said.

"We'll never be far removed from that because we all wear the same uniform. But I think we need a fresh step, a fresh face, so we can earn the public's trust again."

The membership is not happy about Pierce's 16-month consulting job for a private security firm in 2003 and 2004 that resulted in an investigation by the Attorney General's Office, Bewley said. Although Pierce was cleared of criminal wrongdoing, Bewley said, the issue has been difficult for the department.

Morale is low, Bewley said, and deputies are looking for someone to make changes.

Pierce, who announced in January he is not seeking a third term, said he wasn't shocked by the endorsement.

But he wouldn't comment on the union's claims that there are problems with his administration: "I don't have any comment on the stuff. It's a political campaign, and in political campaigns lots of things are said."

Other candidates said they shouldn't be dismissed as the next sheriff just because they are employed by the department.

"It is very disappointing not to receive the endorsement of the deputy sheriffs association. However, I care about every one of them and it is my full intention to be the best candidate in this race," Mestas said. "I have strong community support, and I intend to go forward."

Flores also said he won't let the endorsement slow his candidacy: "I am very serious about running for sheriff in this county. This is not a setback. I will continue, and I will move on. This is one endorsement, not all endorsements."

Mims said she believes the union is "looking in the wrong place for the right leadership."

"If you follow the logic that we're all tainted, then you have to say that trickles down to every member of the department and I don't believe that's true," she said. "We have more right with the department than wrong."

Curtice, the newest candidate to enter the race, said that even though he didn't get the union's endorsement, he still believes he has the support of deputies:

"It's made me even more determined to let people know how serious I am and that I'm going forward."

The reporters can be reached at kginis@fresnobee.com, bmcewen@fresnobee.com or (559) 441-6330.

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Copyright (c) 2006, The Fresno Bee, Calif.

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Source: The Fresno Bee

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