Platform Statement of Joe Cortez

By Joe Cortez

• Make the workings of the sheriff's office more transparent and open to public scrutiny.

• Develop professional relationships with all media, to include online sources.

• Restore community trust and department pride by setting high standards for recruitment, training and daily execution of law enforcement duties.

• Hold regular office hours throughout the county and to serve as "the people's law enforcement representative."

  Establish "community-focused " policing strategies to fit the needs of the local citizenry. Keep San Luis Obispo County a Safe Place to Live, Work and Thrive.

• Work in partnership with local law enforcement agencies to collaborate and share resources, and to eliminate redundancies and waste.

• Maintain a strong sexual offender compliance program to keep our children safe.

• Re-strategize our gang control efforts by focusing resources on specific needs, and holding managers accountable for positive results.

• Establish locally-focused advisory groups throughout the county to discuss general law enforcement issues. Leadership and Accountability.

• Lead by example to instill integrity, respect and accountability in the sheriff's office.

• Personal and professional accountability starts at the top and I will hold myself accountable to strict compliance with the law, our organizational values, and personal integrity.

• Provide employees with the essential and proper training and tools to effectively perform their jobs.

• Provide a fair and unbiased discipline and promotion system where rewards are based upon performance and benefit to the community's goals and values.

• Strongly support the team approach to emergency planning by recognizing that law enforcement, fire, and other emergency responders must plan and train together in order to respond quickly and efficiently in order to save lives and reduce losses during an emergency.

• We will not wait until the emergency is upon us before knowing the capabilities and key personnel of our local and cooperating agencies.

• Training, planning and day-to-day cooperation are the keys to enhancing the public's safety and reducing the impact of natural and man-made disasters.

• Cooperate with other branches of government to ensure that public safety issues are coordinated efforts to eliminate redundancies and waste.

• Strengthen the partnership with the Department of Justice crime lab to ensure the fastest processing of DNA samples in SLO County criminal cases.

• Immediately begin working to share resources with other communities.

• Make the best use of substations for the surrounding communities.

• Produce tight, smart budgets that are free of waste.

• Bring in balanced budgets each and every year by relying on my 15 years of police chief experience with all annual budgets kept in the black.

• Ensure careful management of all equipment and facilities.