The primary election is June 28, and the call to replace Sheriff Bill Elder, who is term-limited, resulted in four individuals who met the requirements to serve as sheriff. Three Republicans and one Democrat are up to the task. The New Falcon Herald has interviewed three out of four. Each candidate was asked the same questions; read on for their responses.Interview with John Foley (Democrat), Joe Roybal and Todd Watkins (Republicans) Greg Maxwell did not respond.NFH: Tell us about yourselfFOLEY: Iím originally from Illinois, born in 1965, married 27 years with two boys and a girl. Marine Corp Infantry (27 years total military). ROTC officer in Army intelligence, lived in Colorado 16 years. Retired from the Army in 2016 as a lieutenant colonel.ROYBAL: Born and raised in Colorado Springs. My dad contracted polio at the age of 2. I tell you this because it helps explain why he has always been my hero. He lived near Trinidad but was transported to Colorado Springs to receive medical care for the disease. He spent a year and a half in the hospital. His influence and struggles are a direct result of my goal in life, which is to put others before myself, i.e., living (to help serve) others. Iíve been married 22 years with two sons and three daughters and several grandchildren.WATKINS: I was born in Phoenix. Iím a U.S. Army veteran, have been married 27 years and have two sons and a daughter. One son is in the Army, stationed at Ft. Riley, Kansas, the other son is a deputy sheriff in Douglas County, and our daughter is currently attending UCCS. I have been in Colorado since 2015. I came here as a military advisor/liaison to the U.S. Special Operations Command North at Peterson AFB.NFH: What qualifications do you have that will help you excel as sheriff?FOLEY: Wealth of experience with inter-agency intelligence communities, FBI, NSA, etc. Coordinated and worked with a lot of other agencies such as DEA, FBI, INS, U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division, and the United States Air Force Office of Special Investigations. Attended Joint Staff college (military equivalent of a university); studied organizational change dynamics, leadership and managing effective organizations. The military teaches one to be proactive instead of reactive. The many folks Iíve spoken to want the sheriffís department to be proactive. If you are reactive in the military, you get replaced very fast. Thatís the same philosophy I will use at the sheriffís department.ROYBAL: My 27 years in law enforcement has allowed me to gain experience in many areas of law enforcement from working in the jail, to promoting up through the ranks and gaining firsthand knowledge of enforcement, administration and finances. As a result, part of those leadership duties includes encouraging others, or terminate those who do not meet the standards or violate community trust. Thereís not another contender for the sheriffís office that has as much practical/actual experience as me.WATKINS: Both my wifeís father and my father were police officers. We lived in and around Wichita, Kansas to Arizona. Our family has served law enforcement in those areas plus Colorado. I understand and follow the Constitution of the United States and know how it should work. During my 24 years in the Border Patrol, I have been in leadership positions to include frontline supervisor, special operations team commander, intelligence supervisor and liaison to Northern Command working and coordinating with U.S. Special Operations at Peterson AFB. I also hold a Master of Arts in Emergency Management and Homeland Security. I have served at nearly every level of leadership and management in a law enforcement agency that has national security responsibilities as well as international influence that employs over 20,000 sworn federal agents.NFH: What event in law enforcement are you most proud of?FOLEY: Haiti, intelligence operations, protecting folks on humanitarian missions. During one of those events, we stumbled upon a major drug traffic ring. We provided the key information which resulted in Operation Ramp Rats by the FBI, ATF and DEA. Worked with American Airlines, intelligence work, coordinated with the embassy regarding CIA and intel requirements. Accomplished a large drug bust and destroyed the network that was virtually taking over the Eastern Seaboard.ROYBAL: While traveling to work one morning, I witnessed a motorcycle strike the side of an RV. The motorcycle operator lay in the street unresponsive. I, along with another witness assessed the man and found no pulse. I immediately began performing CPR while witnesses called 911. After several minutes of life-saving intervention, the man had a faint pulse and was transported to a nearby hospital. He survived the accident and continues to recover with the help of his wife and family.WATKINS: Special operations and special team operations. Thatís when a situation is presented, which is not commonplace. You have to assess the situation, make a determination of the best way to contain or eliminate it and work as a team to accomplish the job. In the Border Patrol, we gained valuable experience with the grassroots buildup, then execution/implementation of the plan to correct the situation and hold those accountable who were breaking the law.NFH: What situation in your career would you like to do over?FOLEY: During 2008-09, while working army recruiting, I was responsible for reviewing folks who joined the Army to make sure they were not in hate groups or organizations like MS-13. It was difficult to discern who was good or bad. Folks who were flying the Confederate Flag were listed under hate groups and some of them may have been, while others were displaying their Southern Heritage. After that, I got a job at NorthCom and became knowledgeable about Oath Keepers and Three Percenters. Thatís when I began to realize what a threat those groups were to good order and discipline in the military. We need to be very careful that our nation is not destroyed from within.ROYBAL: When my wife gave birth to our son (21 years ago), they both became ill and required medical care. I was not able to be there with them because my supervisor would not allow me to have time off due to being short staffed. Because of this situation and lack of compassion on the part of my supervisor, I promised myself to always allow members of the office to put family first. When the situation requires it, I expect the chain of command to provide time off for employees. Itís one of the most important things you can do to help motivate others and show them how much you value them.WATKINS: I thoroughly enjoyed time with the horse patrol in the Border Patrol and wish I could have stayed with them longer to gain more experience and skills.NFH: Who is your hero?FOLEY: Harry Truman! Consider all that he did. He was not a college grad. Served in WW1 as a battery commander and was the only U.S. president to see combat during the first world war. He returned to the states and continued his military career in the National Guard and Army Reserves until retiring as a colonel. His challenges including dealing with Stalin, the Marshall Plan, Berlin Airlift and finally, as president, helped lead the nation as the Korean war fought against communism. Look at history. My son is now studying that era, which was a very controversial war. Truman disagreed with McArthur who gave the impression of wanting to ìnukeî them. Truman was also instrumental in desegregating the military. President Truman had a list of accomplishments, which was truly enviable.ROYBAL: My dad is my hero. Despite my fatherís physical struggles (polio), he taught me the value of hard work and placing others before myself. He never felt sorry for himself, and he always demanded honesty.WATKINS: That would be my dad. He earned no medals or notoriety, but he served as an example and mentor for me to respect and follow. He cared for our family, was a professional in everything he did, or attempted to do, and has always been a great example.NFH: What situation or requirement in the sheriffís office would you change, if you could?FOLEY: Several ideas on this. Talking to guys working at the jail, they said itís the No.1 mental health facility in the state. Jail should not be the warehouse for mental problems. I may not be a mental health expert, but we need to get that straightened out and provide treatment for those folks. We need to do the same with our citizens. They may go to jail for their crimes; but they need to receive treatment, also.ROYBAL: There is currently too much ìred tapeî when deputies wish to transfer to patrol from the jail. Human Resources should take another look at that requirement and waive the requirements when it hampers a different job assignment or promotion for those who qualify or deserve it. We should take another look at the requirements for Class 1 police officers and streamline the training and transfer process.WATKINS: My experience in leading operations and setting an example of how to do a good job helps inspire others. We need to be very careful that we are doing enforcement of the laws and not attempting to nullify or ignore laws that are not on the books. The sheriffís office is expected and required by the Constitution to enforce laws, and my prior experience and accomplishment of those requirements provide the ability to accomplish just that.NFH: Should you become our next sheriff, is there a particular policy or activity currently in effect you would change?FOLEY: Absolutely! In a second, I would go after the issue of why inmates keep dying in jail. Iím not trying to throw the leadership under the bus. I may not know what conditions people are coming in with; but, we definitely need to look at the conditions causing inmate death and we need to find out whatís going on. As an army officer, you become familiar with checking the reason for a problematic situation and you must take action quickly and decisively to correct it and prevent recurrence.ROYBAL: I have thoroughly examined this issue. I believe some staffing changes; and ìno increase in the budgetî could allow the office to add 10 deputies to our authorized staffing.WATKINS: The sheriffís office is like the fire warden. We have to ensure that nepotism and cronyism never get in the way of our requirement to support Emergency Management, Homeland Security, Search & Rescue and the primary responsibility of law enforcement.NFH: Recently, the U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation which would legalize marijuana nationwide and eliminate criminal penalties for anyone who manufacturers, distributes or possesses it. What is your opinion?FOLEY: Follow the Law. Thatís the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE) Act. Far too often, someone in law enforcement adheres to the CSPO, UADF or Peace officersí ideology who do not follow the Constitution. They may disagree with something, and we hear ìIím not going to enforce that law.î Thatís a dangerous attitude to have. Personally, I have no desire to use marijuana, but we must follow the law and if the voters decide to change that policy, then we should not be disagreeing or ignoring it. We should enforce the law rather than try to replace it with our own personal opinion, or ideology. ROYBAL: We will certainly follow the legal process in the detection, or enforcement of the law, but itís a grave concern that marijuana is undoubtedly a ëgateway drugí and there are many people seriously addicted to those extremely harmful drugs due to getting started on marijuana. The access to marijuana and dangerous drugs has become increasingly easier for our children.WATKINS: From a Constitutional purist point of view, such legislation is reserved to the states and not really the place of the federal government (10th Amendment). Having said that, such broad sweeping legislation would be irresponsible. My career in border security provides me a different lens with which to look at this, and I see it empowering and enriching transnational criminal organizations (cartels). Coloradoís own legalization of marijuana has already provided these criminal syndicates with these types of opportunities; similar federal legislation would exponentially exacerbate these problems.NFH: What else would you like the public to know about you?FOLEY: I am a very fair and reasonable person, I do not jump to rash decisions, I have been a decades long leader fighting terrorism and international criminal activities both domestically and abroad. None of the other candidates have this depth of background experience. I look at facts and develop solutions with teams of other professionals.ROYBAL: My website is https://www.Roybalforsheriff.com, and I would encourage everyone to examine the site for my values and additional information of what I will offer to El Paso County and our citizens. I have a plan to accomplish my priorities with a good heart and a community first attitude.WATKINS: My website is toddwatkinsforsheriff.com My email is toddwatkinsforsheriff@gmail.com I can be reached at 719-728-8724.
