As the saying goes, “there’s a new sheriff in town”.

A new man is looking to be the next Sheriff for Sacramento County; for the fourth time in his political career, Bret Daniels is running for the top cop’s spot in Sacto County.

Today Daniels came out with ’no holds barred’ campaign rhetoric, charging that predetermined sheriff candidates are things of the past, and an establishment that operates a budget for the likes of the administration and not the citizens, nor their deputies must be changed.

Bret Daniels – a man who doesn’t shy away from the tough topics – also promised that real, law-abiding citizens will be given their 2nd Amendment rights back, without needing to feel like they have to anti-up with a contribution to the Sacramento Sheriff’s Department.

Can anyone say ‘game on’ in Sacramento County?

Believe me, the previously announced candidates Captains Jim Cooper and Scott Jones paid close attention to Daniel’s early Monday morning press conference, and then his radio appearance on my noon “Capitol Hour”.

This much is true, Sacramento County is hurting for protection and leadership after the retirement of its respected Sheriff John McGinness.

Historic department reductions and a slew of internal criminal behavior over the past few months has the taxpayers of the county asking if there really is law and order for the county of the state’s Capitol.

Two budget reductions; one from the County Supervisors, and another due to an accounting error inside of the sheriff’s department, has the county down to 5-6 patrol cars in operation at any given time. Plus, the hundreds of deputies that have been laid-off over the past year due to budget cuts without excess funding from the state, or the federal government, has the department looking for its next leadership direction.

To add insult to injury, Sacramento City PD has been able to gain funding from both the state and the federal government, while the county has been refused (or ignored) on both occasions – something that finally took it toll on current Sheriff John McGinness.  

Since the announcement from Sheriff McGinness’ retirement from the force, the talk has turned to who will replace him – and who would want to under the current budgetary situation.

The Sacramento Bee reported on September 22nd; ”five minutes before Sheriff John McGinness endorsed his No. 2 leader in the department – Capt. Scott Jones – to succeed him, former Sheriff Lou Blanas e-mailed the media announcing he was throwing his support to Capt. Jim Cooper.”

Besides trying to steal the thunder from McGinness and Jones, Blanas was putting to rest Monday a grass-roots movement in the department to draft him to run for the job himself.

As in years before, there always seems to be this presentation that the next sheriff of the county needs to be hand-picked by the establishment before they can be offered to the populace; something that has turned out to be bothersome this time around for the citizens of Sacramento County.

With evidence of a great unrest in the county giving reasons for today’s announcement, former Citrus Heights Mayor and City Councilman Bret Daniels decided to launch his run ‘against the establishment’, as he calls it.

In a morning press conference Daniels detailed his differences from the run-of-the-mill candidates in Cooper and Jones:

“This is a critical time when the citizens of Sacramento County need a proven leader with not only solid law enforcement experience, but political savvy and a strong sense of business.”

“I know what it means to be on the streets without a back-up unit nearby and what the officers working in Sacramento County face each day. I also know that the citizens of Sacramento County are at greater risk of being the victim of a crime today after the Sheriff’s misguided decision to lay-off over 100 full time deputies and hundreds of other part-time officers and civilian staff.”

“I will change that by restructuring the department and getting officers, including the dozens working in management in this building behind me, back on the streets and I will work tirelessly to quickly return very laid off deputy back to work.”

“I will start by immediately reorganizing what is a now bloated upside-down management model into the most efficiently rin law enforcement agency in the state, and I will insure that every dollar spent in this department is done so with the taxpayers of Sacramento County in mind.”

“We are here today to announce that the era of corporate entitlement and privilege is over. The time for accountability is now. It is time to reinvent the Sacramento Sheriff’s Department and that reinvention must start at the top.”

“No longer will the people of Sacramento County settle for the anointed candidate as the last few Sheriff’s of Sacramento County have demanded. Time and time again, this has resulted in administrations unwilling to control spending and seemingly incapable of NOT making the kinds of mistakes such as the Sheriff’s recent incredible $15 million miscalculation that contributed to the laying off of more than 120 regular deputy sheriffs and hundreds of additional part-time deputies and workers.”

“No longer will only residents that are connected to the right people of those that give a big enough contribution to the Sheriff be the only one’s allowed to exercise their right to self-protection. All those wishing to exercise their second amendment rights will be allowed to do so without unreasonable interference.”

In speaking with Bret Daniels today on 1380 KTKZ, we discussed the every present issue of concealed carry weapons (CCW) for the residents of Sacramento County.

After the two reductions of county budgets this past year, radio callers and residents were begging for a real CCW issuance, but it never came. All the residence got was rhetoric and press conference hyperbole – it accomplished nothing but frustration for the residents of the county facing a growing fear of criminal behavior.

I asked Daniels what he would do to assure the residents of the county protection against growing crime rates and lowering law enforcement deputies, budgets and overall manpower. Daniels was clear on his stance of being in total support of the 2nd Amendment and a real CCW permit plan.

Here is Daniels entire interview on 1380 KTKZ.

The resignation of John McGinness has opened up a battle inside of Sacramento County, one that features two captains who represent the ‘inside of the department’, and one candidate now running as an outsider.

This race, like the rest, will be determined by the establishment – and, possibly the citizens of the county for a change. To the winner a terrible budget, a short deputy staff and a county that is infested with growing gang and criminal behavior.

To the Sacramento County Sheriff candidates, the best of luck in this campaign; to the winner, good luck afterward. You’ll need it.