It looks like it is coming down to the current sheriff Amadeo Ortiz and former USAF major general Susan Pamerleau. While I know there has always been rumors that Ortiz won't sign Form 1s, I have yet to hear of anyone actually being denied. The incident last month where two police dogs died after being left in a BCSO vehicle will likely be a point of attack by Pamerleau, but the truth is that it was nothing more than a tragic accident and efforts are underway to ensure it won't re-occur.
I have been on the receiving end of Pamerleau's "leadership" and honestly it scares me. The woman has no law enforcement experience whatsoever, and based on her military career she doesn't have much to offer from that either. Her claims of a "lifetime of experience in executive leadership positions making our nation safe and secure" are a joke as she never held a position where she directly supported combat operations, all she held were "personnel, training, programming, political-military and administrative positions" jobs per her bio. Heck, she spent 30 years in the military and never even deployed; that is pretty pathetic.
For the most part I feel that Ortiz is well qualified and does a decent job as sheriff. Situations like what happened to these dogs will occur, they are tragic and sometimes they are avoidable; but the department is made up of people and people make mistakes. I don't think this was intentional, nor negligent, it was just an unfortunate series of events that the BCSO is working to prevent reoccurring.
Ortiz has accomplished a lot during his tenure as sheriff, and has notable endorsements in his bid for re-election. I am sure everyone involved in this incident wished it never happened, I understand the deputy involved has been very emotionally affected by what happened. I've met numerous K9 units and there is a strong bond between the handler and the dog, I would equate this loss emotionally with losing an immediate family member.
Plus, Bexar County Sheriff’s Office was honored by the Department of Homeland Security at the National Sheriff’s Association Annual Conference in Nashville, Tennessee this past June. Ortiz accepted the “Partnership’s for Public Safety” award where his department was cited for its agency partnerships with other federal law enforcement agencies under the umbrella of the Department of Homeland Security. Recognizing the daily interaction between the Sheriff’s Office and Federal Agencies, in particular, two noteworthy events were mentioned during the presentation.
The first is the work of the joint operation of the Sheriff’s Office Human Trafficking Unit and the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Office (ICE). The second was the Sheriff’s Office co-ordination of the massive man-hunt for the suspect that killed Patrol Sergeant Kenneth Gary Vann May 28th, 2011 in east San Antonio. Local, state, and federal agencies worked side by side, 24 hours a day for 8 straight days during the investigation that resulted in the arrest of the suspect.
So while Pamerleau can attack all she wants, her allegations of "gross mismanagement and misconduct" sound very familiar to those made against her while in charge of the Air Force personnel system. I know many former USAF personnel whose careers were cut short due to her "leadership" of the personnel center at Randolph. I see no endorsements from any veterans groups for her. Heck, I don't see any law enforcement organizations supporting her, just a few named individuals most of which previously held positions in the community and/or are retired.
Pamerleau is only seeking political office, she's already tried unsuccessfully to run for Bexar County Precinct 4 Commissioner in 2010 and now she's going for sheriff despite having no qualifications to be one. If Pamerleau does use the dog incident in her political campaign to become sheriff of Bexar county, I hope the voters are wise to realize it is just more empty rhetoric and that the current sheriff, Amadeo Ortiz, has done everything possible to ensure such a tragedy doesn't happen again and that he is the much better choice as sheriff!
Cheers! M2
I have been on the receiving end of Pamerleau's "leadership" and honestly it scares me. The woman has no law enforcement experience whatsoever, and based on her military career she doesn't have much to offer from that either. Her claims of a "lifetime of experience in executive leadership positions making our nation safe and secure" are a joke as she never held a position where she directly supported combat operations, all she held were "personnel, training, programming, political-military and administrative positions" jobs per her bio. Heck, she spent 30 years in the military and never even deployed; that is pretty pathetic.
For the most part I feel that Ortiz is well qualified and does a decent job as sheriff. Situations like what happened to these dogs will occur, they are tragic and sometimes they are avoidable; but the department is made up of people and people make mistakes. I don't think this was intentional, nor negligent, it was just an unfortunate series of events that the BCSO is working to prevent reoccurring.
Ortiz has accomplished a lot during his tenure as sheriff, and has notable endorsements in his bid for re-election. I am sure everyone involved in this incident wished it never happened, I understand the deputy involved has been very emotionally affected by what happened. I've met numerous K9 units and there is a strong bond between the handler and the dog, I would equate this loss emotionally with losing an immediate family member.
Plus, Bexar County Sheriff’s Office was honored by the Department of Homeland Security at the National Sheriff’s Association Annual Conference in Nashville, Tennessee this past June. Ortiz accepted the “Partnership’s for Public Safety” award where his department was cited for its agency partnerships with other federal law enforcement agencies under the umbrella of the Department of Homeland Security. Recognizing the daily interaction between the Sheriff’s Office and Federal Agencies, in particular, two noteworthy events were mentioned during the presentation.
The first is the work of the joint operation of the Sheriff’s Office Human Trafficking Unit and the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Office (ICE). The second was the Sheriff’s Office co-ordination of the massive man-hunt for the suspect that killed Patrol Sergeant Kenneth Gary Vann May 28th, 2011 in east San Antonio. Local, state, and federal agencies worked side by side, 24 hours a day for 8 straight days during the investigation that resulted in the arrest of the suspect.
So while Pamerleau can attack all she wants, her allegations of "gross mismanagement and misconduct" sound very familiar to those made against her while in charge of the Air Force personnel system. I know many former USAF personnel whose careers were cut short due to her "leadership" of the personnel center at Randolph. I see no endorsements from any veterans groups for her. Heck, I don't see any law enforcement organizations supporting her, just a few named individuals most of which previously held positions in the community and/or are retired.
Pamerleau is only seeking political office, she's already tried unsuccessfully to run for Bexar County Precinct 4 Commissioner in 2010 and now she's going for sheriff despite having no qualifications to be one. If Pamerleau does use the dog incident in her political campaign to become sheriff of Bexar county, I hope the voters are wise to realize it is just more empty rhetoric and that the current sheriff, Amadeo Ortiz, has done everything possible to ensure such a tragedy doesn't happen again and that he is the much better choice as sheriff!
Cheers! M2
