John Bruce- Candidate for Klickitat County Sheriff

0:00Hello, my name is Delmer Eldredd, host of the click-a-tat voice, and I want to welcome you to an interview with John Bruce. He is a candidate for click-a-tat county sheriff position, and John, it's great to talk with you, and thank you for joining me today. It is my pleasure to be with you today, Elmer. And, you know, would you kind of tell the listeners a little bit about yourself? Certainly. As you said, my name is John Bruce, and I am running for click-a-tat county sheriff, and I have over 35 years of law enforcement experience in two different states, three different agencies. I did 33 years of law enforcement in Texas, in Allen, Texas, and over at Frisco, Texas, and in Frisco, I was the chief of police when I left there in June of 2019. After almost seven years as chief, I went to Richland, Washington in June of 2019 to be their chief of police, and left in January at the end of January of 22.

1:18At a great career, I feel like I have even more to offer back, because I had such a good career, and I have had numerous people over the last couple of years asked me if I would consider running, and here we are today. I live here in click-a-tat county, I have owned property since June of 2020, and we moved out here full time at the end of September of 2022. All right. And we are glad you did move here, John, so thank you. And, you know, would you consider yourself a strong constitutional sheriff? I would, if I have selected the sheriff, I would be. I believe I believe to be a strong constitutionalist now. Right. And, you know, the thing is, is that with what has gone on recently in Washington state, it's...

2:23It's going to be a challenge. You're looking at it. You're looking at different times here, but do you believe that the volunteer posse is a important asset for the sheriff? Absolutely. The voters and citizens of click-a-tat county cannot afford to have a sheriff standing on every street corner. Therefore, we have to partner with our community. And part of that partnership is the sheriff's posse, you know, that operate as the eyes and ears of the police department. And as a force multiplier, that's costing the citizens next to zero dollars for them to get involved, get trained and help out where they can help out. It's a good program. Yeah, that is. It really is. I mean, it's citizens helping citizens. Basically, it's what it is. It is a great program.

3:29Yeah. And would you be in favor of keeping the youth program, the posse scouts going? Absolutely. Training up our youth and getting them excited about possibly having a career in law enforcement is a great way to grow the next generation of law enforcement officers. And so why not? These are people that are encouraged about what's going on and how can they plug in and be a part of the solution. Well, you know, I mean, you've been around seeing a lot of different aspects in law enforcement and whatnot. And, you know, I mean, the technology and stuff that is coming into play and then times that we're living. What are some of the things you feel that needed to be and create to increase public safety, some of the things that we need to do.

4:29First and foremost, it's it's a continuation of existing programs that that communication and education are paramount. And I know law enforcement officials have been saying that for years, but it's still holds true today that that one we cannot police our communities without the permission of our communities. And so they have to allow us to police and we want to police with them in order to do that. We have to build relationships. We have to have transparency and let them know what's going going on in their areas of the of the count. And so it is a question of enhancing our communication levels and transparency so that so that people can continue to be the eyes and ears of the police department.

5:34So actually, John, you know, open communication with the public is all is almost a preventive preventive thing against crime because the people can give you information that you can't get anywhere else, right. That is correct. You know, if we if we hang on to all the information, we're never going to find whatever it is we're looking for. If we know that we're looking for say a red Ford pickup truck, then we need to get that information out because somebody it will have seen it. Right. And because we can't be everywhere all at once. It's a big county. And so we have we have to share that information. Well, you know, the the people that are in law enforcement that live here, they have a vested interest in the community and, you know, the citizens and whatnot.

6:36So you think that we should look for and try to train qualified people that live in our own county who want to become part of the sheriff's department. Absolutely. You know, having had officers that grew up in the community that they're going to be policing does have advantages because they know the streets. We know a lot of the homeowners. And so they start with a leg up over someone that we've hired from outside of the county and have to train them up to that same level of knowledge. And so absolutely. If, if, if all things were equal, somebody had the same education level and skills and background. I go with someone internal internal to the county versus external to the county first. Yeah. And you know, the speaking about preventative, like, I don't know.

7:47Sheriff's songers put up signs and stuff, but there's a lot of different ways. But, you know, to get the message out that click attack county to get the message out to the criminals that the click attack county doesn't go easy on crime. And broadcast that message to let them know that, you know, basically that we, we just not going to put up with any more than we have, I guess. Absolutely. You know, I like Sheriff's songer signs. And it is what it is one deterrent of it and a piece of education to people that live here and also travel through and visit here. But it's not the only way I think it's important for us to have press releases every time we put somebody in jail for crimes. I think it's important that we work closely with the, with the PA and, and ensure that how we write our reports are going to, there's no guarantees, but help us create the best report possible for successful prosecution of crimes.

9:11And so it's, it's working with the other pieces of the criminal justice system. You know, because when we can show that, that we take crime serious, that we're putting people in jail that we're prosecuting people that are solve, solve rate for crimes is, is fire than those around us. And that's what we would want to do. Well, you know, I mean, you know, when the law enforcement and the citizens work hand in hand, that's when you have the maximum amount of public safety, right? Absolutely. People have to feel safe in their community. Well, John, I just really want to thank you for your time today and I'm wishing you all the best and, you know, with the obsession to control all the aspects of law enforcement, everything that the legislature has good out.

10:11This is going to be a really difficult time to try to keep up with what the state, what the state back and forth with the sheriff and law enforcement, but is there anything else you'd like to add, John? But if elected sheriff, I would, I would continue fighting for the rights of the citizens of click attack count, you know, that's what constitutional policing means to me. It's protecting all citizens and allowing them to exercise their constitutional rights, including freedom of speech, the guarantee of due process and the guarantee of second amendment rights. And I, I have testified before state legislatures before and I've been sending in my comments regularly on on the current proposed bills, most Senate and house bills, and I would continue that if elected sheriff.

11:12Well, I think go ahead. I want to thank you for for having me today. Thank you for your time and, you know, the, I just want to wish you all the best and I thank you for taking on this challenge because it's, it's a, we need people that believe and helping the citizens more than helping the state pass there. I think unconstitutional legislation, but I just thank you, John, for your time. I appreciate it. Yes, sir, have a great day. Well, this interview and previous interviews go to the click attack voice dot buzz sprout dot com and for comments on this interview and previous commentaries go to the click attack voice at proton pr o t o n dot me. I just thank you for listening and until next time, God bless.