Deputy Association’s Backing of Drown Seen as Key Endorsement in Sheriff Race

In a key endorsement, the San Diego County Deputy Sheriffs’ Assn. on Friday pledged its support for Jack Drown in his bid to succeed longtime Sheriff John Duffy.

The endorsement, announced at the association’s Mira Mesa headquarters, was made after a survey of the 1,200 members of the labor organization showed overwhelming support for Drown, and the group’s board of directors voted unanimously to back Drown in this year’s campaign.

The support is viewed as a key endorsement because the association represents about 92% of the sworn members of the Sheriff’s Department, and their lead will likely be followed by other area law enforcement groups.

“Jack has worked his way through the ranks of the department to his current position (as assistant sheriff) and throughout his career has shown that he has the skills to fill his post,” said Skip Murphy, DSA president.

“He has also shown that he has not forgotten the problems of doing the job or the problems facing the individual doing that job.”

Murphy denied a charge that the endorsement was influenced by Duffy, who dropped out of the race late last year and then threw his support to Drown. “That comment was totally without foundation and was totally false,” he said.

And Murphy dismissed any contentions that, if elected, Drown would simply represent a continuation of the 20-year Duffy administration.

“They are different personalities,” he said. “They have different management styles, and I have personally observed issues where they have disagreed, sometimes very strongly.

“Jack is loyal to his department and therefore loyal to the sheriff, and there is nothing improper with that. But Jack Drown is not a John Duffy clone.”

Sheriff’s Capt. Jim Roache, the only other candidate who is a sworn member of the Sheriff’s Department, said Friday that the association’s endorsement of Drown was certain from the outset.

“As far as I was concerned, this decision was DOA: Drown On Arrival,” he said. “I previously indicated that internal pressures and lobbying was under way to ensure that Drown would win the endorsement, so I’m not surprised by the result.”

He conceded, however, that association support “probably will be beneficial” for Drown.

“It’s an important organizational endorsement,” Roache said. “All other law enforcement agencies will take the lead of the Deputy Sheriffs’ Assn. Now, how much value that will be in the public’s mind, we’ll just have to wait and see.”

Other candidates are Vincent Jimno, who is on leave as chief of police in Escondido, and Ray Hoobler, former police chief in San Diego.