Countywide

Sheriff’s candidate Jack Drown picked up the endorsement Thursday of Escondido Police Chief Vince Jimno and later accused his opponent’s wife of campaigning for her husband while on company time for the nonprofit Building Industry Assn. of San Diego County.

Drown, an assistant sheriff, is running against Sheriff’s Capt. Jim Roache in the Nov. 6 election to succeed Sheriff John Duffy, who has held the job nearly 20 years but is not seeking reelection.

Jimno, who ran for sheriff this year, did not make it past the June primary. In endorsing Drown, Jimno called him “a professional, seasoned, and knowledgeable law enforcement administrator . . . not a politician.”

Also on Thursday, Drown sent the boss of Roache’s wife, Jeanette, a letter that accused her of campaigning for her husband while working as a staff vice president for the BIA. The nonprofit group is a trade organization for builders and developers in the county.

Drown said that, if Jeanette Roache worked for her husband on company time, it could jeopardize the BIA’s nonprofit status.

Bob Morris, the BIA’s executive vice president, said he received Drown’s letter and said he will assure Drown that Roache has worked on the campaign on her own time. He said Roache puts in 60 to 70 hours a week and is allowed compensatory time for other activities.