Gates’ Sole Opponent Is Disqualified From Race : Courts: Bonnie Rae Streeter failed to meet state-mandated requirements to run for sheriff, judge rules. She, however, vows to continue her campaign and seek write-in votes.

Sheriff Brad Gates’ only challenger in the June election was disqualified Thursday when an Orange County Superior Court judge ruled that she did not meet state-mandated qualifications to hold that office.

The decision marks the first time a candidate was removed from consideration by court order under a 6-year-old law that requires all state sheriff hopefuls to have previous law enforcement experience or certification as a peace officer by the state Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training.

Acting on a formal challenge brought by the California State Sheriffs’ Assn. and three local residents, Superior Court Judge Francisco F. Firmat found that Bonnie Rae Streeter had neither law enforcement experience nor had she been certified by the commission.

Outraged by the decision, Streeter, a Capistrano Beach County Water District director, said she would continue her campaign and seek write-in votes, regardless of the judge’s ruling.

“The only qualification needed to run for elected office is to be a citizen and resident,” said Streeter, who appeared at the brief hearing Thursday without an attorney. “I fit both those qualifications. This ruling shows this is a government of the police, by the police, and for the police.”

Gates could not be reached for comment Thursday.

The sheriff’s association was joined in the challenge by former Placentia Police Chief H.A. Fisher, former Fullerton Police Chief Philip A. Goehring and local law enforcement activist Collene Campbell.

Gates was not a party to the legal action, but his personal attorney, Darryl R. Wold, represented both the association and the three residents.

“We’re glad to get the result we did because it is misleading to the voters to have someone on the ballot who doesn’t meet the qualifications for the office,” Wold said.

The law establishing the ballot qualifications for sheriff was championed by the sheriff’s association.

Wold said the decision did not represent a full victory for his clients, who also were asking the court to order the Orange County registrar of voters office to investigate the qualifications of all future candidates for sheriff. Firmat denied that request.