Sheriff Bob Brooks

* Re “Spending Demands Are Merely a Power Play,” Ventura County Perspective, June 11.

I would like to come to the defense of Sheriff Bob Brooks. The writer of this article seems to totally misunderstand the situation that exists between the sheriff’s budget, Proposition 172 and the Board of Supervisors as well as the excellent reputation of our county for having a low crime rate.

I have known Sheriff Brooks for a long time, and I know him to be a sincere, honest, dedicated, intelligent person who tries his very best to provide the best public safety he can with every dollar in his budget. Sheriff Brooks is not an empire builder, as the writer states. Nor are his actions “driven by the corruptive nature of power.”

The county’s budget problems were not caused by the sheriff’s spending or Proposition 172.

I object to having the terrible Los Angeles Police Department Rampart Division scandal mentioned in the same article with the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department or Bob Brooks. To state emphatically that Ventura County will soon face the same situation is incredible. There is absolutely no connection between the Proposition 172 public safety funding and the Rampart scandal. The writer’s comments are nothing more than innuendo of grossly unbelievable proportion.

Sheriff Brooks continues to do a good job, and the whole department should be commended for its commitment and dedication to working with the community to make this the safest county west of the Mississippi.

FRANK SCHILLO

Member, Ventura County

Board of Supervisors