DISCUSSION: SWANSON V. DORDEA - WHO WILL BE STARK COUNTY'S SHERIFF COME 11/4/2008 - INSTALLMENT #3

Perusing sheriff candidate Dordea's website, the STARK COUNTY POLITICAL REPORT (The Report) was able to come up with 12 criticisms that the Republican makes of Democrat Tim Swanson in his handling of the office.

1. Swanson is unable to relate to the families across Stark County.
2. The sheriff is not committed to his job on a daily basis.
3. He does not understand the safety of citizens.
4. Swanson is not committed to fairness, modernization and integrity.
5. The sheriff's office needs leadership and management change.
6. Swanson has let the community down.
7. Sheriff department employees are not on the same page with one another and the leadership. Deputies are not empowered to do their jobs.
   
8. He has failed to re-establish the detective bureau (which was dismantled under Umpleby [a former sheriff]).
9. Swanson needs to re-invigorate the metro narcotics unit. Deputies not trained to deal with drugs and gangs. Sheriff has no pro-active stand on drug enforcement and gang activity.
10. Barriers exist between the sheriff's office and several law enforcement agencies.
11. Employees, visitors and inmates are not treated with fairness, dignity and respect.
12. Swanson merely campaigns and does not function as sheriff.
    

The Report in interviewing Sheriff Swanson brought each one of these Dordea-made criticisms to his attention for a response.

One of the problems with Dordea's accusations is that he does not provide chapter and verse (specific facts) supporting the charge. Repeatedly, the sheriff seemed dumbfounded at the posing of the Dordea generated questions because they contain no factual events as corroboration of the critique.

But the sheriff answered each and every allegation posed to him - notwithstanding the lack of specifics. In The Report's series on the sheriff race, Swanson's response will be reported. Keep in mind that Dordea refuses to converse with The Report about the issues he has raised.

One of the underlying themes of Dordea's questions seems to be that Sheriff Swanson is not a fair person.

The question: Is it a demonstration of fundamental fairness on Dordea's part to make these charges without providing specific instances to back up the criticism?