Latah County sheriff hopeful talks deputy pay, mental health issues

There will be a new Latah County sheriff come November.

Voters will pick either Democrat Barry Johnson or Republican Richard "Richie" Skiles during November's election to replace current Sheriff Wayne Rausch, who is not seeking another term in office.

During a meeting with the Daily News editorial board Monday afternoon, Johnson touched on several of his goals and the issues facing the Latah County Sheriff's Department and the county, including mental health issues and deputy pay and training.

Johnson, 53, retired as an Army colonel in 2012 after more than 29 years as a military officer. While Johnson doesn't view himself as a law enforcement expert, he said his experience in leadership and having served as an adviser to police, security, prisons and courts on a variety of issues will transition well into the role of sheriff.

Johnson said he would like to see deputy pay in Latah County be at least in line with their peers at the Moscow Police Department. He said he is not asking for one major pay increase, but he would like to see the gap made up with a series of budgeted increases during the next four to five years.

The county's 2016-17 budget reflects a 4 percent salary increase for county employees, including deputies, but Johnson said deputies should be given priority since they put their lives on the line for others every day, in addition to being asked to work late nights, weekends and holidays.

"We are simply asking a lot more than we are of most employees in the county, and I believe that the deputies need to be paid accordingly, at the very least, parity with their peers in the city," Johnson said. "That'll be a tough fight but I'm confident I can win it."

Johnson said he will bring the salary increase topic up to county commissioners if he is elected.

Johnson, who is a Potlatch resident, said after speaking with residents in the smaller towns and rural areas of the county, he has found there is a perception that deputies don't have enough presence outside of Moscow. Johnson said he thinks the sheriff's department could be better in making itself visible in communities, and that starts with leadership being available and open to residents.

To help change the perception, he said he would also like to see deputies more involved in the community, parking their cars on main streets in towns, being active in community events, walking around town and simply increasing daily contact with residents. If people aren't seeing deputies, they are not building trust and confidence with the people, Johnson said.

Johnson said one of his goals, if elected, is to educate residents on the available mental health and substance abuse services the county provides.

Johnson said the sheriff's office needs to help connect people with the services that are available at places like the Latah Recovery Center, Gritman Medical Center and Sojourners' Alliance. He would also like to make sure his deputies get additional training, like in crisis intervention, which has "fallen off the plate at the sheriff's office," he said.

Other goals Johnson has if elected include preventing senior citizens from being taken advantage of through fraud and reinstituting reserve deputies.

Garrett Cabeza can be reached at (208) 883-4631, or by email to gcabeza@dnews.com.