Nez Perce County sheriff faces another challenge from deputy

The Republican primary contest for Nez Perce County sheriff position features a rematch of the 2016 primary, with two-term Sheriff Joe Rodriguez facing a challenge from his own ranks in Patrol Sgt. Patrick Santos.

The primary will be held by mail this year and those voting must ask for their ballots by 8 p.m. May 19 and have them returned by June 2.

Rodriguez wants to continue to build on what he has accomplished in two terms as sheriff. The Missoula, Mont., native got into law enforcement because he wanted to make a change and make a difference. In his third campaign, he wants to hold onto the values of why he first ran in 2012.

“I ran the first time on integrity, leadership and accountability and being responsible with the taxpayers’ money,” Rodriguez said. “I want to continue to be the voice of the people of Nez Perce County when big government may want to come in and try to alter or change our way of life or constitutional rights.”

Santos, a native of Hawaii on the island of Oahu, said he is running because he believes the county needs “a leader who cares about the sheriff’s office and not his own personal gain.”

“I want to bring back the integrity of the sheriff’s office,” Santos said. “I want the public to understand fiscal responsibility is a big thing for the sheriff’s office. We’ve lost about 80 employees since 2012. A lot of people have left the office. I want to keep them here.”

Santos said the employees know he leads by example and he has plans to build the department by making sure staff have proper equipment and training.

“Why aren’t we taking care of our men and women?” Santos said, noting staff have to buy bulletproof vests.

Santos would like the sheriff’s office to work with the Nez Perce County Prosecutor’s Office more on training about updates on new laws. Other training Santos believes the staff needs more of include firearms training, arrest techniques, use of force, and search and seizure updates.

Rodriguez wants voters to know that he has the experience of two terms behind him and he stands on his record of fiscal responsibility. Rodriguez wants to restructure the budget to get more out of it by getting “more boots on the ground,” saying he believes the sheriff’s office has become top-heavy.

Budget restructuring and reallocating $2.4 million since 2012 allowed the department to bring in a K-9 unit for the first time. The K-9 unit was a Rodriguez campaign promise in 2016.

“We started a K-9 program to keep drug traffic out of this community and out of this valley,” Rodriguez said. “I think I’ve proved myself my last two terms.”

Santos points to the sheriff’s troubles with employee claims against Rodriguez that led to the county’s insurer, ICRMP, charging higher deductibles for any new claims against the sheriff’s office. One claim against the sheriff involved a male employee claiming he was sexually harassed by the sheriff.

Rodriguez had two complaints filed with the Idaho Human Rights Commission in 2018.

The outcomes of those complaints were not made public by the commission nor the participants involved. A public records request by the Lewiston Tribune to the Idaho Human Rights Commission was denied earlier this spring.

Earlier this week, Nez Perce County Clerk-Auditor Patty O. Weeks said the increased deductibles had not cost the county any additional money.

Rodriguez also fired his chief deputy, Bryce Scrimsher, in November 2018. Scrimsher filed a notice of tort claim in May 2019 seeking compensation because he claimed he suffered “severe emotional distress, mental suffering, loss of back pay, front pay and the value of his employee benefit package.” Scrimsher’s notice of tort claim says he was fired in retaliation by Rodriguez for guiding the employee who claimed to have been sexually harassed by Rodriguez through the process of filing a claim.

After Scrimsher was fired, the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge No. 32 voted no confidence in Rodriguez over alleged workplace discrimination, concerns with Rodriguez adhering to internal policies, inappropriate expenditure of public funds, inadequate training and staffing, and significant employee turnover.

“I want to bring back the trust and integrity back to the sheriff’s office,” Santos said, noting he is honored to be a sheriff’s deputy and it would be an honor to be sheriff. “I want the people to know they can trust the sheriff.”

The pandemic has changed the election, but it has also reduced revenues the sheriff’s office could count on from housing more inmates and from the driver’s license office, which just reopened this week by appointment, Rodriguez said. The sheriff is asking the public to wear masks when they come to the sheriff’s office.

Rodriguez has taken several steps to keep COVID-19 out of his jail and out of his office, including ending volunteer work and visitation at the jail, as well as taking the temperature of employees, inmates and officers from other agencies dropping off inmates when they enter the building.

“If COVID gets inside our facility, we’re going to be in a lot of trouble,” Rodriguez said, noting that revenue is down already from the quarantine.

Before Idaho Gov. Brad Little issued his stay-at-home order in mid-March and the 2nd District Court encouraged cite-and-release policies rather than pretrial incarceration, the jail had 133 inmates. The population at the jail Wednesday morning was 89 inmates.

The winner of the primary will face Scrimsher, who is running as an independent, in the November general election.

Wells may be contacted at mwells@lmtribune.com or (208) 848-2275.

Joe Rodriguez

Office seeking: Nez Perce County sheriff

Party affiliation: Republican

Age: 52

Education: high school, Plains, Mont.; automotive trade school Denver

Work Experience: U.S. Navy, 1986 aviation boatswain’s mate (medical discharge); Ford master mechanic; Nez Perce Tribal Police 2001-2003; Nez Perce County Sheriff’s Office 2003-present

Previous elected experience: Nez Perce County sheriff 2012-present

Family: married eight years to wife Julie; two sons, Joshua, 25, and Matthew, 23.

Website: Sheriff Joe Rodriguez Facebook page

Patrick Santos Jr.

Office seeking: Nez Perce County sheriff

Party affiliation: Republican

Age: 54

Education: high school, Auburn, Wash.

Work Experience: U.S. Navy, 1985-1989 boatswain’s mate third class; truck driver; Nez Perce County Sheriff’s Office 1999-present

Previous elected experience: none

Family: married 31 years to wife Shelly, they have two children, son Keola Santos, 30, and daughter Makala Robinson, 26

Website: Patrick Santos for Nez Perce County Sheriff Facebook page