Dave Brown, Hemet police chief, is a candidate for Riverside County sheriff.
Photo courtesy Brown campaign

Hemet Police Chief Dave Brown has announced his intention to challenge Riverside County Sheriff Stan Sniff in the 2018 election.

Brown announced his plan to run on Sept. 18, saying, “The people of Riverside County can no longer tolerate a sheriff who repeatedly blames his deputies and the Board of Supervisors for his failure of leadership. It’s time to put people first again and take politics out of the Sheriff’s Department.”

Brown, 51, is a Hemet High School graduate and has been Hemet police chief since 2011, and will remain so until the end of the year.

Brown was behind Measure U, which raised the Hemet sales tax for more money for public safety, police and fire. Measure U was passed in November after a similar attempt, Measure E, was defeated in June.

The sheriff is elected by all the voters in the county, but supervisors are already taking sides. On Thursday, Sept. 21, Brown announced that 3rd District Supervisor Chuck Washington has already endorsed his election.

In Brown’s press release, he quotes Washington: “This county needs a sheriff who is willing to work with the board and his deputies to solve complex problems. Chief Brown has a proven track record on both fronts and that’s why I’m supporting him for sheriff in 2018.”

Sniff was appointed sheriff in 2007, after the resignation of then-Sheriff Robert Doyle. He was elected to a full four-year term in 2010 and re-elected in 2014.

2 COMMENTS

  1. Funny.. I see none of the scathing comments castigating the Hemet Police chief for the lousy job he’s done in Hemet, now enjoying one of the highest crime rates in the entire country. On his brief watch, Hemet crime rates have skyrocketed three times higher than those of our immediate neighboring cities. This despite the fact Hemet authorized measure U raising the sales tax which pumped additional millions of dollars into the city’s coffers. I recall pro passage politicos pounding the message to its citizenry higher taxes were necessary to combat the endemic crime problem in this community. We got what we voted for. Nothing. It is clear that if Hemet or any other city wants more of the same, they absolutely should vote for this person. IYou will get more of the same and deservedly so. Additional millions allocated for protection of citizenry from thugs which now populate virtually all of Hemet will do NOTHING to reverse the horrendous crime statistics we now enjoy, all because we have zero talent running law enforcement locally.

  2. Hi there, I read through a few of your articles here.

    I did have a question though that I hope you could
    answer. I was wondering, How do police officers understand/learn about laws in order to make arrests?

    What training do police receive on laws/ legal issues?
    And how do they stay up-to-date on new laws?
    I would really appreciate any help you could give me!