Letter to the Editor- Sheriff Johns has proven that he is up to the job – he’s the clear choice
As you know, we will soon choose a new Sheriff for Plumas County. Like you, I want to choose the best person for the job. Sheriff Todd Johns, the incumbent, is being challenged by Dwight Cline, a retired deputy.
Elections involving an incumbent are typically a referendum on the incumbent. If the incumbent is doing a good job, it would be risky and foolish to replace him with someone else. For that reason, it is up to the challenger to explain why we should make a change.
According to Mr. Cline, Mr. Johns is “in over his head” and has been bad for morale in the Sheriff’s Department. Mr. Johns acknowledges there is a morale problem, but thinks low pay is the culprit, as well as the rigors of the job under Covid-19 and the Bear and Dixie fires. Mr. Cline promises to fix this problem, but hasn’t shared how he will do it.
In my opinion, Sheriff Johns has done a good job under trying circumstances. Should we replace him because Mr. Cline says there are disgruntled employees? That seems to be the nature of employment, which is why none of us has ever heard of a “gruntled” employee. Mr. Cline claims he was recruited to run for Sheriff, without naming names, and claims he will be able to hire better deputies without explaining how. He also admits he has never been a supervisor of deputies, which means he will be learning that aspect of the job as he goes. In short, Mr. Cline has no experience for this job, but expects us to give him a chance based on his suggestion that if Mr. Johns is reelected, there will be an exodus from the department. Why deputies would wait for Sheriff Johns to be reelected is, again, left unexplained.
I urge you to support Todd Johns for Plumas County Sheriff. He has shown his mettle and proven that he is up to the job. Mr. Cline says he can do the job, and hopes we will all take his word for it. The choice is clear.
Paul Cavanaugh
Quincy