My opponent talked about strategic planning, which included increased training for deputies. He didn’t tell you his chief deputy and sergeants alone used most of the training budget. He said he incorporated desperately needed new technology, referring to the computers in our cars. We were given used computers from the State Patrol near the end of Sheriff Mark Harig’s term.

These computers worked fine with a Verizon air card, but my opponent stuffed them in a closet and said they didn’t work. Three years later, he dropped tens of thousands of dollars for our current system.

Here’s more “strategic planning”: The sheriff’s “strong financial background” helped him take money from the budget to purchase himself a second new Ford F-150 within three years. Pickups are much more expensive than cars and as if that wasn’t enough, he had to have Ford’s EcoBoost engine, which was a $3,000-plus option. How can he talk about ending wasteful spending? Obviously, his degrees didn’t help him with those decision at all. I ask my opponent, what “needless overtime” are you talking about? There’s been no policy change, no written or verbal directive or any change when it comes to over time.

My opponent claims I’ve said repeatedly that the “budget runs itself.” That’s a flat-out lie and a direct quote from the disgusting, libelous website created a few weeks ago that he claimed no knowledge of. The site clearly was created by one of his supporters.

Budgeting: The sheriff is given the budget by the county board and has minimal input on changes. As stated earlier, he’s purchased himself a snazzy pickup and spent way too much on the computers. We don’t have money for ammunition to practice, don’t have money to investigate certain crimes, don’t have money for mandatory use of force training (very potential lawsuit) and this doesn’t touch the hundreds of thousands of dollars in lost revenue with the Immigration and Customs Enforcement contract.

I retired as a sergeant first class from the Army and the Army National Guard after 20 years of service as a combat engineer. I was a leader of soldiers for 17 of those years, including Ranger School. I’ve been a paratrooper. I’m air assault qualified, deployed to Bosnia and was stationed in the Florida phase of Ranger School. I have true leadership experience. We need leadership to turn this wreck around, not the self-serving, lazy, smoke and mirrors he’s given us for the last 3 1/2 years.

When talking about my opponent, I have always stuck with the truth and backed them up with facts. I won’t degrade him with a smear campaign and attack him personally. He and his supporters, on the other hand, have initiated a smear campaign against me, and I’m not going to take part in this filth.

As your sheriff, I’ll follow through on my promises and give you a Sheriff’s Office you’ll be proud of. I would appreciate your vote on Nov 4.

 

Kurt Freitag

candidate for sheriff

Albert Lea