Tennenbaum promises reforms if elected sheriff
The election for Sonoma County sheriff provides voters with the power to bring meaningful and long overdue change to our sheriff’s office.
Listening to people in every corner of our diverse county, I’ve heard your concerns: Stopping excessive force incidents involving the deputies; maintaining full staffing for adequate public safety; and arresting and prosecuting people who prey on seniors, commit thefts, and who stage dangerous “sideshows” on our streets. We must also be prepared to deal with critical incidents like wildfires, floods and earthquakes.
Gatekeepers of the status quo think the embattled current sheriff’s chosen successor will address the historic problems in the county’s largest law enforcement agency. I disagree.
Assistant Sheriff Eddie Engram claims he’s the only candidate with the “management experience” to take on the top job. His “management experience” includes being the direct commander of Charles Blount, a deputy with a history of excessive force, whose brutal tactics led to the death of David Ward in 2019.
Engram has been Sheriff Essick’s point man in the ongoing obstruction of public oversight. When confronted about his failure to comply with the Independent Office of Law Enforcement Review and Outreach’s (IOLERO) Community Advisory Council, Engram replied that he was “just doing what he was told to do.”
Currently, Engram “manages” our jails, which have seen fatal drug overdoses, suicides, suspicious deaths, missing video evidence and deputy misconduct resulting in millions of dollars in settlements and skyrocketing insurance premiums.
My opponents have over 50 years combined as department insiders, yet their lackluster law enforcement careers show no effort to implement new or creative policies and programs. Engram is supported by the Deputy Sheriff’s Association, who want to continue “business as usual” and not be held accountable or make the changes necessary to repair the broken trust between the sheriff’s office and the community.
We need new leadership with a fresh perspective, someone who will effectively create a more diverse, community oriented sheriff’s office. I will conduct a full audit of the jails, and immediately address problems with staffing, policies and training.
As the outsider, I’m asking for your vote for change.
Carl Tennenbaum
Sonoma County
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