MUST-SEE INTERVIEW! Sheriff Peter Shares 2023 Stats & Discusses Opportunities for Local Residents to Become Career Deputies & Dispatchers

FOR CNL2 SUBSCRIBERS: TODAY’S VIDEO IS AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS POST

In an hour-long appearance on CNL2 TV today, San Juan County Sheriff Eric Peter shared a wide range of statistics from 2023. The Sheriff was interviewed by Journal of the San Juan Islands’ Editor Heather Spaulding and CNL2 CEO and host Jeff Noedel.

In addition to the interesting data — much of it broken out by island — the Sheriff discussed the vacancies in deputy and dispatcher positions and the challenges in recruiting candidates from the mainland. The conversation turned toward the inherent advantages of recruiting and training candidates already living in the County. The Sheriff explained that a candidate with a clean record, integrity, and righteous motives can go from zero law enforcement experience to a patrol officer in less than a year. While the candidate is on the mainland for 5-1/2 months of training at a police academy (four-day school weeks, allowing returning home on weekends if desired), he/she/they are already on the department’s payroll, and upon graduation, San Juan County Sheriff’s Department leaders add more on-the-job training.

The pay and benefits for deputies and dispatchers are very competitive. In the interview, CNL2 host Noedel committed to assisting with a PSA campaign to recruit local candidates for deputy and dispatcher positions. In all, there are seven crucial positions vacant, and Sheriff Peter would prefer to fill all the positions with local residents.

This CNL2 video is approximately 60 minutes in duration.