It’s time to elect a new Sheriff for Alameda County
We deserve a Sheriff who protects and reflects our values. While citizens of Alameda County have embraced a more humane criminal justice system, Sheriff Gregory Ahern has moved in the opposite direction.
Our cities[1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8] have taken a stand against the cruel and inhumane deportation system by adopting civil rights protections for their residents. Sheriff Ahern is fully complicit with Trump’s mass deportation program and is actively turning people over to ICE for detention and deportation[9].
Sheriff Ahern has militarized our local police forces by embracing Urban Shield, a program which gives police access to battlefield weapons and military-style training[10,11]. We don’t need tanks, we need community-based policing and emergency preparedness.
As a member of the California State Sheriffs’ Association, Sheriff Ahern has consistently lobbied against criminal justice reforms that would move away from incarceration and towards community-based programs[12,13,14,15], despite these reforms receiving overwhelming support from Alameda County voters.
Under Sheriff Ahern’s leadership, the Santa Rita Jail, which houses most of those arrested in our communities, has committed “sadistic and terrorizing acts” against its inmates[16], failed to provide life-or-death medical assistance[17,18], and denied basic sanitary needs to women[19] and people with disabilities[20].
Sheriff Ahern has allied himself with the Trump Administration, publicly endorsing Jeff Sessions for Attorney General[21].
Sheriff Ahern does not listen to his constituents.
In June 2018[22], Alameda County needs to elect a Sheriff who embodies our values.
It’s time to fire Ahern and elect a new Sheriff.
Join the movement.
Alameda County Coalition for a New Sheriff in Town
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Citations:
[1]
http://www.sfchronicle.com/news/article/Oakland-strengthens-status-as-sanctuary-city-11314081.php[2]
https://fremont.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=1146[3]
https://www.hayward-ca.gov/discover/news/jun17/sanctuary-city-declared[4]
http://www.berkeleyside.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/2007-resolution.pdf[5]
https://sanleandro.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=2962193&GUID=7948EC79-71F2-4B68-9C43-CF37A2E84A9F[6]
http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/BART-Board-Approves-Safe-Transit-Immigration-Policy-430241443.html[7]
https://www.eastbayexpress.com/oakland/tk-web/Content?oid=5072546[8]
https://www.pleasantonweekly.com/news/2017/03/01/pleasanton-school-board-declares-district-safe-haven[9]
http://www.eastbayexpress.com/SevenDays/archives/2017/02/21/advocates-criticize-alameda-sheriffs-cooperation-with-immigration-enforcement[10]
https://www.eastbayexpress.com/SevenDays/archives/2017/09/08/alameda-county-sheriff-hosts-11th-urban-shield-training-for-emergency-responders-and-swat-teams[11]
http://stopurbanshield.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/SFBOStoAlamedaBOS.pdf[12]
https://www.calsheriffs.org/legislativepac/endorsements/list-of-endorsements.html[13]
https://www.calsheriffs.org/plugins/content/mavikthumbnails/thumbnails/560x725-images-CSSA_Statement_on_SB_54_as_amended_091117.jpg[14]
http://anewscafe.com/2014/10/24/sheriffs-of-california-oppose-prop-47/[15]
https://www.calsheriffs.org/about-us/committees.html[16]
http://www.eastbaytimes.com/2017/09/05/santa-rita-jail-abuse-deputy-allegedly-strangled-inmate/[17]
http://abc7news.com/news/inmate-death-at-santa-rita-jail-settled-for-$83m/512517/[18]
http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Family-of-Alameda-County-inmate-who-died-in-6849015.php[19]
https://patch.com/california/dublin/alameda-county-settles-suit-women-who-faced-dirty-conditions-santa-rita-jail[20]
http://disabilityrightsadvocacycenter.org/2016/05/02/settlement-improves-conditions-for-people-with-disabilities-at-santa-rita-jail/[21]
http://www.eastbayexpress.com/SevenDays/archives/2017/03/20/critics-call-alameda-sheriff-gregory-aherns-support-of-trump-attorney-general-jeff-sessions-a-disgrace[22] Elections Code 8140: “Any candidate for a nonpartisan office who at a primary election receives votes on a majority of all the ballots cast for candidates for that office shall be elected to that office.”
