Sheriff candidates’ responses to questions—Baker answers, Lanford doesn’t

Sheriff candidates’ responses to questions—Baker answers, Lanford doesn’t

The Sierra County Citizen sent the same six questions to both Michael Lanford and Sierra County Sheriff’s Deputy Lieutenant Joshua Baker, who are both running for Sierra County Sheriff. An additional five questions that were specific to each candidate were also sent. The candidates were given five days to respond. Lanford did not respond, but Baker did.

It should be noted that Lanford also did not respond to the League of Women Voters’ questions. This portends a non-transparent modus operandi by Lanford, if he is elected.

Questions given to both Michael Lanford and Sierra County Sheriff’s Deputy Lieutenant Joshua Baker:

1. If you become sheriff, would you consider yourself a “constitutional sheriff?” If so, in what way?

Yes, I would consider myself a constitutional sheriff if elected. Every elected official must take an Oath of Office. In that oath, you swear to support the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of New Mexico. If elected I will uphold the Constitutional Rights of All Sierra County citizens.

2. Will you commit to hiring more female officers? How many are on the force now?

The Sierra County Sheriff’s Office currently has one female Deputy. I will be committed to recruiting more female applicants, as the Sheriff’s Office has seen a trend of little to no female applicants in filling the last several vacant positions. I believe diversity in any organization is a benefit.

3. Will you enforce red-flag laws? Do you know how many guns have been taken from gun owners in Sierra County under these laws?

So far there have not been any requests for a petition in Sierra County under the red flag gun law. The red flag law in New Mexico has numerous issues that have prevented it from being utilized to any real effectiveness. In fact, since the law was passed, there have only been a handful of cases where it has been used statewide. I intend to work with state legislators to fix the law, so it is realistic, practical, and constitutionally sound.

4. There is a two-year-old county ordinance that attempts to protect people from vicious dogs, but if Facebook is any indication, response time is slow and enforcement is slight. How will you deal with animal control issues?

I will ensure Sierra County Sheriff’s Deputies are trained in the state laws and county ordinances that are currently in place, and the proper enforcement of the laws. I will also work with the Board of County Commissioners to make sure our county ordinances are relevant to problems facing our community as they relate to domestic animals within Sierra County.

5. Sheriff Glenn Hamilton said last summer he would set up a Hillsboro Emergency Local Patrol—a volunteer organization to provide a prompt response and search effort for lost or missing persons. Will you work to get H.E.L.P. up and running and the volunteers trained?

Every year we deal with lost, missing, or stranded, hunters, hikers, and campers in Sierra County. These incidents occur all throughout the County at varying times throughout the year. I will definitely work to promote programs like H.E.L.P. and to expand such citizen volunteer programs County wide. I would like to work with the Sierra County Emergency Manager to get all of our local fire departments and law enforcement agencies trained in a common, planned, and immediate response to these incidents.

6. Do you think the sheriff’s office should enforce mask and other regulations imposed by the governor via executive order?

A Sheriff in New Mexico is authorized to enforce state law and county ordinances. A Sheriff is not authorized to enforce mandates or regulations imposed by the Governor.

Questions exclusive to Baker:

1. People have come to Sheriff Glenn Hamilton with election-security concerns and requests. What power does the sheriff have concerning elections?  Do you think the 2020 election was stolen?

The Sheriff only has the authority to enforce laws concerning the casting of fraudulent ballots and is limited in his/her scope when it comes to election fraud investigations.

The 2020 election was clouded by the changing of voting laws and the way people could cast a ballot via executive orders from Governors and rule changes by Secretary’s of State due to COVID. It has further been clouded by the lack of transparency and the slow roll of information being made available to the public. The reality is, we are now two years past the 2020 election and much of the information has still not been made available for us to know the full impact these changes had. There were undisputed fraudulent activities in the election, but until all the information has been brought to light, there is no way to know what the full impact to the election outcome.

2. Sheriff Hamilton made appearances at the New Hope Revival Church, expressing his belief in a nearly unconstrained right to bear arms, disfavor for governor executive orders limiting the number of people within church walls during COVID, among other political statements. Do you believe this was a violation of separation of church and state?

Separation of church and state has become a highly litigated Constitutional issue over the last several years, and the United States Supreme Court has ruled on several cases within the last several years on some of these matters. I am basing my answer to this question on my interpretation of the law and current and relevant case law only.

In the incident described in the question above, a cease-and-desist complaint was mailed to Sheriff Hamilton by the Freedom from Religion Coalition, and the County attorney was able to provide legal and case law references to show it was not a violation of separation of church and state.

Based on my review of recent and relevant case law, I do not believe an elected official speaking at a religious congregation violates the separation of church and state.

3. Do you think the sheriff’s office has enough deputies to be pro-active vs. reactive? What are some of your pro-active practices?

Like most other law enforcement agencies around the country, the Sierra County Sheriff’s Office could definitely use more Deputies, but with our current and even short-staffed levels, the Sheriff’s Office stays pro-active. Some of the pro-active practices include, traffic enforcement, fugitive apprehension, preventative patrols, child crime investigations, and constant illegal drug and narcotic investigation.

Due to fiscal constraints, it is unlikely the County will be able to add significant personnel to the Sierra County Sheriff’s Office in the near future. Knowing this reality, I have been working to improve the efficiency at the Sheriff’s Office. We are currently in the process of purchasing lap top computers for each of the Deputy patrol vehicles and upgrading our record management system to a mobile platform. This will enable the Deputies to complete their reports in the field, and is anticipated to significantly increase pro-active patrol time.

4. What is your assessment of the county’s drug problem? What are you doing to address it?

Every community in the United States is feeling the impact of increased illegal drugs, and Sierra County is no exception. The drug problem in Sierra County is severe and fuels many of the other crimes, most commonly the property crimes. Since starting at the Sheriff’s Office in December 2013, I have been the case agent or the supervisor for over 350 illegal drug and narcotic investigations. The Sheriff’s Office has an outstanding Investigator who works drug and narcotic investigations continuously, obtaining search and arrest warrants regularly. Earlier this year, I used the racketeering law in New Mexico to charge 14 defendants who were all working in a Fentanyl trafficking organization.

I have also sought out federal and state grants to pay for overtime, equipment, and training for our Deputies to work pro-active drug trafficking cases. I have built an information and asset sharing network with other law enforcement agencies in our area and in the Rio Grande corridor to target the individuals who are trafficking illegal drugs from other jurisdictions to our community.

Though the Sheriff’s Office is working continuously to fight the flow of illegal drugs coming into our community, with our limited manpower, we are struggling to keep up. Recognizing this problem is only going to intensify in the future, and knowing the County’s limited budget, I have begun the process to get Sierra County designated a High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA).  To become a HIDTA county takes the approval of the United States Congress, but once approved federal funding becomes available. This funding can be utilized to fund narcotic agent positions and equipment to combat illegal drug trafficking within Sierra County.

5. Please give your history and experience with the Sierra County Sheriff’s Office and how it has been different from prior law enforcement positions.

In December 2013 I was working as a Patrol Sergeant for the Truth or Consequences Police Department, when I was recruited by Sheriff Joe Baca for the Investigator position at the Sierra County Sheriff’s Office. I served as the Investigator for the Sheriff’s Office from December 2013 until July 2015, when I was promoted to Lieutenant by Sheriff Glenn Hamilton. I have served as the Lieutenant at the Sheriff’s Office ever since.

Since my employment at the Sheriff’s Office, I have had the opportunity to build to my existing training record and experience. I currently hold 9 Department of Public Safety Instructor certifications, and have over 1,500 hours of advanced training. Last year I was able to attend the Law Enforcement Executive Training Program, where I received 300 hours of training in leadership, management, and other law enforcement administration topics.

Since December 2013 I have worked or supervised almost every major criminal investigation in Sierra County, to include homicides, sexual assaults, racketeering, robbery, and others.

I have sought out and obtained the Operation Stonegarden Grant since 2019, the State Homeland Security Grant, and the 1033 Demil Grant, totaling over 1.3 million dollars in overtime, equipment, and training for the Sierra County Sheriff’s Office.

Since being promoted to Lieutenant at the Sheriff’s Office, I have had the opportunity to learn all aspects of the administrative duties and responsibilities at the Sheriff’s Office, to include recently graduating the Law Enforcement Executive Training Program. I have experience in budgeting and procurement, implementing policy and procedures, handling the progressive disciplinary process, hiring new employees, managing grants, completing mandatory reporting to the state, training requirements, and all other duties and responsibilities of the Sheriff.

My experience at the Sierra County Sheriff’s Office has been different from my other law enforcement experience because of the career growth and responsibilities I have had. I have learned, to be an effective leader, you must be humble, respectful, thoughtful, a team player, and an independent thinker. I have had the honor of serving under some amazing supervisors and leaders throughout my career, and I have learned from both their successes and failures. If elected Sierra County Sheriff, I will utilize all that I have learned to effectively and efficiently lead your Sheriff’s Office. Though I share many core values with my previous supervisors and leaders, I will handle all situations in a manner that respects all Sierra County citizen views, and work to bring our community together.

Questions exclusive to Lanford:

 1.Are you certified and do you need to be certified to be county sheriff? Please cite state law in support of your answer.

2.Were cases dropped by District Attorney Clint Wellborn because you signed affidavits and search warrants claiming you were a full-time Truth or Consequences police officer, when you were a contract employee? If so, what kind of cases and how many?

3. You have admitted you had to return retirement funds to the Public Employee Retirement Association, as required by the Attorney General’s office. Why did you think you could collect retirement benefits while also receiving $20,000 a quarter as a contract police detective?

4. You have stated your wife is very ill. Can you handle being sheriff now?

5. Your campaign ads exhort voters to “elect” you as sheriff and Ted Ontiveros as under sheriff. Under sheriff is not a position on the ticket. Isn’t this misleading the public?