EVERETT, Wash. — Sheriff-elect Adam Fortney came to the Snohomish County Council Monday looking for clarity after a Facebook post from the county executive.
The post by Executive Dave Somers said he's considering asking the County Council to allow his office to run the county jail, and continue a policy of moving drug addicts into treatment instead of incarceration.
"My interest is making sure that we recognize the jail is not only a detention facility but also our largest mental health and substance abuse facility. It is appropriate to punish law breakers, but we also need to help folks to get on a path to a productive life," Somers wrote.
Sheriff-elect Fortney defeated incumbent Sheriff Ty Trenary in the November election. Fortney campaigned on a promise to lock more drug addicts up, as opposed to his opponent's more progressive policies. Fortney, however, said he does support some of the executive's policies aimed at getting addicts sober.
"I don't think he understood some of the social services I want to keep in place. I don't know if he knew that or not," said Fortney.
County Council Chairman Terry Ryan assured people that there is no formal proposal before the council. If one is put forward, it will be examined in an open and transparent process, he said.
The Teamsters Union represents jail workers, and union representative Debi Humann put things bluntly to the council.
Humann said, "The proposed action of the county executive has every appearance of attempting, through reorganization, to nullify the desires of the public and appears to be a clear subversion of the outcome of an election."
Sheriff-elect Fortney said he remains committed to the voters and corrections officers who supported him during the election.
"They clearly wanted a different path. There's no way I'm gonna turn my back on that now. If the executive, and it remains to be seen what he wants to do, so we'll give him some time, but if he chooses to go down this road I will fight tooth and nail to stand with corrections."
County Executive Somers wasn't available for an on-camera interview Monday.
He released a statement saying, "There is no formal proposal to change management of the jail at this time...but we cannot afford to lose the progress that we have made. I am looking forward to working with Sheriff-elect Adam Fortney to make sure we are keeping our communities safe and protecting taxpayers’ dollars."