Meet San Diego County Sheriff Candidate Kelly Martinez

SAN DIEGO, CA — Voters will help decide who should serve as the next sheriff of San Diego County in the June 7 primary election.

Kelly Martinez,San Diego County undersheriff, is among the seven candidates vying to replace retired Sheriff Bill Gore. Gore stepped down from the position in February after heading the San Diego County Sheriff's Department for 12 years.

In March, the San Diego County Board of Supervisors appointed Anthony Ray to temporarily fill the seat until voters elect a new sheriff. Ray, a 30-year veteran of the department, was sworn in as interim sheriff in April.

The top two vote-getters in the primary will face off in the Nov. 8 election.

Patch sent questionnaires to the candidates in the race. These are Martinez's responses.

Kelly Martinez

Age (as of Election Day)

59

Party Affiliation

Democrat

Family

Husband, Peter, and Son, Adam

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

Husband — District Attorney's Office

Education

Associates in Criminal Justice, Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice Administration

Occupation

Undersheriff — 37 years with the Sheriff's Department

Campaign website

Website

Why are you seeking elective office?

The Sheriff of San Diego County is critical to public safety. I am the most experienced and qualified candidate in this race. The Sheriff is too big of a job and too important of a position for someone who is inexperienced and needs on the job training or wants to make radical changes that will create dangerous conditions in our county. I have been with the Sheriff's Department for 37 years. I have worked my way through the ranks and I am currently the Undersheriff and I briefly served as the acting Sheriff from February to April of this year. I have worked in every area of our county and every aspect of our department. The Sheriff is responsible for public safety services for 4,200 square miles of unincorporated county, nine contract cities and 18 Indian Reservations. In addition, the Sheriff manages the jails and security at the courthouses. The Sheriff is the mutual aid coordinator for the region and supports our region with helicopters, fire protection, bomb/arson and special enforcement deputies. I have managed these operations every day for over a year, which includes a $1.1 billion budget. I have been endorsed by Senate Pro Tem Toni Atkins, four of the current Board of Supervisors, former Sheriff Bill Gore, the Deputy Sheriff's Association, and the Chiefs and Sheriff Association of San Diego. Numerous other elected officials and organizations have endorsed me also.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

I am the only experienced and qualified candidate in this race. I have worked for the Sheriff's Department for 37 years. I have a long track record and history of accomplishments and getting things done that keep our communities safe. I have the trust and endorsement of our rank and file employees. I have the trust and endorsement of our Board of Supervisors, regional law enforcement and elected leaders. It is imperative that the Sheriff of San Diego County can work in a regional way, collaborating and supported by stakeholders and leaders in our community. I am the only candidate who can do this.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

My priorities are to hire and retain staff. The Sheriff's Department, like so many other employers in the country, is experiencing a critical staff shortage. Without enough deputies, health care workers, dispatchers and other personnel, we cannot keep the jails or our communities safe.

I am committed to investing in the jails. The jails need major repairs and renovations, in order for our staff and the individuals in our custody to be safe. I embrace the State Audit report and its recommendations, and I have already implemented many of them.

Law enforcement's primary mission is to protect communities. I will keep our communities safe and work to find solutions to the homeless populations.

I have the right leadership in place, the right priorities, and the right plan. I hope that I will be San Diego's next Sheriff.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

I have 37 years of experience on the Sheriff's Department. I have risen through the ranks and I am currently the Undersheriff. I have been running the day-to-day operations of the department for over one year and I was the acting Sheriff from February to April. No one else has any experience leading an organization of our size. No one has my track record of accomplishments and the trust of our department and community leaders.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

To never say no to any challenge.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

The Sheriff of San Diego County is the most important decision facing voters this year. This decision will determine the safety of our region and the stability of the Sheriff's Department. Do not trust the job to someone who does not have the background, the experience or the temperament to do the job. I am the first female Undersheriff in the 172-year history of the Sheriff's Department. If elected, I will be the first female Sheriff. I am also the most experienced and qualified candidate.

Also see:

• San Diego County Sheriff Bill Gore Announces Early Retirement
• Anthony Ray Sworn In As Interim San Diego County Sheriff
• 9 Cities Renew Contract With San Diego County Sheriff's Department
• Ballots Sent To San Diego County Voters For June Primary Election
• Vote-By-Mail Ballot Drop Box Locations In San Diego County