By Lyndsie Ferrell
DEL NORTE— On Thursday, May 16, South Fork Police Chief Don McDonald met with local voters at the Mystic Biscuit in Del Norte. The chief announced his candidacy for Rio Grande County Sheriff in December and is now ready to hit the road with his campaign to gain votes for the coming election.
Though not many people showed up for the event, McDonald was pleased to speak with the few that did attend and answered questions about his experience in law enforcement and his background in the military. McDonald was happy to recount his time as a first sergeant in the Army for 21 years and how he was in charge of a multi-million dollar budget, giving him a unique perspective on how to handle the county sheriff budget.
One question posed by a local resident inquired whether or not the chief was certified in any continuing education courses that he could offer to local officers. McDonald stated that he has several certifications and is offering continuing education classes to both the public and law enforcement individuals on a monthly basis.
Recently, the chief hosted a class on active shooter scenarios which helped educate the public on the procedures and expectations of law enforcement officials during an active shooter situation. McDonald stated that he wanted to be active in the community and help in every way he can to educate not only the public in current procedures but law enforcement officials as well.
“We have a class coming up on June 5 where I will be teaching local law enforcement officers about radar and laser speed systems. I will be inviting both district attorneys and district judges to the class, because if they learn about the systems we use and how they work it gives them a unique perspective that they can take to the courtroom. I did a class like this in the last town I was in, and I think that the local officials could really benefit from the experience,” said McDonald.
McDonald is also a certified as a concealed weapons instructor and holds free classes for certification regularly. In addition to the certifications as an instructor for continuing education classes, McDonald stated that he is always attending classes himself in order to stay up to date on all of the new technology and procedures as a law enforcement official.
McDonald explained that he had recently attended an FBI Executive Leadership class that covered a wide range of topics like 21st Century policing, building public trust, employee wellness programs, how power can affect different people, transformational leadership and much more. “It was validation in what I am doing here as chief and I know that I could comfortably bring to the sheriff’s department. The information I learned in that week-long class was intense, but it validated what I am doing in South Fork and what I could do for the county if elected,” said McDonald.
McDonald plans to host more meet and greet events in the future in different areas around Rio Grande County.