My friends and neighbors ask why I display two Art Frank for Sheriff yard signs. One word is the answer: CHARACTER. 

I know Art only because he and I served a few years ago on the citizens committee about shooting ranges in Jefferson County. During dozens of meetings he was a quiet but forceful voice of reason and experience about the contentious issues all of us grappled with. I particularly recall one time when it was casually suggested that no one had ever been hit by stray bullets from our Jefferson County outdoor range. In a measured voice, Art said something like: “Stray bullets can kill. Never forget that.”

Both Joe Nole and Art Frank have had long careers in law enforcement—Joe’s mostly in Jefferson County, and Art’s both here and with a much larger police force in California. Art’s experience with modern policing is broader, more professional, and up-to-the-minute. Today, there are important issues in our sheriff’s office about an unfinished strategic plan, the failure to complete accreditation, and the protection of crime evidence. A vote for the current sheriff is a vote for the status quo. The status quo is unacceptable in these increasingly difficult times for law enforcement.

Have a look at Art Frank’s endorsements on the art4sheriff.net website. The more I learn about Art from those endorsements, the more I admire his vision for the future of the sheriff’s office. Before I retired, I was a lawyer, and people often asked me about judicial election candidates. Most people find it difficult to decide why one candidate for judge is better than another. I think a lot of us feel the same way about this election for sheriff. 

Because I’ve worked alongside Art, I know he’s the right person for one of the toughest jobs in Jefferson County.

Tom Richardson
PORT TOWNSEND