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[LSNN] Interview with Sheriff Rick Washington


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Interview with Sheriff Rick Washington

BY VICTORIA MILLER

 

Los Santos, SA - On the 1st of March, 2021, at 6PM, the LSNN team conducted an interview with Sheriff Rick Washington. This is the written version of the interview which was held on air, in the LSNN studio.

 

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Victoria Miller and Rick Washington in the LSNN studio

 

 

Victoria Miller: Good evening Sheriff Washington! Welcome to our studio, it's such a pleasure to have you here!

 

Rick Washington: It's a pleasure to be here, getting a chance to speak with you and of course the good people of Los Santos.

 

Victoria Miller: Mister Washington, we will have a chance to talk about various topics involving your job tonight. However, before we switch to these serious topics, I'm sure that the citizens would want to know, who is Rick Washington privately, when he's off duty, away from the office? What do you do in your free time?

 

Rick Washington: I've always enjoyed getting out to the wonderful parks and outdoor areas North of the City. Hiking the trails around Mount Chiliad with my wife and dogs is probably one of my favorite passtimes. As I get a bit older and my knees are bit less uh... willing to keep up with me, I'm getting more and more into boating. Kayaking and fishing, specifically.

 

Victoria Miller: We all know the procedure about becoming a Deputy Sheriff, it's public, the recruitment process and so on. However... How does one reach the position Sheriff? It's a very high and responsible position. You've reached the peak of your career. Furthermore, what does this position seek from you?

 

Rick Washington: This is actually my second time as the Interim Sheriff of Los Santos County. The first is after my predecessor, Patrick Machado stepped down towards the end of his first term. I decided not to seek election and instead encouraged my friend, Dale Kelly to run in my stead. Recently, after Dale's unfortunate passing, I was selected by the county's board of supervisors to return to the position to fulfill the rest of his term. Normally, the Sheriff is an elected position where qualified individuals are encouraged to run as a vital form of our democracy. That being said, being the Sheriff is definitely a rewarding experience. I oversee a Department of nearly twenty thousand sworn employees, with thousands more non-sworn doing equally vital supporting roles. It's definitely a challenging experience to make sure that we provide the best possible service to the community and protect the people of Los Santos County day in and day out. As for it being the highlight of my career, I definitely think that every day I was able to serve the people of Los Santos County has been the highlight. As cheezy as it sounds, I truly do love to do what I am doing.

 

Victoria Miller: Thank you for your detailed answer, Sheriff Washington. It's visible that you truly care about the citizens and that's the kind of Sheriff we'd want. Rick, your Deputies are not only on the streets, but are also overseeing Twin Towers Correctional Facility. Recently, there has been a murder inside those walls. Has this incident reached your attention and if yes, how do you comment on it?

 

Rick Washington: Absolutely, we are responsible for overseeing several correctional facilities throughout the State, one of which is the Twin Towers Correctional Facility. The facility is state of the art and our deputies are trained to protect everyone inside as best they can. Unfortunately, there are instances of gang violence that are inherent within every facility within the United States. We're working with the best and brightest in criminal justice as well as community leaders to curb violence within our facilities. We boast a significantly lower rate of violence than the national average. As for the specific incident you mentioned, it breaks my heart every time someone loses their life to senseless violence. But unfortunately I cannot comment on ongoing investigations.

 

Victoria Miller: My experience with the deputies within the Los Santos County Sheriff's Department has always been positive. Furthermore... The LSNN team conducted analysis regarding citizens' opinion about the Department and the results showed that the citizens trust your deputies when it comes to safety and protection, have had mostly positive encounters. Naturally, I would like to ask, what are the standards and the procedures that one deputy has to maintain, in order to continue a successful career within your Department?

 

Rick Washington: When it comes to law enforcement, it is definitely a two way street. The people need to see those seeking to protect them as the "good guys" for it to work, anything else encroaches on tyranny by definition. Our deputies are taught that accountability is key, and being accountable to those you serve and protect and accountability to the Constitution are paramount above all else. Everyone we encounter on the street is someone's son or daughter, someone's brother or sister. Regardless of the situation they find themselves in, they deserve the upmost respect. And as someone who has taught my fair share of new deputies in my younger days, I've always preached that philosophy is how you determine who is in this profession for their community and who is not.

 

Victoria Miller: What is, in your opinion, the biggest issue in San Andreas as of now? Furthermore, when you sit down with your team and discuss eventual changes, what is usually discussed on the said meetings? How does one meeting amongst people in the highest positions go? 

 

Rick Washington: The biggest issue in San Andreas? That's a tough one, but I would have to say that it is poverty. Of course, the solution to that is rooted in dozens of other issues and concerns, but poverty itself is the reason why our young children are hungry in school and desperate, good people are forced to turn to crime. Many young men, especially in our inner cities do not choose this life, but instead they are forced into it by circumstances out of their control. Whether it's the cycle of incarceration or institutional racism, we need to step up to address these issues as a community. As the addage goes, it takes a village to raise a child. And it's a shame, we no longer act as a cohesive village. As for how we look into these changes? We subscribe to the proactive law enforcement model, the community policing if you will. A good example was our food drive a few days prior, where hundreds of pounds of food and hygiene products were provided to the good people of Davis. Little actions like this go a lot farther than simply responding to calls alone. We hope to set the example with kindness and respect, and hope that this follows. Being more involved in schools, identifying at risk youth, curbing long standing cycles, you name it. My whole team, including those who I work with on a close basis in the Government, are all united in this goal. And we need to be.

 

Victoria Miller: Yes, you took the words out my mouth, about the charity event. It was a very noble thing of you and your team to do, especially you yourself to personally attend it. Few of my neighbors approached me after the article and stated that it was a humble action of the Sheriff. 

 

Rick Washington: I must be honest, the hard work goes to my deputies in organizing that and making sure everything was ready to go. Without them, these great programs would never take place. I simply attend because I love interacting with our community on a meaningful level. In fact, that food drive took place a few blocks from where I grew up.

 

Victoria Miller: Oh, you grew up in Davis?

 

Rick Washington: I did! For my first twenty uh... twenty three years I lived in Davis.

 

Victoria Miller: As a highest law enforcement official, what is your view on firearms accessibility and cannabis legalization in San Andreas?

 

Rick Washington: I'm of the belief that common sense firearms regulations are important but the Constitution does enshrine our right to bare arms and it's our duty to uphold that. With the new open carry regulations within the rural areas of Los Santos County, we provided our full support to the change and are proud to be working with our partners in the communities we serve to support responsible gun ownership. Illegal firearms still continue to be an issue within the community, and we are equally as committed to curbing firearms violence which affects everyone. As for the regulation of cannabis, I personally believe that the decriminalization of personal use cannabis is not a bad thing inherently. The illegal drug trade however, is a different story. Many criminal organizations finance their operations through illegal grow operations, and while the "gateway drug" logic is outdated, the fact that it finances much more harmful activities is still very relevant. So, I guess I could say I am in support of decriminalization but we must not lose sight of the fact that the drug trade is in fact destroying our communities. 

 

Victoria Miller: Sheriff Washington, thank you for all these detailed answers. I've truly enjoyed having you in the studio and talking to you.

 

Rick Washington: It was my pleasure, it truly was. And may I have a brief uh... plug I believe it's called?

 

Victoria Miller: Yes, go ahead.

 

Rick Washington: The Los Santos County Sheriff's Department is currently hiring, we're looking for motivated individuals who are ambitious and have the attributes that I spoke about earlier such as accountability and professionalism. If you feel that you want to follow what is /the/ most exciting career in San Andreas, then I encourage you to get your application in as soon as possible!

 

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