Lake County Sheriff’s Association likes the status quo but that just won’t do.

The Lake County Deputy Sheriff’s Association’s position is clear. They like things just as they are; hence the majority vote of its members to endorse Sheriff Mitchell.

Although they did not have the required two-thirds vote needed to endorse a candidate for district attorney, the majority of votes went to Jon Hopkins and Doug Rhoades, a clear signal they like their own and either don’t want, or are afraid of, the change new leadership will bring.

Hopkins is the sitting district attorney and Rhoades, a candidate for district attorney, works closely with the deputies in his public defender role and has a family member on the sheriff’s staff.

That’s too bad because the citizens of Lake County deserve better and a change in leadership in the offices of sheriff and district attorney is needed.

There are many examples of poor leadership in these offices and both share in the most notable example, the handling of a boat crash and fatality on Clear Lake. Bismark Dinius, the operator of a near stationary boat, was charged while Russell Perdock – an off-duty sheriff's chief deputy who ran into the Dinius boat at breakneck speed at night – incredibly, was not.

Ultimately Dinius was acquitted but the ordeal left a stinging and lasting reflection on both offices and the lawsuit soon to follow is the constant reminder of the true cost of bad leadership. Negative publicity and careless use of vital resources in crippling economic times is attributable directly to the dismal leadership of incumbents Mitchell and Hopkins.

This case was a sad commentary on these top government offices and, unfortunately, Lake County in general. Not what we need when we’re trying to reduce spending to save jobs, elevate our economic standing and boost tourism.

It’s time for a change in leadership and one day the good deputies who voted for the status quo will be the better for that change. In the meantime the weight of a growing perception that Lake County incumbents have overstayed their welcome will continue to cast a shadow on the local law enforcement community.

The primaries are on June 8. The only way to hold Sheriff Mitchell and District Attorney Hopkins accountable for their actions is for the voters to replace them. Fortunately, the people, not the endorsement (or the lack thereof) of the deputy sheriff’s association, will decide who goes on to the general election.

Olga Martin Steele lives in Clearlake Oaks.