Sonoma Co. Sheriff Candidates & Marijuana Forum: Tonight!

SONOMA COUNTY, CA – The three candidates seeking to become the next Sonoma County sheriff will discuss and debate cannabis issues at a forum in Santa Rosa this evening.

Sheriff's Capt. Mark Essick, Santa Rosa City Councilman and former Santa Rosa police Lt. Ernesto Olivares and John Mutz, a former station commander with the Los Angeles Police Department, are running for sheriff in the June 5 primary. The top two vote-getters will run again in the Nov. 6 election.

In advance of the 5:30 p.m. forum sponsored by Citizens for Responsible Access, the candidates have already given written responses to 18 questions posed by the group, which says on its website that its mission is supporting "sound cannabis policies in California."

The questions regard the conflict between local, state and federal cannabis laws and immigration policies, the permitting process for cannabis operations in Sonoma County, asset forfeiture of cannabis, protecting cannabis businesses from criminal activity, and the tension in the county between growers and nearby residents opposed to cannabis cultivation.

A recent Sonoma County Board of Supervisors meeting on cannabis issues drew a standing room only crowd of about 200 people. The county is in the process of amending its ordinance on cannabis businesses and cultivation that was passed in December 2016.

The forum sponsored by Citizens for Responsible Access is scheduled from 5:30-7 p.m. at The Glaser Center, 547 Mendocino Ave. in Santa Rosa.

The three candidates are seeking to replace Rob Giordano, who took over last year after former sheriff Steve Freitas retired for health reasons and pledged to not run for sheriff in this year's election.

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