1StatesmanJournalminiquestionnaire

Statesman Journal mini-questionnaire for 2016 General

Election
Thank you for responding to this questionnaire.
For those of you who filled out our Primary Election questionnaire this year, this
one is similar although some questions have changed. We ask that you fill this out
completely, instead of referring to the previous questionnaire, or your resume, etc.,
because we will be posting this questionnaire online.
Why this matters: The Statesman Journal Editorial Board will use this
questionnaire in deciding whether and whom to endorse for the Nov. 8 General
Election. Reporters, who operate separately from the Editorial Board, may use your
answers in writing stories.
Please return the finished questionnaire to the Editorial Board as an email or an
attached Word document to Salemed@StatesmanJournal.com. (Handwritten, pdf,
WordPerfect or fax responses dont work.)
Important: Please return the questionnaire by the end of the day Monday,
Sept. 12.
Questions? Contact Editorial Page Editor Dick Hughes, 503-399-6727,
dhughes@StatesmanJournal.com, or Editorial Assistant Nancy Harrington, 503-3996864, nharring@StatesmanJournal.com.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Your name as listed on the ballot: Todd Whitlow
Age: 50
(If your age will change before Nov. 8, please indicate your birthday. We want to
ensure we use accurate ages in pre- and post-election editorials and news
coverage.)
City/town of residence: Sheridan
Political party, if this is a partisan office: N/A

2StatesmanJournalminiquestionnaire
Position you are seeking (name of position, district number, etc.): Polk County
Sherif
Are you currently a full-time resident within the boundaries of the specific area
(district, county, etc.) that you seek to represent? Yes
Number of current, consecutive years living within the district you seek to
represent: 50 yrs with exception for College at Chemeketa Community CollegeSalem and Oregon State University-Corvallis
Family (name of spouse/partner; number and ages of children if at home, or
number of grown children): Spouse= Wendy Whitlow, 1-child age 14
Your education (high school, trade, college, post-baccalaureate; indicate degrees
you earned): Graduate of Dallas High School =Diploma and Western Oregon State
College = 4-year Bachelor of Science Degree in Law Enforcement, over 2200 hours
of law enforcement training.
If employed, current occupation, employer and job duties: Patrol Sergeant Yamhill
County Sherifs Office. Please below for current duties, please see attached for
extensive career timeline bio.

Currently assigned as Patrol Sergeant to Supervise and Manage (10) Deputies and over
$1,000,000.00 of Law Enforcement Services contracts for the cities of Sheridan, Willamina,
Lafayette and Dayton.
Assigned to Supervise and Manage a $130,000.00 State Of Oregon OHV Grant Program. (Wrote
grant for program)
Assigned to Supervise and manage a $30,000.00 Federal BLM Forest contract.
Member of Yamhill County Major Crimes Response Team (MCRT)
Member of Yamhill County Fire Investigation Team (FIT)
Yamhill County Deputy Medical Examiner (DME).
Liaison between Sheriffs Office and Yamhill County Office of Emergency Management
Liaison between Sheriffs Office and Yamhill County Fire Defense Board
Supervisor Yamhill County Search and Rescue (SAR), 55+ members
Supervisor Yamhill County Mounted Posse, 19+ members
Supervisor of Yamhill County Forest Patrol program
Certified Marine Deputy.
Supervisor of Yamhill County Firearms Team; Supervises 10-instructors who train Yamhill
Counties Patrol and Jail Deputies, Parole and Probation and Reserve Deputy Staff.
Lead Taser Instructor for Sheriffs Office (Patrol, Jail, Reserve staff)

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Certified Confrontational Simulations (ConSim) Instructor

Previous employers and when:

Setnicker Farms (Farm hand)-Independence, OR early to mid 80s, while still in high
school
Al Jones Farms-(Farm hand, Warehouse man, truck driver) Rickreall, OR. Mid 80s
Early 90s, while still in high school then college.
Pepsi Cola-Salem, OR. Mid 80s and Early 90s, while in college.
US Bakery (Route Salesman)-Salem, OR, Early 90s, following college graduation
Courtney and Nye, Engineering Sales (Inside salesman, Warehouse Mgr.)-Hillsboro,
OR 1993-2001
Yamhill County Sherifs Office 2001-Present
Military service and when:
N/A
Volunteer/civic/religious service and when:
Firefighter, Sheridan Fire District 2000-2006
ASA Certified Softball Coach. Assistant Coach West Valley HeRRicanes Girls
Softball
Please list all public offices to which youve been elected, and when:
N/A
Please list any unsuccessful candidacies for public office, and when:
N/A
Other prior political and government experience:
N/A
How the public can reach your campaign, (remember that this information will be
made public):
Mail address: PO Box 1132, Dallas Oregon 97338
E-mail address: toddwhitlowforsherif@gmail.com
Web site URL: http://www.toddwhitlowforsherif.com/
Phone: 503-931-2079
Facebook and other social media: Face book @ Todd Whitlow for Sherif
Please limit your response to each of the following questions to about 75 words.

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1. To an outsider, how would you describe the region you wish to represent -geographically, economically, politically and socially?

Polk County is a diversified area made up of the communities of West

Salem, Dallas, Monmouth, Independence, Falls City and the many rural
communities. Polk County lies in the heart of the Willamette Valley where
a person can be in the bigger cities like Portland and Eugene in less than
90-minutes. You can be on the Oregon Coast in less than 60 minutes, in
the mountains skiing in less than 2-hours and in the high desert in less
than 4-hours.
It has become a somewhat commuter and retirement community.
Economically Polk County has sufered in the past with the downsizing of
the timber industry, all of the past mills now closed. Aside from retail
sales large industry manufacturing is limited to RV and utility trailer
manufacture Forest River, Mak Grills, West Salem Machinery, Marquis
Spas, American Gas Technology, and food processor Meduri Farms.
Politically and socially, I feel Polk County is conservative with current
county government relatively content and slow to change or receptive to
outside ideas. The population is primarily white with a small (14%)
Hispanic population primarily residing in the cities and communities of
Monmouth and Independence. Socially my family and many generations
of families living here and enjoy the communities and the Polk County way
of life and choose to remain. While I am certain they exist at some level,
socially it feels as though Polk County residents are content and happy to
live and work together.

2. Describe the positives and negatives of this region (ward, district, county or
state) that you wish to represent:

The environment of Polk County is relatively safe and quiet. Costs of living,
home, property and taxes are lower than surrounding regions. Commuter
times and access to other larger cities i.e. Portland, Salem, Eugene and
industry is a positive attribute. The presence of Western Oregon University
and Chemeketa Community College ofer local secondary education options
for graduated students from the area.
The presence of primarily retail and manufacturing jobs likely plays a role
when persons consider moving to the county. The close proximity of larger
cities, existing real estate, likely contribute to industry locating outside of
Polk County.

3. What specific skills or experiences do you have that would make you efective in
this office?

Education, Life Experience, Job Experience. Please see below

5StatesmanJournalminiquestionnaire

Graduate Dallas High School

Graduate of Western Oregon State College (WOSC) with 4-year Bachelor of Science degree in
Law Enforcement.
Reserve Deputy Deschutes County Sheriffs Office.
Reserve Deputy Yamhill County Sheriffs Office.
Hired full time Yamhill County Sheriffs Office 2001.
Served as a Jail Deputy
Served as a Patrol Deputy.
Certified Marine Deputy.
Selected as Field Training Officer (FTO).
Patrol Deputy of the year 2007.
Selected as SIU Detective 2008 with primary responsibility of crimes against children, also adult
high profile Murder, Rape, Robbery, Assaults, Burglary and Thefts.
Member of Multi agency Child Abuse Team (MCAT).
Yamhill County Deputy Medical Examiner (DME).
Promoted to Sergeant 2010
Served as a Jail Sergeant
Served as a Rural Patrol Team Sergeant
Currently assigned as Patrol Sergeant to Supervise and Manage (10) Deputies and over
$1,000,000.00 of Law Enforcement Services contracts for the cities of Sheridan, Willamina,
Lafayette and Dayton.
Supervisor of Field Evaluation Training Program (FTEP)
Supervisor/Liaison to Yamhill County Search and Rescue (SAR), 55+ members
Supervisor/Liaison to Yamhill County Mounted Posse, 19+ members
Supervisor of Yamhill County Firearms Team; Supervises 8-instructors who train Yamhill
Counties Patrol and Jail Deputies, Parole and Probation and Reserve Deputy Staff.
Supervisor of Yamhill County Forest Patrol program
Assigned to Supervise and Manage a $130,000.00 State Of Oregon OHV Grant Program. (Wrote
grant for program)
Assigned to Supervise and Manage a $30,000.00 Federal BLM Forest contract.
Member of Yamhill County Major Crimes Response Team (MCRT)
Member of Yamhill County Fire Investigation Team (FIT)
Liaison between Sheriffs Office and Yamhill County Office of Emergency Management
Liaison between Sheriffs Office and Yamhill County Fire Defense Board
Lead Taser Instructor for Sheriffs Office (Patrol, Jail, Reserve staff)
Certified Confrontational Simulations (ConSim) Instructor
2007 Yamhill County Patrol Deputy of the Year
2014 Supervisory Certificate Holder for DPSST Center for Policing Excellence.
2015 Oregon State Sheriffs Association (OSSA) Oregon State Supervisor of the Year.
2016 Accepted into Oregon State Sheriffs Association (OSSA) Command College

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4. What separates you from your opponent(s)? Be specific.

Education
Diversified Life/Job Experiences.
Career Experience, please reference question #3
My present assignment as the Patrol Sergeant assigned to Supervise and
Manage (10) Deputies and over $1,000,000.00 of Law Enforcement Services
contracts and working with (4) diferent city governments at the same time
has taught me the importance of community and working with the varying
perspectives on what is important to each community, realizing he cookie
cutter approach is not acceptable.
My ability to understand and communicate with people.
Leadership ability, quality and peer respect. Please see attachments A and B

5. How much will your General Election campaign cost? Be specific.$5000-$7500

6. Have you ever been convicted of a crime, been disciplined by a professional
licensing board/organization or had an ethics violation filed against you? If so,
please give the details. N/A
7. Have you ever filed for bankruptcy, been delinquent on your taxes or other
major accounts, or been sued personally or professionally? If so, please give the
details. N/A
8. Is there anything (such as health issues, etc.) that would afect your ability to
serve your full term? Are any relevant changes in your life situation expected or
contemplated before the election or before you would take office? No
9. What are the three most important issues you would address if elected, and
how? (75 words for each issue)
A. Public trust and confidence in the quality of services provided by the Polk
Sherifs Office. With the diminished payments and ultimate expiration of the O
& C Funds, the Polk County sustained cuts in personnel and services provided to
the community. While the expiration of the O & C funds was no fault of Polk
County some citizens believe the tactics used to work to get replacement

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funding, and the lack of high quality services caused citizens to lose their trust
and respect.
B. Polk County is currently in year two of a 5-year Public Safety Levy which infuses
approximately $2.3 million into the Sherifs Office, Juvenile Programs, and
District Attorneys Office. Currently one of my concerns is Polk County is
implementing personnel and programs at such an incredible rate that the
quality of services could sufer. As a citizen I have heard nothing publically
about what measures are being put into place should the citizens allow the levy
to expire.
C. Community partnerships with other law enforcement agencies and other
departments of government. Community partnerships with civic groups selling
the brand of the Polk County Sherifs.
10. What do you see as other important issues?
In no specific order:

Recruiting, training and retaining quality staf

Community and professional partnerships
Mental Health awareness programs
Keeping current with technology

11. There is a strong anti-government sentiment in much of the nation and Oregon.
How would you deal with that?
With regard to Law Enforcement, Trust, Accessibility and Accountability and quality
services on a consistent basis, open transparent communication on all aspects of
the business. Respect for the public and respect from the public is extremely
important. Education and reaching out to the young population is important. They
after all are the parents and leaders of the future.
12. How would you evaluate the work of the Attorney General's Public Records
Reform Task Force. Are the proposed changes adequate, inadequate or just right?
Frankly, I knew nothing of proposed reform until this questionnaire. I know within
my current agency we work to stay current and our records staf is often confused
by current retention laws and the varying exemptions. However, as a Patrol
Sergeant I have little personal experience.
The fact Oregon Attorney General Rosenblum and others recognized the need to
review, and make recommendations for reform was a positive step. While reading
the briefs on the Task Forces web page it is nice to see an agency recognize
deficiencies and admit the records are kept to benefit the citizens, and the request

8StatesmanJournalminiquestionnaire
process should not be confusing to them. The recommendation to maintain a
complete and current exemption list and make it easier for the public to access is
appropriate. The work to organize and streamline the current exemptions is also a
plus. Based on my brief review and limited knowledge of the subject I would say
the work being done is adequate. I believe the public also appreciates it when
government recognizes a deficiency and works to correct it.
13. Any skeletons in your closet or other potentially embarrassing information that
you should disclose before it comes up in the campaign? No
14. As a political candidate, your views on national politics are relevant to voters.
Whom do you support for U.S. president in the General Election? Donald Trump
15. As a political candidate, your views on state ballot measures are relevant to
voters. Please indicate whether you favor (YES) or oppose (NO) each of these
measures:
Measure 94, Amends Constitution: Eliminates judges mandatory retirement age.
YES NO
Yes
Measure 95, Amends Constitution: Allows investments in equities by public
universities. YES NO Yes
Measure 96, Amends Constitution: Dedicates 1.5% of state lottery net proceeds
to services for Oregon veterans. YES NO
Yes
Measure 97, statutory: Increases corporate minimum tax when sales exceed $25
million. YES NO No
Measure 98, statutory: Requires state funding for dropout prevention, career and
college readiness programs in high schools. YES NO Yes
Measure 99, statutory: Creates Outdoor School Education Fund funded through
Lottery to provide outdoor school programs statewide. YES NO
Yes
Measure 100, statutory: Bans purchase or sale of parts/products from certain
wildlife species. YES NO Yes

Thank you. Please return this questionnaire to the Editorial Board as an

attached Word document to Salemed@StatesmanJournal.com by Sept.
12, 2016.