Questions from a concerned citizen

The following was posted as a comment to Mr. Brenneman by a resident of Chesapeake Beach. Mr. Brenneman's response is below.

Mr. Brenneman, I live in Chesapeake Beach with my wife and step daughter. First, thank you for the Facebook add. Second, I saw you at the forum in Prince Frederick as I was going inside, but did not get a chance to talk to you as the forum was beginning. (You were outside speaking to a lady about your campaign; I was the heavy-set guy with a goutee and very short hair wearing a sleeve-less black shirt who hurried by towards the building.) I am not a Republican or a Democrat (I'm registered Libertarian) and am deciding who to vote for in the upcoming election for Calvert County sheriff. Generally, I am conservative on fiscal issues and liberal on social issues. I do not support drug abuse, but I do oppose the "war on drugs" because I think it has been counter-productive and wasteful. I value security and safety, but I am not willing to sacrifice my liberty to obtain it. I oppose government forfeiture of property before cases have gone to trial. I also generally oppose government forfeiture of property in criminal matters that have gone to trial, unless the property was stolen or obtained with criminal proceeds. Anyway, could you advise where you stand on any or all of these issues?

Mr. Brenneman's Response

First, I am a registered Democrat, but have many people on my campaign team who are not. I have a very diverse campaign and enjoy the ideas from a wide range of critical thinkers. I consider myself to be fiscally conservative especially when spending the tax payer’s money. My opinions on the issues are as follows:

The War on Drugs

I don’t like the term but also do not like drug use and the potential damage done to families and our young people. I am prepared, if elected Sheriff to enforce the State of Maryland Controlled Dangerous Substance Laws but plan to do so using compassion.

Liberty and Safety

I have in the past and will again, swear an oath to defend the constitution; this is not something that I take lightly. These freedoms that are the foundation of this Country are what make us stand apart from others.

Government Forfeiture of Property

I am not opposed to conducting thorough investigations with a highly trained staff, and seizing property either obtained illegally or where the profits are a proven result of a criminal enterprise. The end result is that Law Enforcement usually just recommends the seizing of assets and puts its best case on to justify it. It is the State or Federal Government that pursues the seizing of assets. I believe in the process because it gives the aggrieved party an opportunity for a hearing or the ability to obtain the services of an attorney.

Thank you for your interest in my opinions on the issues. If our paths cross again, please pull me aside, as I would love to discuss my ideas further.

Thank you

Don Brenneman

“Brenneman 4 Sheriff”

Light Bars

A Recent comment from a concerned citzen....

Light bars on police cars...what is your position? Should they be on

top of the cars or in the window? Most of the new Sheriff's Office vehicles

now have the lights inside the front window instead of on top of the car,

so if you are in front of them they are difficult to identify as a police vehicle.

Don Brenneman's Response

Thank you for your interest in my opinions about Public Safety in Calvert County. The question of light bars on the roof as opposed to inside the car is asked of me over and over again by citizens throughout the county. Research shows that there is very little advantage to having the light bar on the roof vs. the inside, but when it comes to the siren it’s a different story. The siren, if not mounted on the roof with the light bar, is mounted inside the front grill. When the siren is mounted in the grill it does not project as far as if it were mounted on the roof. One advantage of the light bar inside the car is that the car is not easily recognized as a police car. This is very effective for traffic units, or units that traditionally run radar, looking to blend in with other cars around them. This however is not effective when you are looking to be highly visible in a community. One of the reasons we have marked cars and identifiable uniforms is for the deterrent factor.

My opinion- light bars belong on the roof so that people recognize us as the police. My concept of policing is much different than the current administrations. I believe traffic enforcement is necessary and important, but it is not the sole reason for the existence of the Sheriff’s Office. Crime in our county continues to increase, and I would like the Deputies more visible rather than less visible.

As your elected Sheriff, I think it is my responsibility to be a good steward of the Sheriff’s Office and not squander the budget on useless items like colors of police cars and equipment to make us less visible. An agency the size of the Calvert Sheriff’s Office needs to appear bigger than they are not smaller. Please feel free to contact me with any issues or concerns, I will make myself available at any time.

Don Brenneman

Brenneman 4 Sheriff

It's time to VOTE!!!

As you are aware, today is the Maryland Primary. While I am running unopposed, I am still asking for your support and more importantly your VOTE. It is time we send a clear message to our current Sheriff; Calvert County demands a highly technical, well trained, ethical, and professional Sheriff's Department.

The current administration has had 8 years to serve Calvert County. It that time crime has continued to rise at an alarming rate. Calvert County has one of the highest crime increases in the State of Maryland. The current administration blames this trend on poor reporting, and the economy.

First, let me say the Sheriff's Department is responsible for reporting these numbers. Therefore, if it is poor reporting, who is responsible?

Second, the Sheriff blames the economy. Yesterday the FBI released it's national crime report. They reported a decrease in violent crime of 5.3% and decrease of property crimes of 4.6%. They specifically stated this decrease in crime was in SPITE of the economy.

The current administration is all about shifting responsibility and blaming others. Let's send a clear message that we want a Sheriff that stands up, takes responsibility and FIXES the problems.

Today when you vote, lets tell the current Sheriff that Calvert County can't afford another 4 years of his leadership. Let's tell him to start planning his retirement party.

Thank you for your continued support!

Don Brenneman

B & E it's worth mentioning again!

There are few worse fears to have than to know that a stranger has been in your home, and stolen your property. In the past year Calvert County has posted a 38% increase in burglary, which contributed to an 18 % overall increase in total crime. I see very little concern from citizens in the county about this dramatic rise in crime. The last thing we need in Calvert is to become complacent about crime, and accept that a 38% increase is normal. The surrounding jurisdictions have all posted reductions in crime rates. As these jurisdictions continue to focus on crime reduction, Calvert County will become the land of opportunity for the career criminal. Criminals will venture to locations where they will not be caught. When you see robberies and residential break-ins along your borders of other jurisdictions, these are tests of your law enforcement response. If they (the criminals) are successful, it is unlikely they will go away.

The most disturbing thing for me is to have to wait for the end of the year to learn that we have what is beginning to be a serious problem. I would rather know as soon as possible so that the community groups and neighborhood watch programs can organize and help our Sheriff’s Department combat rising crime. There are many things that a community can do instead of waiting and hoping the crime rate goes down. Demand from your elected officials a focused effort to reduce property crime in your neighborhoods and county. There are several web sites that offer up to date crime information. This information can be used to provide information to those in the community that are the eyes and ears. With a focused effort from our Sheriff’s Department based on up to date crime analysis, and the help of our communities, we can turn this around. It really is true that a Sheriff’s Department or Police Department is nothing without community support behind it. We just have not done a good job around here asking for it and utilizing it.

You deserve high quality police service

Vote Brenneman 4

A Reply to Mr. Bogner

We recently received an email from Mr. Bogner with several important questions. We felt many Calvert County Residents may have similar questions and would like to know where Mr. Brenneman falls on the issues. Below you will find the questions asked and Mr. Brenneman's answers. We always welcome questions from concerned voters and will do our best to answer inquiries.

August 19, 2010

Mr. Bogner,

Thank you for your giving me the opportunity to respond to your questions. Not everybody agrees with me, but I will give you my opinion regardless. I could take the easy way out and stay away from the tough questions by not answering them, or simply giving you the careful answer. Instead I have chosen to tell you what’s on my mind and maybe on some things, we may just have to agree to disagree, if that is the case.

Question #1

What is your opinion on the Oath Keepers organization? Unconstitutional laws are being passed by a Congress that doesn't vote the line of their constituents because they (career politicians) know what's best, and/or they don't even read the entire contents of the bills they are voting on. You, in the near future, may very well be directed to enforce unconstitutional law against law abiding citizens.

Answer

I believe in the Constitution and have sworn an oath to protect it for all of my adult life. There are bad politicians, lots of them, but there is also a healthy, fair, election system in this country that allows us the ability to vote out those politicians that do not pay attention to their constituents. There is a push and movement in this country currently to vote out of office all incumbents. The system does work; we just have to be patient sometimes for the political process to work in our favor.

With regard to the Oath keeper’s organization, I as I mentioned already, I am a sworn law enforcement officer and have taken an oath to uphold the constitution of the United States and will forever continue to do so. I have read through the (10 DO NOT OBEY Orders) of the Oath Keepers and they resemble currently what I have sworn to uphold with the exception of item number one. I believe in the right to bear arms, however I have taken an oath to the United States and the State of Maryland With regard to the upholding of laws, I will enforce the Maryland Annotated Code Article 36b, which covers wearing and carrying a firearm, while a sworn police officer in the State of Maryland. I have never participated in any unlawful unconstitutional action against anybody and will not do so in the future. I have and always will be an aide and friend to law abiding citizens.

Question #2

2.) What is your opinion on the event that recently happened up in the Baltimore area to the retarded citizen that was wrongfully operating his motorcycle by performing stunts on I-95. Granted he was violating the law, but was the Rambo plain clothes state trooper that jumped out of his unmarked car like a crazed lunatic with his service piece drawn justified? Was the procedure this officer (term used loosely) used from the moment he exited his unmarked car to the moment he discreetly stowed his weapon when he saw another officer pull onto the scene, proper and standard operating procedure in your mind? I would also like for you to elaborate the retaliatory wiretapping charges brought against the motorcyclist a week after the fact. If I'm openly recording video, IN PUBLIC, and happen to catch one of your deputies performing any of his duties in an unprofessional manner...can I expect you and your force to arrest, search and seize my property, and attempt to charge me with a violation of the MD wiretapping law? It seems to be a law that's intent is being loosely interpreted and expanded without actually changing the law. Maryland law does make it illegal to record a voice conversation without that person's consent. But it also makes exceptions for conversations conducted in public, where speakers have no expectation of privacy. A person may not "willfully intercept" what the law calls "oral communications." It defines "oral communications" as "any conversation or words spoken to or by any person in private conversation." More and more I read about citizens across the country being arrested for this type of thing...at the same time anyone of us can be arrested and your dash cam footage used as evidence in the court of law. Doesn't sound like fostering a good relationship between law enforcement and the public to me. Do you agree or disagree that it is lawful and Constitutional for a person to freely videotape in public?

This past June, a St. Mary's woman was arrested for making a cellphone recording of an arrest in process. State's Attorney Richard Fritz got it right by dropping charges, and just who is this deputy that can burst into someone's home and strong arm them over a legal/Constitutional cellphone recording:

Answer

I have learned one thing in my career and that is to know all of the facts before I judge anyone or come to a conclusion. While the incident you describe on I-95 sounds like an over reaction, I simply do not have the privilege of reading the statements and seeing the video evidence of the incident. I certainly do not have access to the officer’s personnel file to see if there is a history of this type of behavior. One thing is certain, if I am privileged to become the next Sheriff of Calvert County, I will not prejudge any citizen or officer without having all of the facts. The Sheriff’s Office simply cannot function without the assistance and working relationship with the community. Under my leadership, the Deputies will treat everybody with respect and dignity regardless of what they have been accused of.

As you are aware, law enforcement officers in the State of Maryland and many other states can record traffic stops and conversations with the violator. The policy of the law enforcement agency is that the officer first tells the citizen that they are being recorded. The first section of the Maryland wiretapping law restricts unlawful interceptions of “oral communications” to words spoken in a “private conversation.” This is often interpreted by a judge. Unfortunately there are many officers who mean well but are not completely well versed in all of the laws. The search and seizure laws have all evolved this way with many different rulings over the years. They have changed many laws regarding search and seizure and will likely change more. I think it is extremely important to take matters like these and have an opportunity for the men and women of the agency to learn from it. Since the search and seizure laws are likely to change, training and policy has to be current and reflect the changes that occur. I believe that most law enforcement officer s try to do the right thing, but like every other profession mistakes are made.

In conclusion, I will train my deputies to act as if they are always under the watchful eye of the citizens they are sworn to protect. It should not matter if you are being video taped on the scene of an incident, if you have nothing to hide. It is a different matter if the person videotaping the incident is hindering the officer or inciting people by doing so, then proper action will be taken.

Question #3

3.) What are your personal views pertaining to the 2nd amendment, castle doctrine in MD, and concealed carry.

Answer

Regarding the 2^nd amendment, as I have already mentioned in the above question, I have sworn an oath to uphold the Constitution and the Laws of the State of Maryland. As a law enforcement officer in the State of Maryland I will enforce Article 36b of the Annotated Code of Maryland which covers the wear and carry of firearms.

The Maryland Castle Doctrine is a version of the Castle Doctrines adopted by many states. The Castle Doctrine commonly referred to as the “make my day” doctrine covers the use of deadly force while protecting your home from invaders. I would hope that everybody thinks that the castle Doctrine is great because it gives people the security that the State will understand if “god forbid this type of incident confronts you.” I believe that protecting your home and family is your Divine right as long as your actions are reasonable, and it helps that the state also is on your side.

Mr. Bogner, thank you again for allowing me to give you my opinions. If you have any further questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me. If you have any of these items that I did not cover sufficiently, please let me know and we could meet over a coffee and discuss them further.

Sincerely

Don Brenneman

Brenneman 4 Sheriff