By Samuel Strait – Reporter at Large – April 5, 2022 It is not often that so much is made of news out of the Del Norte County Sheriff's Office, yet that has changed in rather dramatic fashion recently. Following a Sacramento Bee article, some time ago titled " No Law North Of The Klamath. Dysfunction, Scandal Plague California Sheriff's Office", much recently has been made out of the local DA's Office in charging Sheriff Appointee, Randy Waltz, with three felony charges surrounding his voter registration and candidacy for the office of Sheriff in its own right. Whether the zealous behavior out of local DA Katherine Micks is warranted or not, we have yet to find out. The case has been continued. What ever is to be resolved with Mr. Waltz, there are clearly multiple problems at the Sheriff's Office that are more than recent, perhaps extending back into the time when Erik Apperson occupied the Sheriff's Office as Sheriff. We have been told that there is an acute staffing issue in the department. Initially, we are told that thirty position are currently vacant. That number declined to six in a later interview from Lt. Daniel Schneck. Most recently that figure has swollen to fourteen of twenty six sworn positions. We are told that this is a result of many of the department's most senior officers retiring within a few months of one another. A clue? No just ignore it. In a recent meeting with County CEO Neal Lopez and Supervisor Chris Howard, Third District, money was the issue. So what is it? Money, or retirement? It is certainly comforting when those in County government can't get their stories straight. Much of the issue is that County government would loathe to loose their much touted Measure "R" money to pad the County's slush fund. Likely pay has little to do with the actual reason that the Sheriff's Office finds itself in turmoil. Many senior officers don't suddenly choose to "retire" because they are looking for a more lucrative gig else where. So what's really up in this department where salaries and benefits are already relatively generous when compared to those in the private sector of Del Norte County's economy? When speaking with sources associated with the Sheriff's department, the primary problem is not compensation, but morale. Senior officers are not leaving due to insufficient pay, but living in a toxic environment of poorly trained or fresh out of the academy partners, some who clearly should not be wearing the uniform. Policing is difficult enough as it is, but when your life is on the line it is nice to believe that your fellow officers have "your Back". For some, this is not the case and hasn't been for some time. Since the Sheriff was Erik Apperson, this issue has been upper most on the minds of many in the department rather than "How Much Pay" an officer receives. Sheriff Apperson may have been a sterling "Media" presence, but was clearly lacking in the administrative aspect of his job. Unfortunately things have not changed when the Undersheriff was elevated to the position of Sheriff. Staff vacancies will continue to be an issue even if the department salaries are increased because that is the smallest part of the problem. Competent, well trained and comfortable with their work environment for officers will take time to be reestablished within the department. A Board of Supervisors that will do more than throw money at what they "think" are problems and a Sheriff that can reestablish the level of morale that has taken serious hits over the past few years. The department cannot continue to be thought of as bumbling keystone cops; hence, those that fit that description must be weeded out and sent on their way. This does not include all officers in the department as there have been genuine experiences with the Del Norte County Sheriff's Office that were executed with a level of courtesy, professionalism, and competency that is a credit to those that conduct themselves in that fashion. This has not been the universal experience for a few for some time. The incoming Sheriff, Garrett Scott, has his work cut out for him in making the changes necessary to lift his newly acquired department out of the state of "No Law North Of The Klamath"….