By Samuel Strait – Reporter at Large – March 14, 2022 The recent charges brought against appointed Sheriff Randy Waltz, Del Norte County's current occupant of the County's highest law enforcement position is curious at best. When Sheriff Waltz was hired back in June of 2020 in a newly created position of undersheriff, someone must have asked for certain details about living arrangements as is customary for nearly all government new hired employees. It wasn't as though he would be commuting from say Belgium, or even the Dominican Republic. Surely an address must have been supplied for County records upon employment. Even if he had previously been living in a recreational vehicle prior to arriving in the County, there must have been some indication as to where he would call home. Hopefully not in one of the County's public parks with the homeless. Beyond the question of where Sheriff Waltz has been living since June of 2020, how is it that just now we are learning that either the Board of Supervisors hired then Mr. Waltz as undersheriff on the recommendation of previous Sheriff Apperson with no apparent vetting of the perspective hire, or failed to do any kind of background check at all. Then to compound that failing, in September of 2021, the Board elevated Undersheriff Waltz to the position of Sheriff of the County without knowing much about him, like where he lived, or any of the details of his previous places of employment. It is small wonder that the Sheriff's department is the subject of an article from a "foreign" newspaper, the Sacramento Bee, claiming all sorts of mischief has gone on within the department for years. Makes one wonder just who on the Board of Supervisors is minding the store? They are after all the ones that should be taking the blame for any issues that arise from this potential debacle. Supervisors Short, Hemmingsen and Howard, where were you when the decision was made to appoint Waltz the Sheriff? Just another near unanimous decision from a Board that doesn't question much of anything that is waved in front of their noses. Kind of like the pattern that has developed for too long to consider it abnormal. Just one more rubber stamp that went bad. Time for Chris Howard to take out retirement papers and for Darren Short to resign, past time. While it may not be fair to label the current state of the department completely dysfunctional, as is alluded to in the Bee's article, "No Law North Of The Klamath", it certainly gives locals dissatisfied with law enforcement plenty of things to complain about. Before the entire department gets tarred with the Bee's all inclusive brush, it is important to note that the department has six to twenty unfilled vacancies depending on which interview of Sheriff Waltz you happened to catch. Likely the higher number has something to do with the Measure "R" money he and his department wish to retain. Frankly, it does not appear to matter how many officers are hired by Del Norte County, under Sheriff Apperson, they didn't seem to hang around very long. What ever the problem is reported to be, no one cares how large the department is, as long as their performance is courteous and professional. In other words, they do a credible job of carrying out their duties. Most folks in the County probably do not care where Sheriff Waltz hangs his proverbial hat as long as they feel he is doing the job properly. Some do, and some don't think he has made much in the way of substantive changes as being in charge of adequately training his patrol officers. The jury could likely be found to support that concern in some cases. Most folks don't have much need for a deputy, but feel should the need arise, the Del Norte Sheriff's Office will come as they are intended. In a small rural County, with only twenty six patrol officers on the force, a sheriff's assistance may not come when one beckons. Just because "you" think the sheriff's department should be at your beck and call, does not mean it will happen. Living in a small rural county requires some measure of patience, a practice most deputy's are familiar with when dealing with the public Thank heavens that seems to be the case for the officers in the department that I have come in contact with. Should it be learned that Sheriff Waltz has been living in a recreational vehicle in Luxembourg, the US Virgin Islands, or even near by Oregon, he seems to have spent a great deal of time within the County limits in his current occupation. In the spirit of "where's Waldo?" let the local DA figure out just what heinous "crime" our current appointed Sheriff is guilty of…..That would appear to be the best course of action should we find out he hasn't really been living in Belgium…