I support Jeff Asher for Sheriff. He will do an excellent job. He has the skills and personality that a the Sheriff needs.

I experienced these qualities in Jeff consistently during the 15 years I served on the San Juan County Dive Team under his leadership. He inspired me and the other team members to volunteer for this dangerous and uncomfortable work. I know that Jeff makes decisions that I can count on for my safety in the life threatening situations the Dive Team encounters at each call out. He makes sure we have the training and support for the job we do.

I admire how he has interfaced our Dive Team with the Navy, the Coast Guard and other Dive Rescue Teams when needed. He had the foresight to lead us to training sessions with these agencies before they were needed so everything worked well when the emergency occurred. I also admired the intricate follow-up to each Dive Team response as he wrote the reports and balanced the budget for the operation.

Preparation, execution and follow-up: that’s the way Jeff operates. Those are the habits that will make him a great Sheriff.

For years, I have watched the reactions of our Dive Team members and people from other agencies who train and respond with us during emergencies. These are people who range from experienced military and law enforcement personnel to frightened weekend boaters. They uniformly respect Jeff and instinctively seek his leadership.

I am seeking that leadership for San Juan County by voting for Jeff as our next Sheriff. I ask the other voters to join me.

Kurt Schwalbe

San Juan Island