Election 2010: Furlong, Guimont face off at debate

There were no real fireworks in Wednesday's debate between Sheriff Kenny Furlong and challenger Deputy Bob Guimont.

Furlong touted his experience and the improvements he said have been made in the department since he took over nearly eight years ago. Guimont said while they agree on the department's priorities - gangs, drugs and dangerous traffic - his team "will be much more aggressive when it comes to gangs and drugs."

The two men agreed they would support a tough, Arizona-style anti-immigration law.

"Our federal government has not been able to deal with it adequately," said Furlong. "Some of the most horrendous crimes in the past couple of years have been committed by illegals."

Guimont said he wants to drive gang members out of the community.

"They do not deserve the same professionalism as the people in this room," he said.

And those caught selling drugs in schools, Guimont said, should be permanently expelled from the school district.

Furlong said his teams and officers are already working in every school in Carson City to keep kids away from drugs, and to find and convict offenders.

Furlong said he has been working with the district attorney's office to increase property forfeitures when making arrests. Guimont went a step further, saying he would strongly push for more forfeitures.

"If an individual is not gainfully employed and has two Escalades in the driveway and flat screen TVs in every room I would like to see that individual leave in a paper gown," Guimont said.

Furlong told the audience of just less than 100 the crime rate has dropped 30 percent in his eight years in office and the International Association of Chiefs of Police wants to use his department as an example of an agency doing its job right. He said the department is resolving cases at better than double the rate it was when he was first elected, and deaths caused by traffic accidents are down to less than half the rate they were then.

Furlong said he is working on new programs including a victim notification system and a program with the DA's office to deal with elder abuse whether financial, physical or mental.

Guimont said he would like to name a person at the sheriff's office to act as a go-between for the crime victim, keeping them up on the status of their case.

Guimont commended Furlong for getting the department three drug dogs but urged they be used to prowl area schools without warning the school district in advance.

Furlong has a career that includes 20 years in Air Force law enforcement and criminal investigation, as an investigator with the state public safety department and eight years as sheriff. He has a bachelor's degree in criminal justice administration.

Guimont has a total of 20 years experience in Storey County and the Carson Sheriff's Department, was head of the Carson SWAT team and has worked in several different divisions within the department.