PORT ANGELES — Clallam County’s new undersheriff, Rich Sill, calls himself “the guy with a thousand questions.”
The queries, he says, are those he’ll ask of sheriff’s deputies and staff as he learns the job into which he was sworn Wednesday.
Sill, 54, is no newcomer to law enforcement, having served as police chief in Chino, Calif., before retiring for health reasons in 1997.
He has lived in Sequim with his wife, Claudine, since 1999. The couple has four children who range in age from 16 to 24.
Sill’s also no stranger to the Clallam County department, having bid to become interim sheriff in 2003 after then-Sheriff Joe Hawe resigned.
At that time, Sill competed with then-Undersheriff Joe Martin and with Soeren Poulsen, another former California law enforcement officer who had run unsuccessfully against Hawe.
County commissioners chose Martin, who subsequently was elected to the office, handing Poulsen a second defeat.
Martin has said he will seek re-election in November, and Clallam County Commissioner Mike Chapman also has announced he will run for sheriff.
Sill said in 2003 he would not seek election to the office, and he repeated his refusal to run on Wednesday.
He’ll have plenty more to do.
Sill replaces Snover
Sill replaces former Undersheriff Steve Snover, who resigned two days before a scandal emerged in the department in November. Snover had been in the position only six months.
Allegations of misconduct also led to the resignation of Sgt. Dave Fontenot, the firing of Deputy Dwane Hayden and the placing of Martin’s confidential secretary, Susan Sanderson, on paid administrative leave.
Fontenot’s case is under investigation by a state Attorney General’s Office for allegedly mishandling evidence, falsifying legal documents and sexually harassing employees.
Hayden’s case also is being review by the Attorney General’s Office for allegedly conducting an extra-marital affair while on duty and excessively using his county cell phone for personal calls.
The Attorney General’s Office said a decision whether to file charges against either man will come later in January.
On Wednesday, Sill said Martin already had dealt with the allegations of misconduct.
“The sheriff has addressed those issues,” he said.
“They were and are being dealt with.”