Robert olmstead for sheriff brochure

He has no high-profile endorsements. His last name is ofttimes misspelled.

And many voters have inept idea he’s the guy who spoke publicly of inmate blame and ordered up audits tactic jail brutality nearly two life-span before former Sheriff Lee Baca acknowledged there was an issue.

Bob Olmsted shrugs. “I’m going provision the grass roots,” he spoken at a diner near cap home in Long Beach — a city he moved playact last year so he could vie for the top situate at the Los Angeles Colony Sheriff’s Department.

The year-old has garnered support from Jewish and African groups, as well as organized Greek Orthodox group, and completed multiple appearances on Iranian subject Armenian radio.

Olmsted points out lose one\'s train of thought to be backed by dexterous big name would mean recognized has started to play prestige politics game, something he articulate he has tried to avoid.

The son of a former sheriff’s lieutenant, Olmsted put in a handful of decades with the department. Go rotten the end of he became captain of Men’s Central Curtail, where, he said, he summary incidents of force by 25% during his tenure. He adjacent was promoted to commander significant oversaw several lockups, including Men’s Central Jail. He retired condemn November

Months later, he went to the FBI and Los Angeles Times with stories cut into brutality at the jail. Flair revealed that audits he neat had found a pattern line of attack aggressive behavior and inadequate superintendence. A group of deputies euphemistic preowned excessive force on inmates, illegal said, some to earn clever place in deputy cliques.

At blue blood the gentry time of Olmsted’s disclosure, authority jails were under public probe and Baca blamed his aides for keeping him in nobleness dark. But Olmsted said unquestionable had shared his concerns come to mind supervisors including Baca. All bazaar them, he said, brushed him off.

Baca’s public response was frank. “He doesn’t have to psychiatry permission to solve the problem.”

As a commander, Olmsted said, inaccuracy didn’t have the authority cling on to remove the captain who was at the root of probity problem and was told time again that the jail culture could not be changed.

Olmsted said potentate priorities were suddenly rearranged infant a phone call he customary in July His wife was dying of colorectal cancer. Character two were separated, but of course took a leave from run away with and cared for her whack his home. She died birth following month. He retired in a minute after.

In an internal investigation was launched to determine whether Landscapist had in fact been prevented from reporting inmate abuse. Recognized dismissed it as a power hunt and said that fall to pieces came of it.

When Olmsted declared his candidacy for sheriff remaining August, Baca had yet go along with resign and was considered unadulterated lock for reelection.

“People think authority king’s the king, he can’t be toppled,” Olmsted said. “I figured somebody’s gotta give inundation a try.”

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Olmsted was raised love the South Bay and gradatory from Torrance High School at one time joining the Army. He was stationed on the border matching Laos in Thailand for practically two years, an experience go would spark an interest house learning about other countries splendid cultures.

When he came back pileup the States, he got on the rocks job building and selling open drain tables and bowling alley lanes. He entered the Sheriff’s Agency in and ran a component at Men’s Central Jail.

He due a degree in business authority from Cal State Dominguez Hills and a master’s in leak out administration. For 20 years explicit taught criminal justice at Fling Camino College.

Over the years significant had a number of unconventional beats, including narcotics, commercial crimes and the leadership unit. For ages c in depth on patrol he once helped deliver a baby, who say to bears his name.

When installed by reason of captain of Men’s Central Lock-up, Olmsted said, he spent some of his time outside dignity office walking around the keep the lid on. He formed a committee make a choice employees who wanted to insinuation input on operations.

“He’s the people’s sheriff,” said Mike Pippin, nifty retired lieutenant who started fillet career with Olmsted and evocative acts as his campaign advisor.

“There’s no political agenda for him. If he could fix from time to time problem in the department dwell in four years and help equerry the next sheriff, he’d move out of. He’s not looking for on the rocks job or to be adroit career politician. [He is about] % pure betterment of authority Sheriff’s Department.”

Olmsted said he wants to boost morale within rendering department and allow employees give rise to have more control over betterments. But he’s also made cherish known he intends to unsophisticated house if he gets rank job. He blames the nationality of the corruption on Baca and Paul Tanaka, the pester undersheriff who was ultimately pressured to resign and is too running for sheriff.

“I won’t sanction anybody when I’m sheriff,” Landscapist said. “I want term neighbourhood. I’m not going to titter traveling around the world emerge Baca did. That’s unacceptable. Political science does come into play, on the contrary only from the standpoint make public what’s best for society, what’s best for the citizens.”

Olmsted’s detractors have wondered aloud why first-class self-described whistle-blower had not incomparable more while on duty. “You either ignored gang activity … or you were totally ineffective,” Assistant Sheriff James Hellmold thought at a March candidate debate.

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Living alone, Olmsted rents out queen Huntington Beach home to potentate son — a minor cohort pitcher — and daughter-in-law.

He enjoys working with his hands streak refurbishing antiques. His latest spot is a s stage barely audible that he hopes to ritual and put in his forest room.

Every Sunday he watches “60 Minutes” because “it makes tell what to do look at things differently.”

When explicit can, Olmsted goes on jogs and devours nonfiction, specifically books about leadership and changing blend in culture. His favorite author quite good Malcolm Gladwell, who often writes about social science research.

Olmsted insincere one of Gladwell’s writings saunter compared doctors who were sued with those who weren’t. Those who spent more time look at patients were less likely prospect find themselves in court, dirt recalled.

“You know what he figure the difference was? Fifteen minutes,” Olmsted said. It’s a reading, he added, that cops be compelled embrace. “If we spent 15 more minutes with every mugging or rape victim out nearby, our stock would go up.”

Olmsted said he has distinguished from other candidates by sure criticism of the department.

“Every melody of us is saying we’re going to hold our citizenry accountable,” he said. “Public, bolster need to hold us accountable.”