HomeMy WebLinkAbout021125 email - Letter of Support for Sheriff AppointmentALERT: BE CAUTIOUS This email originated outside the organization. Do not open attachments or click on links if you are not expecting them.
February 11, 2025
To the Jefferson County Board of County Commissioners,
I am writing in support of Art Frank for appointment to the position of Sheriff of Jefferson County. As an experienced law enforcement officer and committed public servant with leadership
experience and great empathy he will be an excellent Sheriff.
My name is Jeff Newton and I have known Art Frank for over 35 years. I worked with Art at the Glendale Police Department in California for 25 years, where I retired as a lieutenant in
2022. I currently work as an investigator with the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office. The City of Glendale is the third largest city in Los Angeles County and has a police
department with 270 sworn officers. Glendale is an extremely diverse community made up primarily of White and Hispanic people, and people of Asian descent. It also boasts the largest
population of people of Armenian descent in the United States. Art has always worked and thrived in multicultural communities because he treats everyone with respect and dignity.
When I was hired on as a Police Officer, Art was a motor officer, assigned to the Traffic Detail, tasked with enforcing traffic laws and investigating traffic collisions. I was fortunate
to get to work many incidents with Art early in my career and it helped shape the type of officer I became. Art was passionate about his job and the role he had in policing our community.
He was empathetic in his dealings with the public, no matter the situation, or the person’s involvement in the incident. Art treated everyone respectfully whether they were a victim
or a suspect. I personally saw the impact Art’s presence made at even the most chaotic and rapidly evolving incidents not only with the involved citizens but also his fellow officers.
Art was always calm and confident and always did what was right for everyone involved. Working with Art changed the way I looked at policing, from interactions with the public, to interviewing
and investigations. Art is a natural leader, a servant leader, who exudes confidence and earns the respect of the people he interacts with.
Art later would become a Field Training Officer, entrusted with training new recruits and shaping the careers of countless officers. I quickly followed suit and joined Art as a Field
Training Officer. I worked two years alongside Art, monitoring all the new recruits and outlining specific training for each to overcome their deficiencies and develop into contributing
members of our organization. During this time in our careers, we were also members of our agency's SWAT team, an ancillary duty, where we would work together for ten years. Art would
later transfer to Investigations and worked as a Detective in the Robbery Homicide Detail. I also transferred to Robbery Homicide and saw first-hand Art’s tireless commitment to the
community and his advocacy for the victims in our difficult cases.
One case that stands out among the many complex investigations that he handled was the murder of a gang member by a rival gang member. Art was the lead Detective on this case, which
would quickly evolve into a multi-agency investigation involving the DEA, ATF, Los Angeles Police Department and the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department. Art was the affiant author of
the wiretap warrant used to investigate the murder, as well as the supervisor of all personnel involved, both internally and externally, state officers and federal agents. Art also
managed a $750,000 budget for the task force, supervised the staff in the wire room which worked around the clock to monitor the wiretap, and managed surveillance that included helicopters.
Of course, every person assigned would help with these tasks, but it was always directed by Art because he was the person responsible for the case in its entirety. This investigation
resulted in the seizure of large quantities of firearms and narcotics, the solving of four homicides (the original murder, two murders heard over the wiretap and a cold case LAPD homicide)
and culminated with the arrests of 30 gang members. These cases were all tried to conviction by the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office which still uses excerpts from this
case to train Deputy District Attorneys and Detectives.
For his outstanding service Art was the recipient of every one of the highest awards bestowed by the department. In addition to numerous departmental meritorious service awards, Art
was awarded the Medal of Valor, the Medal of Heroism, the Chief’s Award for excellence, and Art was named Officer of the year in 2004 for his work in the investigation described above.
I have remained friends with Art and his family since they moved to Washington State. During that time Art has shared what a great move it was for his family and how lucky he feels to
be a part of his community. Art’s experience and breadth of knowledge in law enforcement coupled with his work ethic, values and leadership ability make him a natural choice to lead
the Sheriff’s Office in the community he has chosen. The Sheriff’s Office and the community will be in great hands with Art. His sense of fairness and empathy for his fellow citizens
sets him apart, which is why I support him and encourage you to appoint him as Sheriff of Jefferson County.
I encourage you to reach out to me to talk about Art’s qualifications and character. You may reach me at the phone number and email address below.
Sincerely,
Jeff Newton
Newtyjt211@gmail.com <mailto:Newtyjt211@gmail.com>
(949) 486-9090