A Few Take-Home Items From The Bexar Co. Sheriff Race Town Hall on KTSA

Sheriff Javier Salazar and six of his seven Democratic and Republican challengers joined us in the Alamo Lounge and on KTSA AM/FM.

The BCSO has made national news with Barney Fife-sized goofups at the jail. Some deputies say morale in the department could be better.

At least Andy and Barney always seemed happy.

Hear the whole shebang right here

A few thoughts:

• Sheriff Salazar cites his own popularity polls and a KSAT survey that found broad satisfaction with the department.
• His challengers are sure they could do a better job. They range from a lot of law enforcement experience, to very little.
• Some think Salazar is too eager to be the on-camera “face of the department”. But one said that was his best quality.
• Democratic challenger Michelle Barrientes-Vela, indicted on perjury and tampering-with-evidence charges, complained to a KTSA producer that she should not have been asked about the case during her allotted time.
• On the other hand, no other candidates are facing the long list of charges she faces.

She also says she has not faced actual charges. Indictment means you have been formally, actually charged.

The other interesting issue is the still-unsolved Nichole Olson triple murder, why the length of investigation, and why the FBI?

With all respect to the victims and the families, is this an especially complicated case? Or is there a lot of “CYA” going on?

The Alamo Lounge audience seemed pretty underwhelmed all night.

Now, I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not the most exciting showman in a setting like that. I do what I can.

But I’ve hosted a lot of different candidate debates and forums, and the pols are really the show. That audience was not feeling it.

Looked to me like Sheriff Salazar did himself no harm, but not much else.

The other candidates, mostly unknown (and one who’s known for all the wrong reasons), didn’t make much of an impression