What Does Defund Mean in Rural Areas?
In Marin County, the board of supervisors raised the sheriff’s budget – but not as much as Sheriff Robert Doyle wanted – despite the fact that the county is facing a pandemic, fires, and a recession. (Sheriff Doyle is serving his 6th 4-year term, most of those elections unopposed.) In response, the sheriff threatened various reductions of service, including the potential closure of one of the office's rural outposts, which is the only emergency dispatch for a community of beach-goers, vacation home renters, and long-time residents. For context, the sheriff’s office is the third-largest budget item in the county. There have also been ongoing concerns that the sheriff is collaborating with ICE, although Doyle has not had to face a lot of harsh criticism because he’s had no opponents in his elections.
I was staying with family in the area and talked to my neighbors, who were very concerned with the failure of many visitors and residents to adhere to mask-wearing orders and the rental of houses to large parties. Because there are few full-time residents, most people were concerned with “outsiders." I thought their concerns were a little overblown, but then I saw one family reunion and one wedding, both of which seemed in violation of the local health laws designed to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
So, the closure of the sole law enforcement agency responsible for enforcing these laws prompted some widespread concern, but then my neighbor pointed out that the sheriff had told her that he wouldn’t enforce any of the health measures, anyways, so she didn’t see much difference. It made me think about how (or whether) the defund movement would impact rural areas.
Take the case of Norma and James Gund. The Trinity County sheriff’s office asked the Gunds to check on a neighbor, making the request sound mundane and nonchalant. “It’s probably no big deal,” the deputy allegedly told Norma Gund. The deputy was over an hour away. So the couple went to the house only to find a murder in progress. Both were savagely attacked. Norma Gund only survived because she managed to drive 20 minutes to the nearest town for help, clutching her slit throat.
The Gunds sued Trinity County and the sheriff's office for negligence, but the county argued that the couple was acting as “active law enforcement,” a member of the sheriff’s posse, and, therefore, only eligible for workers' compensation. The Gunds' documents alleged that the sheriff’s office intentionally put them in danger by eliding important information, like the fact that the 911 call from the neighbor indicated she was under attack, probably at that moment. (Per the opinion, the caller whispered, “Help me!”) This was no fallen tree.
But the California Supreme Court ruled last week that the Gunds were only entitled to workers’ compensation, reasoning that responding to a 911 call was obviously law enforcement and the sheriff's offices couldn't be blamed. (The Gunds still have claims in federal court). In essence, the court found that most of time, calls to law enforcement do NOT involve crime-fighting, so this was just bad luck for the Gunds.
Aside from the small problem of whether sheriffs should be able to "hire" people against their will, the case has also come to stand for the lack of law enforcement personnel in most rural areas. While the idea of sending neighbors to check on one another seems like a cheap substitute for hiring more patrol officers, the Gunds’ case presents a sheriff’s office that seems at best negligent and at worse intentionally vague about the task at hand.
At the same time, there’s a clear need for defunding rural sheriffs and jails, as documented by Vera. Rural regions have seen the greatest growth in jail populations and have invested heavily in infrastructure to hold additional people for agencies like ICE or the state government. Rural regions also lack hospitals, mental health practitioners, and other community services. Rather than increasing patrols, better availability of services would do more for the community overall. But how to help the Gunds in that moment?
When you think about it, the Gunds’ case is the strongest argument for defunding law enforcement you could make. What would be more fitting than to defund a system where unionized officers are able to collect pensions, overtime, and benefits while ALSO outsourcing the hard work with no penalty?
Other Reading
I haven’t been able to fully process the events in Los Angeles County yet, although it’s weighing on my mind. But I was horrified by reporter Josie Huang’s Twitter thread on her treatment and arrest. As an aside, I have never had “press credentials” and am generally convinced they are B.S.
An 8th person has died in the Tarrant County Jail, which is run by Sheriff Bill Waybourn, a big Trump supporter.
Plus, just yesterday, a Tarrant County deputy shot and killed his girlfriend. Another reason why law enforcement is not always helpful in domestic violence cases. For more read Leigh Goodmark on the issue of officers who kill their partners.