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Ramsey Sheriff's Race hotly contested
The verbal sparring ramped up again Tuesday in the Ramsey County sheriff's race, as two veteran lawmen battled to set themselves apart in the voters' minds. Step one foot across the Ramsey County line and you'll see them. Finney and Fletcher lawn signs have sprung up like wild flowers, often sharing space in the same yards. It's a sign of an intense, hotly contested match between two men both boasting law enforcement careers spanning more than three decades. Twelve-year incumbent Bob Fletcher is facing a challenge from Democrat Bill Finney who served a dozen years as police chief of Saint Paul. When the two squared off at the State Fair last month it was clear this would be a contentious affair until the end. Wratcheting up the tension is ongoing media coverage of a 1981 cold case homicide investigation reopened by Fletcher, a case involving two of Finney's friends. Tuesday's Debate The two met again in a forum at the Securian Center in downtown Saint Paul. Although the event was sponsored by the local chapter of the Building Owners and Managers Association it was more heavily attended by law enforcement officers. "Bill has said nobody knows me," said the Sheriff, "It?s not about who knows the sheriff, it?s about getting the job done!" When asked if he favors a system of appointing sheriffs rather than electing them, Finney said he generally favors elected ones. Generally. "Electing a sheriff is a fine tradition but you have to select that leader very very carefully. And some times they may stay too long." The two clashed on leadership styles. Fletcher jabbed Finney for not personally attending Minnesota Gang Strike Force meetings, while that group still existed. "Bill attended one meeting out of 98 meetings. One out of 98," said Fletcher echoing a point he made in previous debates. Finney argued he chose to delegate that role to assistant chiefs. "Saint Paul police were always represented at the gang meetings we talked about," said Finney. "And the one meeting I did attend that was to make sure the Gang Strike force was run by a Saint Paul officer, Ron Ryan Sr." Later Fletcher countered, "But you left out the fact you left shortly after you got there and handed me your proxy vote so I could vote for you later on in the meeting when we did elect him." Endorsements and Politics Fletcher has touted the fact he has the endorsement of the police officers union, known as the Saint Paul Police Federation. Finney's response Tuesday? "Well sometimes when you?re a tough boss that happens. I respect that, but the Ramsey county sheriff?s office serves more than the police!" He went on to point out he has the endorsement of several unions, some county board members and Ramsey County Attorney Susan Gaertner. And he later asserted the Police Federation's opposition is political fallout from last year's mayoral race in Saint Paul. "They endorsed Kelly and I supported Chris Coleman." Cooperation Questions Much of the hourlong debate was devoted to the issue of cooperation and collaboration between the Saint Paul Police Department and the Ramsey County Sheriff's Office. Both men are opposed to the idea of merging the two departments into one unified metro police force. Both agreed they can, and do, share functions. But Fletcher alleged Finney went out of his way during his years as chief not to cooperate with Fletcher's office. He said Finney resisted efforts to merge some operations, including the radio dispatch and drug units. "They went to Dakota County. They hooked up the St Paul police department drug unit with the Dakota County drug task force, just to avoid working with us," said Fletcher. "The minute John Harrington became chief those barriers went down. Finney said his definition of cooperation differs from Fletcher's. "My opponent thinks that cooperation and collaboration means capitulation," said Finney. "But the St Paul police under my tenure collaborated. And it was part of every federal organization, including have a couple officers embedded and sworn in as FBI personnel." Women in the Ranks Finney called Fletcher's track record of hiring and promoting women "dismal" when asked following the debate why he brings it up so often. Finney said as chief the number of sworn female officers jumped 200%, but with Fletcher's agency? "There?s a sergeant here, a sergeant there, but where?s the woman at the top of the organization? You?ve had 12 years to do it." Fletcher defended his record of hiring women and members of ethnic minorities. "We have gone to great lengths to recruit persons from the Hmong community, and other communities of color, so I think we?re doing great." Finney's Friend and the Cold Case What didn?t come up in the debate, but did make the front page of the St Paul Pioneer Press again was Finney's relationship with boyhood friend Aaron Foster and the Maplewood cold case homicide from 1981. As previously reported on KARE-TV, Foster was questioned in the 1981 shooting of girlfriend Barbara Winn but never charged. He told Maplewood police at the time Winn shot herself with his handgun and then asked him to hide it before she died. Finney, at the time a sargeant on the Saint Paul force, attended part of Winn's autopsy. He had been friends with both Winn and Foster and said he wanted to know for himself how she died. In August Fletcher asked County Attorney Gaertner to convene a grand jury to review the case. Citing a conflict of interest, namely her support of Finney's campaign, Gaertner bounced the case to Anoka County. The Anoka County Attorney's office is still reviewing the case. Barbara Winn's family believes the prosecutor's decision not to charge Foster in 1981 was influenced by Finney's involvement at the autopsy. Finney disagrees strongly and, after Tuesday's debate, maintained again the family's theory is flawed. "To believe that you?d have to believe that a junior sergeant in the St Paul police department -- one of 120 -- could influence detectives in another city, the chief of police there, the medical examiner and the assistant county attorney," said Finney. "And say 'Do a favor for my buddy, don?t charge him with murder.' That?s what you?d have to believe in order to think I influenced that." Finney believes the investigation is being resurrected for political reasons. "My opponent may wish he was running against Mr. Foster. He?s running against Bill Finney. And I?ll stand on my record." "If there?s some new evidence that says Mr. Foster was culpable in this incident, I support the investigation and a prosecution." Fletcher stands by his decision to seek a grand jury review of the case. He again chided Finney for not arresting Foster 25 years ago after witnessing a fight between Foster and Winn. "Domestic abuse, or any simple assault that an officer sees, it doesn?t matter that if it?s a felony or a misdemeanor, it?s your obligation on or off duty to take some kind of action." In a previous interview with KARE-TV August 30th Finney described the incident as a scuffle between Winn and Foster as the three of them were out together on Finney's day off the job. "They were wrestling around in the back seat of my car and I told them to knock it off or they gonna force me to be a police officer and put them both in jail," Finney said. "I especially got on Bubby and said you?re a man, stop!" Finney said, referring to a nickname he used at the time for Aaron Foster. The Pioneer Press Tuesday reported on a 1985 case, saying Foster's estranged wife at the time accused him of pointing a gun at her head. The newspaper cited a police report that then-Lieutenant Finney spoke to assistant Ramsey county prosecutor James Konen about the case. Foster was never charged. Fletcher told reporters following the debate, "I think you could excuse some things in the past. I just wish Bill would admit that it was wrong to be in the interview room in 1985." Finney was not questioned about the 1985 case on Tuesday. A spokesman for the county attorney's office, Jack Rhodes, told the Pionner Press that James Konen had no recollection of Finney being "part of the discussion" in the 1985 case. Foster, now a civilian employee of the police department, has referred all questions to his attorney. Favoritism on the Job? The Pioneer Press quoted several current and former officers as saying Aaron Foster, after being hired by the police department in 1998, relied on his friendship with then-Chief Finney to settle job disputes and fend off disciplinary actions. After the debate Tuesday Finney flatly denied those allegations. "Not at all!" he said, "And in fact, one of the cases talked about in the paper about a woman officer having to sue they both were given the same punishment. Their punishment was an oral reprimand." The woman in question, Sgt Ann Bebeau, sued the City of St Paul, the department and Finney alleging the chief had allowed Foster to harass and interfere with officers. Finney and the department were later dropped as defendants in the case. The Pioneer Press Bebeau received $1,620 in damages and attorneys fees from the City. Finney said the discipline in the case, which stemmed from an argument in the police property room where Foster worked at the time, was evenhanded. "And that was recommended by a woman who is now the assistant chief Nancy DiPerna," Finney said Tuesday in response to questions about the Pioneer Press account. "She had the investigation. I said 'Whatever you decide I?m gonna support.'She decided they were both wrong, they should both get the same punishment or reprimand. And that?s what occurred." By John Croman, KARE 11 News.
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