FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 9, 2010
Press Contact: Roger Salazar
(916) 444-8897

Sacramento Police Officers Association and Sacramento Area Firefighters, Local 522 Announce Their Endorsement for Captain Cooper

SACRAMENTO – The Sacramento Police Officers Association (SPOA) and Sacramento Area Firefighters, Local 522, today joined every major public safety groups in the Sacramento area at a press conference to announce their support for Captain Jim Cooper in his bid to become the next Sheriff of Sacramento County. 

“The Sacramento Police Officers Association is proud to endorse Jim Cooper as the next Sheriff of Sacramento County,” said Donald Gilbertson, Treasurer of the Sacramento Police Officers Association.  “Captain Cooper has frontline experience and strong leadership skills, which will support him as Sheriff.  We look forward to working with him in the future.”

“We support Jim because of his many years in law enforcement and his executive experience as an Elk Grove City Councilmember,” said Rich Schmiedt, President of the Sacramento Area Firefighters, Local 522. “We know his experience will support him as the new Sheriff for Sacramento County.”

Representatives from the SPOA and Firefighters Local 522 were joined by representatives from the Sacramento County Deputy Sheriffs’ Association; the Law Enforcement Managers Association; the County of Sacramento Probation Department; and the California Asian Peace Officers Association in their endorsement of Cooper.

“I am proud to have the support of the Sacramento POA and the Firefighters Local 522 along with every major public safety group including my colleagues at SCDSA and LEMA,” said Jim Cooper. “The members of these organizations put themselves in harm’s way every day for the citizens of Sacramento County and I pledge to work with them to strengthen and maintain public safety throughout the County.”

“Captain Jim Cooper possesses both the proven leadership skills and the political savvy to guide the Sheriff’s Department in the coming years. Our membership has spoken and we are committed to seeing that Captain Cooper becomes the next elected Sheriff for Sacramento County,” stated Kevin Mickelson, President of SCDSA.

“LEMA is proud to support and endorse Candidate Jim Cooper as the next Sheriff of Sacramento County and we are confident he is the right choice, at the right time,” wrote LEMA President, Mike Ziegler in an endorsement letter from the group.

Cooper is also supported by the Sacramento Central Labor Council; the Sacramento Hispanic Chamber of Commerce; the Sac-Sierra Building and Construction Trades Council; and many others. (see www.jimcooperforsheriff.com for complete list).

Cooper is running for Sheriff of Sacramento County in the June 2010 election. He has served the people of Sacramento County in the Sheriff's Department for more than 25 years. Cooper spent nine of those 25 years undercover taking down gangs and drug dealers and has been honored with a Bronze Star for Bravery. Today, he serves as Commander of the Sacramento Valley Hi-Tech Crime’s Task Force investigating Internet crimes against children and identity theft. Cooper also serves as a founding City Council member for the City of Elk Grove. Due to the Council’s sound fiscal planning, Elk Grove has one of the largest surpluses in the region with $13 million in reserve. As Elk Grove’s first Mayor, Cooper set the tone for how the city conducts business today, with transparency, accessibility, regional partnership and public engagement as the cornerstones for a successful government.

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