Leaving next month to focus on health
Sonoma County Sheriff Steve Freitas announced his early retirement, effective Aug. 1, saying: “I have struggled with some medical issues for more than a year now and it is time to do what is best for my family and my health.”
Freitas was elected as sheriff in 2010 after running unopposed and re-elected in 2014.
Prior to becoming sheriff, Freitas was a field training supervisor and violent crimes investigation unit supervisor before serving as the Windsor chief of police from 2005 to 2010. He came to Sonoma County in 1991, following stints in Santa Clara County and the Novato Police Department.
“It has been a privilege to be the sheriff for the past six and a half years and to have worked at the sheriff’s office for so long. I will always love the sheriff’s office and I’m proud of the work they do for the people of Sonoma County,” he said.
Freitas’ term expires at the end of 2018 and had been expected to retire at that time.
Freitas is asking the Board of Supervisors to appoint Assistant Sheriff Rob Giordano as sheriff.
“Rob is absolutely the best person for the job until the public elects a new sheriff next year,” Freitas wrote in his departure announcement.
Freitas had been dealing with unspecified health issues, including some that had him in the hospital at the time the department’s budget was being considered by the supervisors a couple months ago.
His departure was so widely anticipated that several candidates have already announced they would seek election in the county’s 2018 primary election.
The include: Sonoma County sheriffs captain Mark Essick; Dave Edmonds, executive director at the Law Enforcement Chaplaincy Service and former sheriffs department captain; Ernesto Olivares, Santa Rosa city councilmember and former Santa Rosa police commander; John Mutz, former Los Angeles Police Department officer; San Francisco sheriff deputy Jay Foxworthy and Windsor police chief Carlos Basurto.
The county primary election will be in June 2018 with the county voters making a final decision in November if no candidate receives a majority of votes in the primary.
According to Freitas, Giordano has committed to not run for sheriff in the upcoming election.
“His appointment should have no effect on the people’s vote for the next sheriff,” Freitas wrote.
Giordano was appointed to assistant sheriff in July 2014, replacing Lorenzo Duenas who retired. Giordano joined the sheriff’s office in 1996 as a deputy sheriff, working out of the main office and Roseland and Sonoma Valley substations. He has worked as a supervisor for the main office patrol, City of Sonoma, domestic violence/sexual assault unit and violent crimes unit.
