Biography:

 

 Lived in El Paso for 56 years, served with the El Paso Police Department for 32 years. attended the University of El Paso.  Married for 28 years to Sylvia Serna who is a Police Sergeant working in Patrol at the Northeast Regional command.

 

Name:  Gabriel Serna

 

Age:  56

 

Occupation: Retired October 2007 El Paso Police Lieutenant

 

Website:  www.serna4sheriff.com

 

Residence: Resident of Socorro (County) 28 years

Relevant Experience (for print, will be edited 100 words max):

32 years of experience with Police Department 20 years as a Lieutenant.

1 year Tactical Commander

5 years in charge of Police Communications also project manager over the 800 Trunking Radio communication system a 13.2 million dollar bond issue.

1 year Crime Scene Investigation Commander

1 year Records Management Commander

5 years Support Services Commander over Dignitary Protection, Domestic Violence and Victim Services Grant, Public Information Officer, Volunteer Program

3 years Narcotics Commander over 4 Federal Grants I was also the Grant Administrator for all these initiatives. Awarded Outstanding High Intensity Drug Trafficking Commander 2003.

4 years Shift Commander

 

 

 

Issues 

1. What role would you direct the Sheriff's Department to take with immigration enforcement?

 

We would not be involved in the enforcement of immigration law.  I am however, in favor of Border Security with regards to protecting the United States/Mexican border against Terrorist, illegal drug smuggling, illegal entry and human trafficking.  We would participate in protecting the United States at the Border and would work alongside the Federal agencies to accomplish this. 

 

2. What is your position on consolidation of police and sheriff? If you support it, what specific steps will you commit to?

 

I support consolidation of certain areas of County and City public safety.  I would recommend caution in approaching a full consolidation as the cost saving to the tax payer may not be there. What can easily be consolidated is the Communications functions and I would recommend that the Sheriff Communications function be placed under the City's 911 combined Communication Center.  I put together the system in place today and it was engineered to accommodate the Sheriffs communication function this can easily be accomplished within months. This would be a cost savings to the County and would increase emergency response to large scale disasters for City and County. The Academy should be immediately consolidated but it should be under only the control of the Sheriffs Regional Academy.  Dual control of the Academy function has been proven to fail and thus only the Sheriff Departments standards should dictate the operation of the Academy. 

 

3. What is your position on privatizing prisons in general, and El Paso's in specific?

 

I am opposed to this issue as the control of this type of facility must remain under the control of the government and elected official that is responsible for the safety of the City and County.  A private entity works for profit and a government entity works for the safety of it’s' people.

 

4. What is your position on the new state law that allows officers the discretion to write a ticket for possession of marijuana under 4 ounces? Should such discretion be exercised in El Paso?

 

It is another tool available to law enforcement; having been passed by the legislature we are within our rights to exercise this option.  I would pass this discretion down to the officers in the streets who would best know whether to make the arrest or issue the citation after all they are the ones dealing with the community and criminal on a daily and face to face basis. They know best how to protect the people they serve.

 

5. Do you support citizen review committees? If so, what powers or authority do you support?

 

I do not support citizen review committees for the reason that people may have their own agendas or may be influenced by outside sources who do not have the best interest of the Department in mind.  As an elected official I am responsible for the efficient operation of the Department and if I am not doing my job then I can be easily replaced by the voters. In the field of law enforcement, the less influence there is on its' operations the more objective and fair the Department will operate.  What I would do is seek input from the Community into the operation of the Department through community meetings which are already in place and address the needs of the people in different areas of the County.  

 

6. How would you balance using confiscated funds to bolster the budget and the potential to abuse confiscation to bolster the budget? What controls are or should be in place?

 

I dealt extensively with confiscated funds when I worked in Narcotics as the Commander.  One of my platforms is to utilize confiscated funds to offset increases in taxes; the drug business is a billion dollar operation taking place in our own back yard.  I confiscated $3 million in 2003 in actual currency in my last year in Narcotics.  There is an effective system of checks and balances to prevent abuses of this particular process, before anyone can take the property or currency away from an individual there must be a drug nexis involved.  If there is no drug nexis then the officer cannot confiscate the property.  Having taken the property it must still go before a judge so that he/she may rule on whether the money is awarded to the agency or returned to the owner.  As it goes through the court system there is also an appeals process involved. 

 

7. What is the current relationship between the union and the command? What should the relationship be?

 

The union and the command have a healthy working relationship.  If both parties have the best interest of the Department and the employees at heart then conflicts could be easily resolved and fewer grievances filed.  It is incumbent on the Sheriff to be fair and objective when dealing with all issues involving its' employees and their working conditions.  Problems arise when an atmosphere of favoritism and unfairness are displayed by the Administration of the Department.  As long as the Administration remains employee centered relationships should remain healthy between both parties.

 

8. What do you believe is the biggest issue facing the department?

 

The relationship between the Community and the Sheriff’s Department is what I believe to be the biggest issue.  There has been some damage done due to the immigration issue and the license checks by the Sheriff’s department.  The community is probably leery of calling the Sheriff’s Office for fear that people may be targeted and deported.  This issue must be addressed immediately to regain the confidence in the Sheriff’s Department by the Community. Persons that are wanted for crimes however, should still be afraid to call the Sheriff’s office as they will be arrested and if found to be here illegally a detainer placed on them and deported after serving their sentence.  Neither the County nor the City should be a refuge for criminals no matter what their status.