Kootenai County Sheriff

Sheriff Ben Wolfinger, seeking his second term in office, prevailed in the Republican primary in May against a challenger who supports the concept of “constitutional sheriffs,” a movement that maintains law enforcement officers need to decide which laws are constitutional. In the general election Wolfinger faces another supporter of that movement, Tina Kunishige of Coeur d’Alene. Making her first bid for public office, Kunishige is on the ballot as a Democrat, but the Kootenai County Democratic Central Committee does not support her candidacy, maintaining she ran as a Democrat only to avoid the crowded field in the Republican primary.

Wolfinger has spent his law enforcement career with the Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office and was elected four years ago to succeed Sheriff Rocky Watson, who retired. Wolfinger said his priorities are to aggressively go after burglars, thieves and drug dealers. “We know that drug addictions drive many of the property crimes,” he said. Another priority is to work with organizations “to bring awareness to and combat domestic violence and sexual assault.” The sheriff said he also will focus on ways to retain “the excellent staff that we have” and “improve our focus of ‘servant leadership’ in our communities.”

Kunishige, who has no law enforcement experience, is a member of several “patriot” organizations, including Oath Keepers, the Constitutional Sheriffs and Peace Officers Association, and Liberty First Brigade. Originally from San Jose, California, Kunishige has a long list of criticisms of how the sheriff’s office is run, including its “top-heavy administration,” a “poor relationship” between the sheriff and county commissioners, and a “lack of transparency and accountability.” Other problems, she said, are office morale and deputy retention; jail crowding; abuse of the civil asset forfeiture law; and Wolfinger’s “view of the office being a paramilitary organization/agency.” Kunishige said she will lead the office with honesty and integrity, be a “constitutionally-minded sheriff with unwavering principles,” and defend people’s rights and property “above all forms of intrusion.”