Knezovich taking care of ‘unease’

Spokane County’s new sheriff spent the day Wednesday working to heal some wounds and make the changes he promised.

Ozzie Knezovich, 43, was appointed sheriff by a unanimous vote of county commissioners Tuesday to fill the spot vacated March 31 when Mark Sterk retired. The process had grown contentious in recent weeks as sheriff’s employees took sides among three candidates.

“What I’ve been trying to do today is to get that unease taken care of,” said Knezovich, in his new office, bare of everything but furniture. “We have somebody in charge, and we’re going to do our jobs.”

Knezovich has worked at the Sheriff’s Office 10 years and served as sexual assault and property crime detectives, a training sergeant, patrol deputy and SWAT team supervisor.

On Wednesday, he attended roll calls at the jail and met with several employees. He also started work on two pledges he made during the appointment process.

A detective will soon be transferred to monitor sex offenders, Knezovich said. Also, property crime detectives will be stationed by May 1 in the neighborhoods they serve in Spokane Community Oriented Policing Effort stations.

Knezovich said the change will give investigators more contact with deputies patrolling neighborhoods. Spokane Valley Police Chief Cal Walker and Lt. Jim Finke, the other candidates for the sheriff’s post, had argued that detectives solved more crimes when working in the same location.

Walker is running against Knezovich in September’s GOP primary. Finke said after Knezovich’s appointment Tuesday that he might stay in the race.

The new sheriff now finds himself surrounded by appointees in Sterk’s administration who mostly endorsed Walker.

Even the spokesman for the department, Sgt. Dave Reagan, does media work for Walker’s campaign.

Knezovich said he’s not bothered by Reagan’s involvement in Walker’s campaign or by financial contributions made by other staff.

“I don’t care who people support,” Knezovich said. “I don’t because I know that people are going to do their jobs for this agency. What they do on their time off, that’s up to them.”

Knezovich said he has asked Undersheriff Larry Lindskog, jail commander Jerry Brady and head of investigations Capt. Bruce Mathews to stay in their positions. Sgt. Jeff Tower, who worked with Knezovich in the leadership of the Spokane County Deputy Sheriffs Association, will be promoted to an undersheriff position on May 1, Knezovich said.

Others in the top spots, including Walker, can remain but will have to take part in an application process aimed at captains, lieutenants and sergeants, Knezovich said. He added that he will encourage Walker to apply for the chief’s job and noted that Spokane Valley officials have a say in who holds the position.

“Cal Walker is a valued employee of this agency,” Knezovich said. “He has a lot to offer.”

Spokane Valley leaders say they hope Walker remains chief.

“I still consider him to be a great candidate,” Spokane Valley Mayor Diana Wilhite said. “I’d like to counsel him to stay as our police chief.”

In voting for Knezovich, commissioners went against the recommendation of the Republican Party, which voted to endorse Walker. Attempts to reach Sterk, who is the county’s GOP chairman, were unsuccessful Tuesday night and Wednesday. Walker did not return a call Wednesday afternoon.

A major factor in the choice was Knezovich’s degree in management and law enforcement, county Commissioner Todd Mielke said. Knezovich is the only one of the three candidates who has a four-year college degree.

Mielke said temperament also was an issue and that appeared to show through after the vote when he went to shake Walker’s hand and told him that he was a strong candidate.

Walker shook his hand but stood mute, Mielke said.

“He just stared,” Mielke said. “I thought it was a strange response.”