Benton commissioners say sheriff is ‘abundantly’ unfit. Letter supports union recall effort

The Benton County commissioners said Tuesday they support efforts by the sheriff’s deputies union to remove Sheriff Jerry Hatcher from office through a recall vote.

“We wholeheartedly agree with your assessment of Sheriff Hatcher and his abundantly clear inability to continue to be fit to serve in his current capacity as the Benton County Sheriff,” the commission said in a letter to the guild that was released to the public on Tuesday afternoon.

The letter said they supported the union’s recent near-unanimous vote to approve a recall petition.

“We applaud your continued dedication and commitment to our community and our safety in the face of hardship,” said the letter.

However, the commission’s letter also responded to the union’s criticism of the county administration in its handling of continued complaints against Hatcher.

Hatcher is elected by voters and can only be removed from office by a vote — either on a recall petition or in 2022 when his term is up for election..

The commission said it has “followed the necessary procedures to file reports and request additional investigation into Sheriff Hatcher’s actions when said issues have been brought to our attention.”

The letter said the COVID-19 pandemic also has complicated the issue because the board only can discuss county business not considered “necessary and routine” directly related to the pandemic.

“Please rest assured that we are doing what we can to support you in your endeavor to recall Sheriff Jerry Hatcher,” said the letter.

Sheriff’s union vote

More than 90 percent of the Benton County Deputy Sheriff’s Guild membership voted unanimously recently to have Hatcher removed from office.

The guild — consisting of patrol deputies, detectives, corporals, sergeants, lieutenants and now commanders— cited an independent investigator’s findings that Hatcher retaliated against a whistleblower and two witnesses, engaged in anti-union activity and threatened employees who failed to support him.

The union said the membership concluded that Hatcher “committed several crimes and civil infractions.” Allegations have ranged from domestic violence and witness tampering to misappropriation of county property.

Union officials said they went public with their recall vote because county leaders had not said how they plan to move forward.

Given the recent civil unrest nationwide and calls for police reform, union members said their integrity is more important than ever when it comes to speaking out against “bad” cops.

“Sheriff Hatcher does not deserve a second term as the Benton County sheriff and we strongly believe he is not deserving of finishing his first,” the guild said in a news release.

A recall petition would need to be filed with the Benton County Auditor’s Office, which then would be forwarded to the Benton County Prosecutor’s Office to start the legal process required before gathering signatures. If enough signatures are collected, it would be placed on a ballot for a public vote.

The sheriff says he believes this new effort to get him out of office is because some union representatives told him last year they thought he should resign immediately.

“This is nothing more than an organized labor’s attempt to take over the sheriff’s office management and try to diminish accountability by a sheriff’s office,” Hatcher previously told the Tri-City Herald.

He has denied any wrongdoing and blames the union for not being ready for the changes he brought to the office three years ago.

And he’s accused the county commissioners of playing politics, though the sheriff and all three commissioners are all Republicans.

This story was originally published July 1, 2020 at 5:00 AM.