Consiglio fails to make casefor replacing Sheriff Altiere

Vindicator Editorial: February 23, 2008 at 12:00a.m.

We will begin this editorial the way we did four years ago: Trumbull County voters have a choice between two veteran law enforcement officers in the race for the Democratic nomination for sheriff.

But we will end it differently: The Vindicator was not swayed by the arguments put forth by Weathersfield Township Police Chief Joseph P. Consiglio for why Sheriff Thomas Altiere should be voted out of office this year. Therefore, we endorse Altiere in his bid for another term.

In 2004, in the midst of turmoil in the sheriff’s department as a result of less-than-competent leadership, we believed a change was necessary. In endorsing Consiglio, we made note of some of the problems in the department: jailers accused of sexual misconduct; a deputy who felt free to drive an unmarked cruiser to Baltimore on a private trip; a deputy who unwittingly gave access to a pistol to a young burglary suspect, who subsequently shot himself while in the back of a cruiser.

Consiglio sold us on the idea that with him in charge, such incidents would not occur.

However, the voters of Trumbull County decided to give Altiere another chance — and we have spent the past three years monitoring the goings-on in the department.

While there have been times when we have berated Altiere for some of his failings or missteps, the sheriff appears be steering the department in a fairly steady fashion.

He is convincing in his rebuttal of the charges made against him by Consiglio with regard to his management of the budget, the assignment of his deputies and even the pay raises given to his executive staff.

When the pay-raise issue first surfaced, we were quick to take the sheriff to task in an editorial, contending that the 31 percent increases granted to 10 administrative staff members were ridiculous and unjustified.

The Weathersfield police chief believes the issue is a reflection of Altiere’s incompetence.

Hospital stay

But in questioning the sheriff about it, we came away convinced that he was telling the truth when he said he “dropped the ball” because he was in the hospital when the issue arose.

A miscalculation by the individual in charge of personnel matters resulted in the double digit pay increases.

“When I got out of the hospital, I hit the roof,” Altiere said. “I revoked the raises to 3 percent.”

As for the challenger’s criticism of deputies who work security in the courthouse being assigned cruisers which they take home, the sheriff explained that because the practice has been in place for so long, he cannot arbitrarily take the cruisers away.

Like Consiglio, we agree that full-time sheriff’s deputies would be better utilized outside the courthouse, but as in Mahoning County, it is up to the judges to develop a new system for providing security.

Finally, the challenger is critical of the overtime being paid to personnel working in the jail, but Altiere explained that because of budget constraints he is only able to have 54 individuals assigned to that duty, while a jail study has pegged the ideal manpower strength at 70. Thus, the high overtime bill.

“I would like to see at least two more corrections officers per shift, which would bring the total to 60,” he said, noting, however, that the price tag would be $240,000 a year.

We do not doubt Consiglio’s sincerity in wanting to serve as sheriff of Trumbull County, nor do we question his qualifications and experience. However, we do not believe that he has made a strong enough case for replacing the incumbent.

The Vindicator endorses Altiere for the Democratic nomination in the March 4 primary. There is no candidate for the Republican nomination.