Sheriff Duke Schirard, in a debate Tuesday morning, sought to refute domestic-violence allegations that have roiled the sheriff’s race.
“I’ve never been guilty of any domestic violence,” he said. “I want the ladies in particular in this community to know that.”
Sheriff’s Office reports show deputies were called to domestic disturbances at Schirard’s house in 1989 and 1990.
Schirard did not deny those reports, but he did dispute the account of Durango police Sgt. Geary Parsons, who told The Durango Herald in a recent article that he was called to Schirard’s house in 1984 or 1985, and saw Schirard’s ex-wife with blackened eyes.
Parsons said his superiors prevented him from arresting Schirard. There is no record of the incident. Schirard read email messages from his two sons and ex-wife denying the incident occurred.
Schirard’s comments came at Tuesday morning’s Eggs & Issues debate hosted by the Durango Chamber of Commerce at the DoubleTree Hotel.
The domestic-violence allegations – paired with Schirard’s own admission that he paid a visit to Durango police Chief Jim Spratlen to silence Parsons – have stirred a typically sleepy local election. In 2010, Schirard was unopposed in earning his fifth term. One of Schirard’s subordinates, Deputy Sean Smith, is challenging the sheriff for his job this time.
Smith said it’s time for a change.
“I believe (Schirard) had passion and drive when he came to this office,” he said. “I believe it’s gone now.”
Schirard pointed to the La Plata County Sheriff’s Office’s “excellence of service” during his 20 years as sheriff. “Tell me one time we haven’t met your needs,” he said.
Smith steered away from addressing the domestic-violence allegations against Schirard.
“It’s not what I’m about,” he said. “If you go look at my website, if you go look at my Facebook page, I’m about my community. I have been all along. I want to win this race on the merits.”
Smith spent some of the debate time disputing characterizations of himself as a liberal.
“I’ve never said we’re going to put deputies in Toyota Priuses,” he said. “That’s not going to happen.”
Smith said the Sheriff’s Office does have Toyota Highlander hybrid SUVs that have proved valuable for some uses. The Highlanders are not used for patrol, he said.
Smith said the personal nature of the race has been disappointing.
“My son has been approached at Durango High School and told I’m going to take guns away from his friends,” he said. “It’s just been ridiculous, so I really hope we can get back to a focus on what’s important.”
Both candidates said they would continue issuing concealed-weapons permits according to state law.
cslothower@durangoherald.com
