CLAREMONT’S KGNH TEAM STEPS UP TO HOST SIX OF SEVEN CANDIDATES 

With the June 3 election of a new Los Angeles County Sheriff nearing, community activist and neighborhood watch organizer Betty Crocker says she was shocked to learn there were no public candidate forums east of the 605 Freeway.

The area has more than 1 million residents in 22 cities – half of whom have contracts with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. So it seemed unreal to Crocker and others that most people in this part of the county were not going to have access to the candidates, aside from a few who are able to attend pricey meet-and-greet fundraisers.

KGNH turns out

Crocker – a professor, student, trained chef and founder of the Claremont neighborhood watch group Keeping the Good in Our Neighborhood – turned to the KGNH team to make it happen.

On May 12, hundreds of people and six of the seven candidates for Los Angeles County Sheriff attended a recent Monday night Sheriff’s Roundup in San Dimas, organized by KGNH and area Chambers of Commerce.

“The next top cop should be able to make himself available to this community,” said Crocker. “We have over a million people in this area. We’re relevant. And whoever wins this election is who we’re going to be working with. This is important.”

The Chambers of Commerce in Claremont, Glendora, La Verne, Pomona and San Dimas agreed to help, and city officials in San Dimas offered up a venue.

Emails were sent to all seven candidates and six responded immediately with a positive RSVP. Soon after, 700 local businesses agreed to put posters promoting the Sheriff’s Roundup in their stores.

Neighborly style

Heather Wells was one of more than 350 people who attended the free event, which included a meet-and-greet with the candidates on the lawn outside, as well as a live band and a handful of food trucks – as is the neighborly KGNH style.

Wells said she was thrilled when she heard there would be a public candidates forum so close to her home.

“I couldn’t go all the way into downtown L.A. to hear the candidates, so I’m so glad that they put this together,” she said. “I’m hoping for change. It’s important that we get the right person in the position who’s in it for the right reason.”

Navy veteran Lawrence Papp of Arcadia heard about the event through an email and said he was interested immediately. Meeting the candidates and hearing from them in person is better, he said, than just reading their ballot statements.

“This is a wonderful op portunity for us,” he said.

“If you don’t get the right person in, everything will go to you know what.”

Crocker said she was grateful for the six candidates who joined the forum, including Patrick Gomez, James Hellmold, Jim McDonnell, Bob Olmsted, Todd Rogers and Lou Vince. Only candidate Paul Tanaka did not respond to multiple invitations to join the group.

From Claremont to county

Crocker founded KGNH seven years ago – mostly as a way to get to know her neighbors and create a support system and information line following a rash of burglaries. The group grew quickly across Claremont and started including block parties, street faires and toy drives, along with a strong social media presence and email system that lets everyone get the word out when help is needed.

A major partner of KGNH is the Claremont Police Department, Crocker said.

Until now, Crocker and members of KGNH have been primarily focused on keeping Claremont residents safe. But regional issues like who the next county sheriff will be affects everyone, she said.

“What happens in other cities is important to all of us,” she says. “We’re neighbors regardless of city boundaries, and we have so much power when we unite and work together.”

KGNH and the Chambers of Commerce have said they will not endorse any of the candidates. The Sheriff’s Roundup will be broadcast at a later date on KGNH.net, as well as area city websites.