Ed and Kristie Owens share their thoughts in the race for Clark County sheriff

Editor’s note: Opinions expressed in this letter to the editor are those of the author alone and do not reflect the editorial position of ClarkCountyToday.com

The citizens of Clark County will vote for their next sheriff and they have an important choice to make. The social climate today towards Law Enforcement requires transparency, leadership that values diversity and embraces integrity, and serving the public interest. The overwhelming majority of the deputies serve the Clark County community with integrity, honor, and deserve a leader worthy of their service. John Horch is NOT the leader the deputies deserve. Horch is NOT the leader the citizens of Clark County deserve.

John Horch lacks the integrity needed to lead the Sheriff’s Office and represent the citizens of Clark County. He has a long history of being disciplined for a wide range of issues that the public is unaware of and deserves to know about. Here are some of the Internal Affairs (IA) reports that deserve transparency.

John Horch was investigated for domestic violence incidents involving his previous wife by the CCSO (IA Report S04-5667) that saw the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office brought in to lead the investigation. That investigation included a dozen documented 9-1-1 calls/responses to his home back then. Ultimately, the investigation hit a dead end because witnesses were too afraid to cooperate with investigators.

He doesn’t value diversity in the Sheriff’s Office or community and was demoted from sergeant to deputy for destroying Clark County diversity posters at Central Precinct (IA Report S00-901). He has also been disciplined for failing to file required police reports (IA Reports S00-1104 and 00-1105). He was also disciplined for improperly handling evidence (IA Report S94-1005).

Integrity and transparency are critical for the voters to have before the election. The voters need to make an educated choice when voting for their sheriff. These reports, and all employee evaluations surrounding these IA investigations, should be made available to the public without delay before votes are cast in the election. Both candidates should allow their full personnel files to be made open to the public. The citizens of Clark County deserve this transparency as much as they deserve a leader worthy of leading the Clark County Sheriff’s Office into the future. Trust between the community and law enforcement requires full transparency. Any candidate for public office who is unwilling to be fully transparent doesn’t deserve the voters’ support on election day.

Ed & Kristie Owens
Former Battle Ground residents

Also read:

POLL: Do the proposed changes to the Clark County Council’s Rules of Procedure suggest the council lacked authority in 2025?
A new reader poll asks whether proposed changes to the Clark County Council’s Rules of Procedure indicate the council lacked clear authority during a 2025 board removal.
Letter: ‘HSD needs to give a detailed line-item accounting of where the last levy went, and of how they plan to use this one’
Randall Schultz-Rathbun urges Hockinson School District to provide detailed, transparent accounting of past and proposed levy spending before asking voters for additional funds.
Letter: Interstate Bridge Replacement’s Park & Ride insanity
Bob Ortblad criticizes the Interstate Bridge Replacement Program’s proposed Park & Ride garages, arguing the costs are excessive and unlikely to receive federal funding.
Opinion: Vancouver councilors responsible for stoking irrational fears in the community
Clark County Today Editor Ken Vance sharply criticizes a Vancouver City Council declaration on immigration enforcement, arguing it fuels fear, undermines law enforcement, and lacks supporting evidence.
Opinion: Washington should stop shielding domestic abusers and sexual offenders from deportation
Vancouver attorney Angus Lee argues Washington law improperly shields convicted domestic abusers, sexual offenders, and drunk drivers from deportation and urges lawmakers to change it.