Under the Sun: Deputy Jeff Sherman
So… what is the best cop car?
That’s a difficult question to answer. I would say my favorite patrol vehicle was the Crown Victoria! It was comfortable, and fun and easy to drive. The Ford Explorer was nice on the body as it was higher off the ground, easy to get in and out of, and had plenty of room for gear. Our newest addition to the fleet is also fun to drive: the Dodge Charger is more of a sports car; though it’s lower to the ground and harder to get in and out of, once inside you feel like you’re in a cockpit.
Why are there so many illegal tinted windows?
I haven’t noticed an influx recently. There have always been equipment violations out there. I think our biggest equipment challenge right now are the vehicles with loud exhaust speeding around town.
Are the new super bright headlights legal?
Good question…Yes, the halogen lights you’re referring to are legal. They are pretty much standard on new cars. We ran into the issue of brightness when we changed over to the Ford Explorer in 2013-2014. I was lucky enough to have one of the new vehicles when I had K9 Dickie as my partner, and nightly I would get flashed by other motorists as they believed my high beams were illuminated. As it turned out it was actually the angle they were set at which was the issue. Though they were bright, once they were adjusted by angling the beams down a bit, the flashing from opposing motorists all but quit.
It seems like everyone is on a cell phone while driving, why not pull them all over?
When we see someone on their phone, most of the time it’s a vehicle passing us and in order for us to make an enforcement stop, we have to complete a U-turn. This may be easy to accomplish on a residential road, but trying to complete this at 4pm on West Napa Street can be difficult. Also, many times we are enroute to a dispatched call which may take priority over a cell phone violation, or any other vehicle code-related violation.
What levels of law enforcement training do you aspire to?
I think what you’re asking is how high up in rank do I aspire to be? Thankfully the Sheriff’s Office is large enough to have many opportunities for a law enforcement career. During my 12 ½-year career I have been lucky to work various shifts in different areas of the county. I was also lucky enough to be tapped as the first K9 Team in the City of Sonoma. Together with my K9 Partner Dickie, we worked six years together handling a multitude of dangerous in-progress calls from bank robberies and other violent encounters, to low-key demonstrations and school visits. Without getting too ahead of myself, my goal now that Dickie is retired is to promote into the Sheriff’s Office Detective Bureau. My goal is to join our Domestic Violence/Sexual Assault Unit.
What should people know about Deputies that they don’t?
I think the biggest thing we get is that we are just regular people. It sounds funny, but when someone takes the time and stops to talk to one of us, they are often amazed that we are “just like them!” Feel free to spark up a conversation with a deputy when you see them.
Have you been involved with the Citizens Academy? If so, what did you enjoy is fun about it?
I was lucky enough to take part in the first ever Sonoma Valley Citizens Academy this past fall. As this was the tail end (no pun intended) of Dickie’s career, we took on the subject of our K9 Unit, presenting everything there is to know about our teams and how they work within the Sheriff’s Office. I also had the opportunity to set up a scenario in our back lot and was able to show Dickie at work! The Citizens Academy is a great way for the community to not only meet our staff, but see what it takes to be in law enforcement. People are blown away with their experiences and say that it’s really an eye-opener.
— Interview by Fred Allebach
