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Parkinson pledges to reopen Smart investigation

June 15, 2011

San Luis Obispo County Sheriff Ian Parkinson renewed his pledge Tuesday night to reopen the investigation into missing Cal Poly student Kristin Smart. [KSBY]

Parkinson made the comments at a public forum in Cambria, one in a series of recent town hall meetings the new sheriff has been holding across the county. The sheriff spoke in response to concerns raised by local residents who want an outside expert brought in to help solve the mystery of the Cal Poly student who vanished in May 1996.

Cinda Sebring of San Luis Obispo drove all the way to Cambria to speak to Sheriff Parkinson on behalf of the Smart family.

“When the clock strikes midnight, it will mark the 5,500th day that Kristin has been missing,” said Sebring. “The Smarts are very relieved and grateful that you have made this commitment.”

Parkinson has asked investigators to re-examine every piece of physical evidence associated with the case, a process he hopes will start by the end of this month.

A retired FBI agent, currently working with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, has offered his services free of charge to investigators. Parkinson has thus far rejected the offer, claiming the organization has more expertise with searches than actual investigations.

“They say it takes a village to raise a child and it’s clear that it’s going to take the village to bring Kristin home,” Sebring said.


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So guess who’s on vacation until the end of June? That would be Sheriff Parkinson. Oh, and guess who else is going on vacation? The Undersheriff. What the Heck, let’s all go on vacation! I mean, My Goodness, the sheriff’s been in office for 3 whole months. He must be exhausted!

YOU KNOW WHO’S EXHAUSTED? DENISE & STAN SMART, THAT’S WHO!

So much for going thru Kristin’s case files by the end of the month, huh?

I wonder how long the sheriff and the undersheriff had these so called vacation plans? Maybe an hour or so after that Cambria Meeting?

We’re coming down on you Parkinson. You can run but you can’t hide. Enjoy your umbrella drinks.


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My mistake…he’s been in office 5 months. Well now that just changes everything (sarcasm intended)


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Maybe he’s taking cues from Bush and Obama and aiming for 30% of his time to be vacations?


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After all the time that has passed with no answers coming from local LE as to what happened, it is hard to believe the SLOC Sheriffs Department would worry about sharing information they may or may not have regarding possible leads to this case. A Dream Team is waiting to be called which may add up to many more years of national LE and investigated experience than the SLOC Sheriffs Department has. In any event, I think a more detailed explanation by Sheriff Parkinson is in order as to why the services of seasoned professionals are not welcomed especially when the request is apparently sanctioned by the family of the missing.


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I just looked at the FaceBook page that Kristin’s mother posted on this thread.

WOW, What an opportunity! Apparently, all this team is asking for is an opportunity to review all the case files.


“If Sheriff Parkinson extends an invitation to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, Kristin can instantly have a ‘Dream Team’ of men and women with decades of law enforcement experience combined on her side. These professionals can focus like a laser entirely on Kristin.”


“There is no charge to the Sheriff’s department or to the residents of San Luis Obisbo County.”


“We encourage as strongly as possible that Sheriff Parkinson take advantage of this amazing opportunity. It may take a while for Kristin to be found, but the instant benefit to Stan, Denise, Matt and Lindsey Smart would be beyond priceless.”


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While I would like nothing more than to help bring some sort of long-overdue closure to the Smart family and their friends (heck, most of SLO for that matter), I think the Sheriff has to also consider the legal liabilities in sharing information to private citizens (in this case, a retired FBI investigator). Just playing devil’s advocate, but if the “Dream Team” is retired or otherwise NOT in an official (and liable) capacity, can a law enforcement office turn over possible evidence and leads? I’m guessing that might open them up to all kinds of legal problems should something turn sour (i.e. public-release of private info, etc.).


Maybe if they temporarily deputize the private citizens, and have them sign/swear to keep secret things that are not for public consumption? I could be way off, but there might exist this wall between LE and public. Maybe someone with legal experience could chime in?


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The answer to this question is that NO one will have that answer without an inquiry and

conversation with the NCMEC. Thousands of law enforcement agencies around

the country who seek and utilize the skill and expertise of the Project Alert team from the

NCMEC might also be able to weigh in on that answer! But first, SOMEONE with authority needs to make the call! Saying NO without a full understanding is not the answer!


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If that is the case, then Ian Parkinson needs to at least let us know. Heck, he needs justification for not bringing them in, especially given the crime’s age – one would think he needs all the help he can get.


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Maybe now that time has passed, someone who has held this valuable information in all these years, will feel like sharing. It’s worth a shot, right!? Maybe someone is just feeling guilty enough to come forward but they need a push in the right direction. People need to know that this case is not going away. Kristin’s friends and family will not give up the search for her. Hopefully Parkinson gets on the ball and brings in anyone and everyone available!


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At this point, our Sheriff’s Dept needs to share the records with other professionals, like the retired FBI agent who offered his time.


Let’s drop the ego’s and go all out to bring Kristin home to her family. There are plenty of bright detectives who have worked on this case, no doubt it’s going to take some luck and possibly an outsider who feels a sense of freedom to investigate in a fashion that working gov employees don’t always perceive as afforded to them. Independent individuals who are accountable only to themselves don’t have to explain their thought process to superiors and are more inclined to think outside of the box, and at this point, that might be what it is going to take. This can be solved, one thing for certain is that it’s 15 years too long in the waiting, let’s not pass up any “viable” resources.


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Please follow this link to the Kristin Smart is Still Missing Facebook cause page.

This is OUR effort to reach someone who holds the key to what happened the night Paul Flores ‘walked’ Kristin home. She DID not “VANISH”, that would presume NO one knows where she is, we all know

SOMEONE knows where she is…………

our hope is that MORE than that ONE person knows the answer and will see via

FB that we STILL need their help!


http://www.causes.com/causes/508843-kristin-smart-is-still-missing?m=4d513973


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“SmartMa” as in Kristin’s mom?? If so, please know that many of us SLO County folks have never forgotten this case. We DO remember your daughter and we are so, so sorry this happened to your family. My parents were born & raised in Stockton and I’ve always felt an indirect connection to this case. We all hope and pray that the truth comes out sooner, rather than later. We remember Kristin.


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Yes, thank you for your support and understanding our nightmare! Keeping our efforts and her story alive are the last gifts we are able to give to our girl! The heartache and the road to justice just never end! SOMEDAY!!!!!!!


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We so WANT to believe this promise ……………..only time will reveal the answer! We have heard SO many

promises in the past ,we do hope this administration is DIFFERENT and open to outside avenues and

will be including our family in the communication link. This has been a very sad and lonely road

to walk alone, the support of friends, family and the community has helped us keep our focus.

NOW, we pray that politics can be aside and that our new Sheriff & CO. will listen to and HEAR

our voices ! !5 years is 15 years too long! What happened in the PAST is over, what happens NEXT

is ALL that matters today!

The National Center for MIssing and Exploited Children offered their help years ago and was handily

turned away by Sheriff Hedges, we hope that this new admin will research this opportunity to see

IF they are still willing to assist. We won’t know without asking! Thank you for encouraging this

administration to leave no stone un-turned! It is going to take the VILLAGE to find our Kristin!


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Gosh, I feel so bad for my previous post. I never ever thought that you might be reading these things. I hope that you get some answers and I hope that you get them soon. Being a mother myself I just can’t imagine the hell that you’ve been through. I’m so very sorry for what that person has done to your family. One thing that is for sure, thanks to you being such a vigilant loving mother and showing the world what a special daughter Kirstin is, she will always be cared about by thousands and thousand of people. You are to be commended for your long battle for answers and for justice. I hope that Parkinson does a better job than Hedges did. At the very least I hope that they release all of thier info to you so you can at least investigate this for yourselves. Of course answers and a conviction would be what we all hope for.


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“A retired FBI agent, currently working with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, has offered his services free of charge to investigators. Parkinson has thus far rejected the offer, claiming the organization has more expertise with searches than actual investigations.


Uh… even if that was true, it’s not like he has NO experience with investigation! And if he’s retired and offering his help for free, how would that impede the SLOSD? Like many things with Parkinson’s name on it, it doesn’t pass the smell test for me.


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It’s all about protecting the Kingdom. I’ve worked in public safety. Chiefs and their inner circle don’t like others who are smarter or have more experience. I think Parkinson is trying to keep his detectives happy who failed to bring justice in this case and who feel threatened by smarter people outside their circle who may expose their mistakes. With that said, hopefully fresh eyes and minds within the sheriff’s department just might get lucky and find a clue. lets hope they do!


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Ditto Bob, it’s about the ego.


They don’t really care as much as they should about solving the crime. But this isn’t anything new, this doesn’t just happen here, it happens everywhere. People get away with murder everyday. I’ve seen murder cases that are so obvious that a child could solve them. Sadly I don’t believe that this case will every be solved.


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From what I understand, though, Parkinson is not the bright bulb in the chandelier – not a particularly unintelligent guy, but just not the sharpest. Of course, that was all heresy and I do not personally know him to confirm or deny such things.


Our County’s track record for employing the best and brightest in the highest positions does have a trend… I’m just saying…


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AMEN!


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My heart goes out to the Smart family and I can understand that they will never stop looking for Kristin. If I were them, I would never stop either and I would be grateful for any help that I received. Sometimes, giving up just isn’t an option and my heart does break for them.


It’s also clear that Flores is never going to talk and unless he does, this investigation isn’t going to go anywhere. Whatever evidence might have existed was bungled back in 1996.


Regardless, this has always been a sensational case and no doubt, Parkinson is out looking for some publicity. He will get plenty of that when the MM mobile dispensary cases go to trial. He was behind those illegal raids and wanted that deed done before he took office so that he could blame it on Hedges. He has since blatantly lied about his role and knowledge surrounding those illegal raids and his lies have been quoted in the press.


Go ahead and get angry with me, the truth will come out. Parkinson is such a dog. It’s sickening that he is using the Smart family tragedy to garner some publicity for himself.


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He is offering his assistance for free and we are not taking it? How stupid is that? The barney fifes under Hedges couldn’t figure it out, why not get some outside expertise. You may want to start with water boarding that Flores guy. He must know something.


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