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Gesell contemplating run against Joe Arpaio

May 28, 2015
Steve Gesell

Steve Gesell

San Luis Obispo’s former police chief Steve Gesell withdrew his application for the Chico chief of police job and has set his sights on a possible run for embattled Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s position in the 2016 election. [KSBY]

Earlier this year, Gesell applied to Chico for its chief of police position. On May 12, SLO City Manager Katie Lichtig placed Gesell on paid administrative leave, and last week the city agreed to pay him a $120,000 settlement to walk away without disparaging or filing a lawsuit against the city.

On May 22, several members of Chico’s Police Officers Association were in San Luis Obispo to interview Gesell’s former associates as part of a background investigation. Gesell responded by withdrawing his application for the Chico chief of police position.

“Chico has a lot of similarities to San Luis Obispo, and the last thing I would want to put my family through again, is a lot of the same scenarios that I have been through here,” Gesell told KSBY. “And after contemplating that, we have the option to what we know in Phoenix, and particularly what I believe will be the opportunities that will present themselves. The decision is very clear.”

In 2013, a judge ruled that Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s office had systematically racially profiled Latinos in its regular traffic and immigration patrols. Arpaio leadership has cost Maricopa County taxpayers more than $23 million in legal expenses and the costs of implementing court recommendations to fix Arpaio’s acts of racial bias.

Gesell told KSBY he is contemplating running for the sheriff’s seat currently held by Arpaio in the 2016 election.

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Wait a second… Sheriff is an elected position…. This Gessel, thinks he can move to a new area and win an election?! Ha ha ha


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@805code4 He has 22 years previous to San Luis Obispo as served in Phoenix as a commander for the city department. He can retire and live life good


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hahahaha. He takes SLO taxpayers money and then wants Sheriff Joe Arpaio job. hahaha.


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I believe it’s Gesell who is laughing, all the way to the bank, 120,000 times, thanks to the SLO city manager, the SLO city council and SLO taxpayers


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He can surely support himself while he “runs.”


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ALL these chiefs seem to do is skip from one town to another and collect severence pay each time they split. Love to see the tax dollars wasted! Lets just give it alll to the people who need it the least! While we are at it, lets raise money for Bill Gates too!


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The cities would save millions each year if they would subcontract the County Sheriffs Department to serve the cities. We would see a lot less political B.S


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My attitude towards Law Enforcement began to change:


The time I was sick with the Flu passing through a strip mall and a whole procession of Federal Marshals rolled up on me during some sort of sweep.


The time I consented to a search (never again) and was practically molested.


The time I went to the Police station to check on my stolen Ham Radio Equipment and Greek New Testament and was told I was in the wrong place?


When I began to notice the frequency these jack asses will distort and embellish the Truth as long as they can hide behind the color of authority and letter of the Law.


The time I sat in Mitchel Park and saw a Police Officer approach an individual and stated he had just intercepted his phone call and searched individual. Ruse or not I now support the use of surveillance all of it. This diseased childish culture is not worthy of privacy with their tech toys and trash.


The time last Holiday season while trying to use a sink individual attempting to pass himself off as Police (told he was) harassed me about drugs this that and the other, while up in my face, than initiated his cell phone ruse bull crap.


I have had individuals approach me and practically want to search me. I’ll Fight I don’t give a damn who you are or who you think you are.


There is an increased tendency towards assumed guilt, provoking, setting up, baiting. All these little games and childish ruses.


The Moslems can have you go get with them.


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Visit an attorney’s office and pick up a handful of business cards.

If you are doing nothing wrong and minding your own business, and are confronted by cops, answer politely, but yes and no. Don’t explain, exaggerate, or extrapolate.

If you feel threatened, dig out one of the lawyer’s biz cards. Keep at least one right with your D.L. / ID. Don’t say much …just something like ‘This is who I would like you to talk with’.

Most often ( if it reaches that stage ) that will be the end of the conversation.

Again, be pleasant.


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“feel threatened”? what are they going to do to me?


I’m beyond all this I’m not going to hide behind a stack of Lawyers Business Cards, Cell Phone or anything else. I am who am and I’m going to stand up to this bull crap in so far as possible. This would be like a full time career. Things are getting to this point due to the gutless wonders in the community.


Nature of Police interaction seems to have changed. Becoming more adapted to the information age and analysis: movements, associations, contacts. These are not your mothers Police. Interaction tends to be in the nature of a probing inquiry and if they can bait and ensnare so much the better. I’m on a bike daily (not under a rock). Plus they interact with all the drunks and dirt bags and are on the clock to do so. Not me they can go get their information from the likes of that (most of whom are equipped with all the latest tech toys).


I’m not going to cow tow some moron just because he has a badge. I’m sorry and yes I do have attitude.


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I understand. You have attitude …but they have a gun.


Another method to do when unjustifiably detained ( legally, it’s a form of kidnapping ) is to start picking your nose and talking about aliens ( space variety ) coming to getya ! They’ll wish you on your way.


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And there are those suggesting I need psyche meds? and they would know.


Look dude at the age of 60 there is no patriotism left in me. I am an honorably discharged Vet. This Society is nothing I would fight for, especially this community with its emphasis on child development. The locals can mate like rabbits until the cows come home, culturally this community is not even on par with some third world cultures. This is Not a culturally rich community gah gah goo goo.


I pursue the same rigorous interests everyday. I would not know most of you people existed in this community. Than along comes those huge egos, childish snottiness, narcissism, etc.etc.


That said I have my standards and principles. Plenty of Muslims I would take over these local yokals any day.


General Announcement:This is my real name, I’m not anonymous (as in ferret). I could if I wanted to fool the NSA. I have an internet presence. I accomadate 100 % freedom of speech. No hiding behind anonymity (so you think), rules, moderators, children, dogs or anything else. There is nothing sweet or namby pamby about me. Anyone wants to see who is who can come look it up.


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The likes of you are why we have to pay the police so g*****n much money to TRY to have open spaces for what they intended. The light bulb went on for me when about 25 years ago my brother was back home visiting. With the baby in bed at our parents house he went on a late night walk with his wife around the ‘hood. Walking through Mitchell park my brother was amazed when approached by a police officer and informed that the park closed at 10pm! My brother told the officer that he had grown up in the park and was surprised by the need for rule. The officer told my brother and his wife to continue on through the park on their own schedule and to have a wonderful evening.


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Really? That’s the life changing moment where you had some great vague realization that we’re living in some threatening world overrun by creeps that we need fork over a ton of g******m money for police to protect us by selectively enforcing laws? That’s pretty dramatic. I wonder how you made it through such an experience.


I kind of suspect it just reinforced false beliefs that you already had.


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This intended for the “likes of me”?


I’m a skinny old senior citizen. The first crime I committed here was trying to eat a sack lunch at that bridge near the Elks Club.


I don’t quite get it? but I don’t want to know the likes of you.


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“Chico has a lot of similarities to San Luis Obispo, and the last thing I would want to put my family through again, is a lot of the same scenarios that I have been through here,”


So not only does Gesell take a shot at our SLO community, but he also slams Chico’s community.


Class act Steve!!! Dont let the door hit you in the butt on your way back to Phoenix


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I think it’s highly likely that some of the SLO Officers told the Chico interviewers about the ticket and DUI quotas. That is certainly something that an upstanding LE would not appreciate, also it is illegal and outright hostile towards the citizens that they’re serving. I think it’s possible that the Chico department rejected him.


I just watched the KSBY video and I couldn’t help but notice that Steve steered the interview in the direction of the letter he wrote to the Tribune regarding the shooting of an unarmed black youth while intimating that it is the reason for his dismissal. He stated that his separation agreement indicates that his dismissal is due to a matter of “philosophical differences”. My first thought is that he and Lichtig have a history of collaborating on “verbiage”.


I would like to give him the benefit of the doubt but there is just too much smoke here. At this point, I would like to see Litchtig gone as well and probably the city attorney along with her.


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As you enter Maricopa County, there is a big sign that says:

“WELCOME TO MARICOPA COUNTY”

NO WHINERS & NO WIMPS


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So?

SLO can post signs that say “No styrofoam & no bad smells”


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And Parking for Camping Prohibited City Wide.


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It seems he figured out that Chico is already wise to his antics and now is looking elsewhere.


It seems Gesell changes his mind on where he wants to work as often as I change my underwear…about every other day.


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I wonder if his contenders will contact Karen Velie for copies of all his padded expense receipts/accounts and copies of the e-mails between the city manager and the head of the finance department and Steve. Good Luck Steve


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The last thing Maricopa county is worried about is expense accounts….

Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio asks public’s help with legal fees


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