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Greg Clayton to challenge Ian Parkinson in sheriff’s race

February 4, 2018

Greg Clayton

Retired San Luis Obispo police officer and long time private investigator Greg Clayton announced Friday that he is running against San Luis Obispo County Sheriff Ian Parkinson for the county’s top law enforcement seat. [Cal Coast Times]

Following the death of Andrew Holland, a mentally ill Atascadero man who died after being strapped in a restraint chair for more than 46 hours, the Holland family asked Parkinson to step down. The Holland family is supporting Clayton’s campaign for sheriff.

Clayton is running on a campaign of justice and reform based on allegations of mistreatment of inmates under Parkinson’s watch. In the past five years, 12 men have died in the county jail, approximately three times the national average, while the department failed to abide by state regulations regarding the treatment of mentally ill inmates.

Clayton worked as a San Luis Obispo police officer for 13 years and retired in 1992. In 1993, Clayton graduated from Cal Poly with a degree in political science and a minor in public administration. He then went on to open Clayton Investigations. As a private investigator, Clayton has worked for the SLO County Counsel’s Office, local attorneys and insurance companies.


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Doc, you should go on a police ride along. I think most departments offer them. Or at least watch Cops on TV. You will likely see that most cops show amazing restraint in the face of hostility directed at them. Most cops get into the profession with a genuine desire to serve and protect. Candidates for police officer positions undergo extensive psychological testing, polygraph exams and thorough backgrounds that weed out the type of people you (and I) do not want on the force. To my earlier point , assuming that most officers are decent, well intentioned people, then their overwhelming endorsement of Ian Parkinson (that will likely happen) should be seen as significant.


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Yes. Cops are wonderful people! I’m just confused as to why such lovely people break the same laws they enforce on us? Why do they have such a high rate of divorce and domestic violence? Why the steroid abuse? Why is there so much corruption, especially among the various departments on the Central Coast?


I know they’re just super-wonderful, kind, selfless and psychologically tested people…..why do they live lives of massive hypocrisy?


Can you please explain how the best people in the world (cops) act like the worst people in the world so often?


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I’m sorry you have experienced police officers putting their boots on your neck, Doc. I’m thinking maybe you may have done something to bring that on. I don’t believe that is the experience of most of our citizens in their dealings with law enforcement officers.


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Just once when we find out and that’s only when, many times we do not, about an officer driving drunk or breaking some other laws that we hear that the officer is fired, no golden parachute and not being put on a extended taxpayer funded vacation, known as paid administration leave. Instead their fellow officers try to hide the crime, or delay the outcome in hopes the public forgets about it and the crime can be quietly covered up, or a nice earlier retirement funded by the taxpayers.


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LOL. “boots on the neck” is a phrase that is used to describe the tyranny of a police state. I haven’t actually had a cop put his boot on my neck, although I’ve met many who simply love doing that kind of thing.


I have never been arrested, had cuffs on, or been physically abused by cops. People in my family and circle of friends have, however.


The bottom line is that cops are there to ENFORCE. Protecting and serving is impossible when officer safety is the most important thing. We, The People are the enemy. That’s why police need all that military gear.


And don’t you dare say they need military gear in order to keep even with criminals…..there has only been ONE instance of pitched battle between cops and robbers where the robbers used “assault” weapons and that was in North Hollywood in the 1980’s.


The fact is that cops have overwhelming force and are itching to use it. If you think that is a good thing, you must either be a cop, a person who services cops, or perhaps thoroughly brainwashed.


How many jail staffers have been fired? How many sheriffs have been fired or held accountable? exactly.


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Ian Parkinson is a great leader and will, no doubt have the support of the vast majority of Law Enforcement managers, executives and line deputies and police officers county wide.


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If Parkinson has the support of cops and those who service cops—–this is the strongest possible reason to vote for Clayton!


Police are supposed to work on behalf of and for the people…not for themselves. If you want a self-serving, inmate killing, evidence planting, law-breaking, steroid abusing, federal military surplus type of sheriff, then by all means for Parkinson.


But if you don’t like cops to put their boots on your neck, don’t vote for someone whom the cops support.


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Closing the County General Hospital may have resulted in many un-intended consequences, Holland possibly being one of them. The restraint chair and the allowable duty cycle for it’s use are both questionable. Death in jail can be legal and of the 12 who died, how many were caused by the direction of staff? In my opinion, this number is what the campaign based on allegations should present.


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….. how many were caused by the direction of staff?

I don’t think anyone has accused the Sheriff of “directing” the staf to kill inmates. That would be homicide.

I think the better question should be….. how many were caused by the dereliction of staff?

Unintended deaths are more likely the result of; poor procedures, lack of policy adherence, and inadequate training. Aka….Management issues.

It would be an easier argument for this candidate to make. And the appropriate one.


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Good save!, I agree dereliction would be a better allegation. Again, we once had a general hospital for questionable behavior (to say nutz would politically incorrect) but as it is, there is only so much money to go around and we publicly recruit more to this county through well publicized programs and other social perks. This is a County Policy problem and I believe the Sheriff too is a victim of circumstances..


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Folks,


Throw Sheriff Ian Parkinson out of office, he has now become part of the problem, Parkinson’s negligence is resulting in mentally ill patio=ents dying while in custody, and taxpayers are on the hook for multi-million dollar settlements because this politician lacks the ability to lead.


We deserve better.


George Bailey


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Parkinson can lead just fine. The question is where is he leading?

If you envision a community that is harrassed and endangered by armed, badge-carrying thugs, and a deadly jail staffed by cruel people who do not value human life but who treat inmates like diseased animals….vote Parkinson!


If you have human decency and do not wish to live in a police state just yet….vote him out!


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