COUNTYWIDE : Gillespie Expected to Head Sheriffs Group

Ventura County Sheriff John Gillespie is expected to be named the head of the California State Sheriffs Assn. at a banquet Wednesday in Ventura during the group’s 98th annual convention, officials said.

Gillespie is now the first vice president of the group, which includes all 58 elected sheriffs in the state, retired sheriffs and a small number of subordinates as active members.

There are also about 30,000 associate, or non-voting, members of the group, said Ventura County Sheriff’s Sgt. Jim Burell.

While Gillespie’s selection as the new president is not guaranteed, the office is traditionally passed to the first vice president, Burell said.

David Renner, the sheriff of Humboldt County, is the current president.

The sheriffs association was founded more than 100 years ago to provide its elected members a way to improve law enforcement in the state, Burell said.

“Being elected officials, they have an extra push that appointed police chiefs don’t have,” he said.

Members will attend training sessions on managing stress and “verbal judo,” an interview technique for use during crises taught by consultant George Thompson, he said.