An explanation of the origin of the phrase “The God Squad”
In Part I of this series we took a look at the first few questions in a survey sent out to Chelan County Sheriff Office commissioned officers in late 2020 and how the officers responded. In response to the first question “I would recommend CCSO to a friend as a place to work” one officer responded:
“When I started here, I was extremely proud to work here. Now when people ask me if they should apply, I tell them there are other agencies in the area that pay more and treat their employees fair,” one officer wrote. “This department has turned into a hostile working environment for anyone who doesn’t drink the cool-aid or go to Grace City Church. The PUD was sued because of this.”
After I published my first piece about this survey folks asked how I came up with the phrase “The God Squad.” I had to correct them and say I didn’t – it’s a quote from a Chelan County Sheriff’s deputy. It’s catchy, but I wouldn’t use it in my reporting unless it was a direct quote. Not only would that be editorializing on my part, but if that phrase came from me it would signal that I am treating this subject with a flippant and cavalier attitude disrespectful to the subject matter at hand and the community at large. So I wanted to make sure the record is straight here and give credit where credit is due. I didn’t come up with the line but I can’t say I didn’t chuckle when I read it.
I’d also like to make it clear that both of these surveys are public record and available to everyone. I received copies of them from Chelan County after putting in a public records request in fall 2021. I will include links to view both documents so anyone can read them in their entirety later in this post, and explain why.
Now though, we’ll pick up where we left off after that first piece and focus on the rest of the questions in the survey. The other issues raised by Chelan County Sheriff’s officers are just as important, even if they don’t directly mention or implicate Grace City Church.
Question 4: “I feel our agency does a good job of recognizing me?”
Again the sworn officers were split just about down the middle in their responses. But one officer brings up a point about the agency’s priorities, and allocation of resources.
“This agency recognizes some things and not others. Search and Rescue for example is recognized because they save lives and make the department look good, but it is not supported. We were issued duffle bags; every patrol deputy received a fancy monogrammed bag. Estimated costs: bag cost $50.00 x 60 = approximately $3,000 dollars (I realize this is a ball park guess on the costs). The high angle team was denied carabiners. A piece of necessary equipment that saves lives. The excuse that is given, ‘It’s a different line item.’ You are welcome to continue giving that excuse and maybe you really believe it, but the truth is, it is all tax dollars. If it is a line item issue then change the line item. Our priorities are way off.”
“…shunned or called disgruntled,” the end of that last sentence reads.
Another officer wrote that “bad behavior seems to be rewarded” and that he can think of several swift water rescues where all parties involved saved lives and not one accolade was given.
Another officer wrote: “I will likely only be recognized if I have done something wrong. I cannot remember the last time I have been recognized for something sincerely good but it has been years.”
“Historically this agency has been terrible at recognizing its members. It’s sad when an individual spends 30+ years working here and they get a pizza party at the end,” another officer wrote.
Yet another reported that “as of late it seems to be all about the new and shiny. You can ask anybody who has been here more then 10 years.”
Not all the respondents were jaded vets though. One officer pushed back on the very concept of being recognized for performance in the line of duty.
“Once again, ‘feelings’. Do you really need to be recognized for doing your job? We serve the community, so they should be the barometer, not the Agency. (redacted),” he wrote.
Another deputy put it more bluntly and simply wrote, “We are stat driven, not values driven so most people are not recognized.”
Question 5: “I am proud to be a member of the CCSO team.”
Most agreed with this statement, but one deputy did not and provided a specific reason why.
“Not after our recent in-service. I am proud of the work I do. I am proud of the work my squad does. I was embarrassed how East Wenatchee Officers were treated,” one officer wrote. “They were lectured on tactics that were just fine and maybe could use a tune up or some adjustment. Instead they were treated like rookies by instructors who made it clear the status of their own perfection.”
Question 6: The agency’s process for the selecting deputies of special teams (SAR, HARRT, SWAT, etc.) is clearly defined and fair?
Twenty-three of the 37 respondents agreed and 14 disagreed with this statement.
“The standards for specialty team selections are all over the place,” one deputy wrote. “How does one get selected for SWAT when they are still on probation.”
It seems that this individual was on a few of the officers’ minds, as another wrote: “Was (redacted) assigned to the SWAT team prior to completing his probationary period?”
Question 7: “The agency’s process for the selecting deputies to be instructors is clearly defined and fair?”
More deputies responded “no” than “yes” to this question.
“… specifically. I tried to explain the only way to make it better to get involved and be the change you want to see. He was unwilling and said it just wasn’t worth have to deal with (Redacted),” reads the rest of the answer on page 13.
One deputy reported he didn’t see any information on how to become a firearms instructor, yet the Sheriff’s office recently promoted some new instructors. Another said the process for promotion was “arbitrary and inconsistent” and that “our instructors are not taken care of well here.”
“At best it appears to be based on the good ‘ol boys system, and which rumors have been spread about them,” another deputy wrote.
Another wrote simply: “What is the process?”
Question 8:
“The agency’s process for promotions is clearly defined and fair,” reads question eight.
Nineteen officers responded “no” and 18 responded “yes.”
One of the respondents to this question made a passing reference to shared ideology when it comes to spiritual beliefs.
“No. My best guess if you are personally liked, share the same passions or religious beliefs then you are a good choice,” wrote the deputy. “If you do not share the same personal interest you would not be a good choice for promotion.”
Again the last respondent’s remarks are laconic, and blunt: “The sheriff will get who he wants regardless of the process.”
I will follow up with the third installment of this series soon. In the meantime you can read the questions and responses for part I and part II in their entirety by clicking on those links.
I am providing links to the full documents because this is public information and transparency in government is important for voters to make informed decisions. When I first embarked up my journey of reporting about Grace City Church, and its impact on the Wenatchee Valley community, I was warned that “the good ‘ol boys” club wouldn’t like it and that could have negative repercussions for me.
However, last I checked this is the United States of America and in a functional republic transparency and accountability for elected officials is imperative. Otherwise, instead of a government formed with the consent and at the direction of the people you have a government that does what it wants regardless of the will of the people – and often without their knowledge.
This is why the fourth estate, aka a free press, is essential to maintaining healthy governments at the local, state and federal level. Sometimes the media needs to ask hard questions and demand answers. This is part of how we keep elected officials accountable to the public. Since it seems that this region lacks media willing or able to ask hard questions of the people running departments funded by millions of dollars in taxpayer funds, I’ll do it.
And I’ll continue to provide information that is imperative for voters to know for free, outside the paywall of this site. However this kind of work takes time, effort and a lot of mental energy. So I appreciate folks who subscribe and support what I am doing here.
Bottom line the American style of government works best when voters know what’s going on and when they have options when it comes to leadership. And it is clear that apart from fawning coverage of PR events like Shop with a Cop (which I have also covered in the past) and platforming “copaganda” designed to scare the public over recent police reforms, no one in local media is interested in asking the Chelan County Sheriff’s Office uncomfortable questions.
If they were able and willing to ask hard questions and hold this agency accountable, perhaps the agency would think twice before publishing social media posts like this:
My question would be why use this opportunity to complain about the Blake decision rather than showcase how you got these people help?
“Culture” is a word Sheriff Burnett’s Administration likes to use quite a bit, and I think the culture of this agency funded by millions of our tax dollars is worth examining in greater depth.
Here’s a short list of other pieces that examine the culture of the CCSO:
The "good ole boy's" club...I saw that my entire 42 years working for Chelan County. Compounded by like-minded commissioners. And when the last of the ccso veterans retire, they will all be Brian's boys! And you are right about our spineless local media. It is tragic that the general public is mostly in the dark! Keep up the goodcwork, Dominick!
U da'man Dom! Letting in the light to the underbelly of our culture is always fraught with hardship and danger. The pioneers who shine the flashlight there do take the arrows before the wagon trains of allies open the floodlights. Please take care buddy.
The "good ole boy's" club...I saw that my entire 42 years working for Chelan County. Compounded by like-minded commissioners. And when the last of the ccso veterans retire, they will all be Brian's boys! And you are right about our spineless local media. It is tragic that the general public is mostly in the dark! Keep up the goodcwork, Dominick!
U da'man Dom! Letting in the light to the underbelly of our culture is always fraught with hardship and danger. The pioneers who shine the flashlight there do take the arrows before the wagon trains of allies open the floodlights. Please take care buddy.