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Vail Daily letter: Van Beek for sheriff

I would like to take this opportunity to extend my support to James van Beek for the position of Eagle County sheriff.

James and I met over 20 years ago while working together as deputies for the Eagle County Sheriff’s Office. When I first met James, I was pleased to see that he stood up for and strongly believed in the community for whom we both served. His honesty, fairness, integrity and work ethic are unlike anyone I have ever met. I believe these traits are imperative for the position of sheriff. While with the Sheriff’s Office, James worked his way up through the ranks into an investigator position. We would joke that he now had the easy life! Yet he would be the first to offer his assistance on a scene at 3 a.m., even if he hadn’t been called. His skills and expertise were always available when needed, regardless of the time of day. He, however, never overstepped boundaries with other deputies, only made himself available to help. I believe that was an important part of his success in the agency. We knew he was there to help, but he never attempted to micromanage during an investigation. In my opinion, that makes a good leader.

When James told me several years ago that he was thinking about going overseas to assist in training and building a police force in Kosovo, my first reaction was, ‘That doesn’t surprise me in the least.’ He is the type of person that is willing to go the extra mile to assist anyone, even if they are thousands of miles away from his own friends and family; a very honorable and noble endeavor. Yet James is incredibly humble about his achievements, something that is not usually found in this day and age.



Having lived in this incredibly beautiful yet unique valley for over 40 years, I know that it will take someone who has a deep tie and connection to this area as our top law enforcement officer. The vastly different socioeconomic groups that make up our county are not prevalent in most other areas of the country. There is no doubt in my mind that James, being a longtime local and veteran law enforcement professional, is extremely well suited to lead the Eagle County Sheriff’s Office.

For these reasons, please join me in supporting James van Beek for Eagle County sheriff. However, regardless of which candidate you choose, please get out and exercise your right to vote in November. James as well as thousands of others have put their lives on the line to ensure our continued freedoms.

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Brian Bishop

Eagle


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