PLACER COUNTY, Calif. — Placer County voters are set to elect a new sheriff for the first time since retiring Placer County Sheriff Devon Bell took office in 2017.
The once-appointed and once-elected sheriff of Placer County spent more than 13 years as undersheriff before rising to the county’s top law enforcement officer position. Bell announced his retirement on Facebook in February, saying he’ll be leaving office due to a medical condition.
Competing for the open seat are two long-time officers with the Placer County Sheriff’s Office – the current Undersheriff Wayne Woo and the agency’s administrative Sargent Brandon Bean.
Who is Wayne Woo?
Undersheriff Woo has more than 30 years of experience in law enforcement. He spent the past 28 years rising through the ranks to second in command at the Placer County Sheriff’s Office. He has the endorsement of the retiring Sheriff Bell, retired Placer County Sheriff Ed Bonner, California State Senator Jim Nielsen among other area law enforcement leaders and Placer County elected officials.
Woo is running on a platform focused on recruiting and retention of qualified employees, while partnering with the community and working collaboratively with other law enforcement agencies, and department transparency, according to his campaign website. He said he supports the second amendment and supports the right of law abiding citizens with good cause to carry concealed weapons.
He wants to promote proactive policing and crime prevention while actively partnering with schools to provide safe learning environments, according to Woo’s campaign website. He wants to prioritize job skill training programs for inmates to reduce the rate of repeat offenders in the area.
Woo is married with three children, all are graduates of Del Oro High School.
Who is Brandon Bean?
Going head to head with the Placer Sheriff’s current undersheriff is Administrative Sgt. Brandon Bean, a nine-year veteran of the department who has 23 years of experience working in law enforcement. Before serving at the sheriff’s office, Bean was a detective and member of the Roseville Police Department SWAT team.
Bean has the endorsement of the Placer County Deputy Sheriff’s Association, the Sacramento Police Officers Association and other area unions representing police and fire employees.
“To keep the violent chaos of Sacramento and San Francisco from invading Placer County, we need a Sheriff who will focus on enforcing the law, not playing political games,” according to Bean’s Campaign website. “I’ve spent my life keeping this community safe. That’s the legacy I inherited when my brother gave his life in the line of duty - and why I will never compromise the integrity of the Sheriff’s Office or the safety of our neighborhoods.”
He is campaigning on being an active voice for law enforcement policy in the area, including fighting bail and early release initiatives, and supporting efforts to overturn Proposition 47, which lowered penalties for some crimes. He wants to address the growing fentanyl problem by stopping traffickers before they reach the county.
Bean is committed to police reform to improve the department from the outside through new policies, training and recruiting, according to his campaign website.
Bean is married with three adult sons.
The sheriff's race so far
There has been some controversies in the contest, including allegations that Bean directed crude statements at a former deputy who is suing over wrongful termination and sexual harassment, according to reports.
“Between the county counsel and the administration, I’m not allowed to comment on these things," Bean said.
He said he will be open to talking about it once the case is settled.
Meanwhile, his campaign alleges the retiring Sheriff Bell violated the privacy of the county’s concealed weapons permit (CCW) holders to help the opposing campaign.
“First of all, that wasn’t done by my campaign and the list is not private; it’s a public list," Woo said.
California public records laws allow public release of certain CCW permit information, but it’s unclear how the information was obtained and to what extent.
The winner of the June election will take office in January of 2023.
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