Tent city jails, sonic weapons, border crimes, Las Colinas prison expansion, and cuts in deputy staffing among hottest issues
 
By Miriam Raftery
Photos by Leon Thompson
 
September 15, 2009 (El Cajon) – Four candidates vying to be the top lawman in San Diego County faced off outside El Cajon's civic center on Sept. 12, dueling verbally over who is the strongest leader to protect our region from crime. The candidates also differed sharply on issues isuch as immigration enforcement, budget priorities,  prison overcrowding, concealed weapons, use of sonic weapons, and deputy staffing cuts.
 
East County Magazine Editor Miriam Raftery and KCBQ radio host Rick Amato co-moderated the debate, which drew raucous responses from the crowd.

A Joint Investigative Report by East County Magazine and Liberty One Radio

By Miriam Raftery
 
September 11, 2009 (San Diego) – “Long-range acoustic devices [LRADs] for crowd control can be extremely dangerous. These are used in Iraq to control insurgents. They can cause serious and lasting harm to humans…We want to know WHY our Sheriff Dept has this weapon,” Sal Magallanez of San Diego-based Liberty One Radio said in an e-mail sent to East County Magazine, prompting a joint investigation.
 
The device was stationed by San Diego County Sheriff deputies at a recent town hall forum hosted by Congresswoman Susan Davis (D-San Diego) in Spring Valley and at a subsequent town hall with Congressman Darrell Issa (R-San Diego). The Davis Rally drew an estimated 1,300-1,500 people, including vocal conservative and liberal protest groups. (photo credit: Mike Russell)