Buchino Says Female Deputies "...will be working at Walmart"

For whatever reason Republican challenger for Sheriff of El Paso County, Tom Buchino has been getting a pass from media about his antics. As I've previously documented, much like Trump, Buchino's demeanor has been called into question.

And much like Trump, guys who spend a long time being in charge tend to be pretty cavalier about the things they say about women. During the debate the other night Hillary Clinton spent a lot of time listing all the sexist things Trump has said over the years and broke out a new one we hadn't heard before - an insult Trump made to a Latina beauty pageant winner by calling her Miss Housekeeping.

Which is why I'm glad people on social media like to tag me in stuff about Tom Buchino. I'm a Democrat and union supporter who believes that law enforcement should have a cooperative relationship with immigrant communities because it keeps us safer and I believe a sheriff should not be a hot head who loses his cool and punches people. So I'm not sure what makes them think I'd vote for Buchino, but it is what it is.

They recently tagged me in an article that came out in the El Paso, Inc. about both candidates and there was something really interesting in the article I didn't know about and probably wouldn't have seen had they not tagged me.

So thanks guys.

Oh, click here to read the article.

Turns out that Sheriff Wiles has been trying to make the department more diverse and if memory serves, I think he had to go to war in order to make changes so that more women would be allowed in the academy. We have opened up combat to women, so why not make our department look more like the community? Seems like something that should be praised.

But apparently Buchino takes issue with some efforts to include women, in particular Buchino was critical of extra firearms training for female detention officers so that they can qualify with their weapons and become deputies.

Strap in, because here's what Buchino said about that:

“When I hear that three female deputies took nine times to qualify with their sidearm before they got on the streets, I will tell you with Tom Buchino as your sheriff, they’ll be working at Walmart,” 

They'll be working at Walmart. These are duly qualified detention officers that happen to be women and as sheriff, rather than keeping them as detention officers, "they'll be working at Walmart."

First, I can't get my head around how a retired Green Beret and Sergeant Major (NCO's are charged with training soldiers by the way) would be against ANY effort to ensure employees have more training. Especially firearms training!

Seriously that guy loves to play dress up and shoot weapons so much its in his campaign videos!

And I know for a fact that there are males that take a ton of tries to qualify with their weapons too. Hell every deputy in the department knows that too. I've been a range NCOIC in the Army and I have seen a ton of soldiers have to have several extra hours and a ton of ammo in order to qualify with their weapons. Its not that they are bad soldiers, but its like any test. Sometimes they get anxiety, maybe they need glasses, or any other of a dozen good reasons. So its no surprise that detention officers, who don't carry a sidearm and almost never use one unless they are shooting for their leisure, might need some extra training to qualify with the weapon. 

Male and female. 

But Buchino didn't make the remark about male bolos (that is Army slang for a screw up or someone that fails) that need extra training. It was specifically female deputies. 

Now, I don't know what the female deputies in question make but if they became deputies, it was probably more than what is listed in the above image because that is what starting deputies make. These were detention officers, so they wouldn't be the starting rate. They would almost certainly be earning over $50,000 per year plus benefits. Thats a good wage in El Paso. Especially for women when you consider the national numbers that show women are paid less than their male counterparts. 

So by any measure, efforts to get more women into the department as deputies should be applauded. It defies logic that they would be criticized by anyone. 

It also defies logic that the candidate who runs around talking about being "backed by badges" clearly showed he doesn't mind sending female members of the department to work at Walmart for about 1/2 their pay because they need extra training. Buchino doesn't seem to be backing the badges that he says are backing him.

Should a deputy be able to hit the broad side of a barn with a pistol?

Of course, no shit. 

But males fail to qualify all the time. 

All you boys from the union reading this right now, stop and think how many times you or your buddies bolo'd at the range and had to have multiple tries. 

Speaking of the union, how the hell do they allow a comment from Buchino like that to be made without any response? You're supposed to advocate for officers and you allow that kind of rhetoric from your candidate? 

And yes, thats the dirty little secret that never is spoken about. When people talk about the fact that the union is endorsing Buchino, what isn't said, although Buchino alludes to it all the time, is that a member of the union recruited Buchino to run in the first place. 

And now that I think about it even more, Buchino should be all for extra training. Especially when you consider he doesn't have experience as a law enforcement officer. 

Lack of experience but general and non-specific criticism along with grandiose and braggadocious language...see why he reminds me of Trump?

I've seen a meme on social media about a sandwich that was named after Trump. Maybe a local coffee shop can name a cup of coffee after Donald and Tom.

They could call it a Trumpachino.

Over-bearing, costs too much, and goes down bitter.