Latitude 38 June 2018

from Latitude 38 June 2018

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probably was. How could he not see a large becalmed sailboat with white sails up? No Breathalyzer by his cop buddies for hours after the incident? Is that standard practice in Lake County?

You know that every sailor who has ever heard of this case is outraged and probably considers Lake County some kind of banana republic because of what Perdock and his buddies did to twist the facts of the case. I still fume over this a decade later. I can't imagine what the family of the poor deceased thinks of this.

⇑⇓ WHO IS THIS CITY COUNCIL? That they would even consider him for the job is grounds to get rid of the city council in my book. Glenn Shinn

Grendel, Moore 24 prototype Santa Cruz

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⇑⇓ THANK YOU Thank you for your coverage on behalf of Dinius and the

Thornton Family. The late rains have brought us a full lake. Looking forward to summer. Greig and Leslie Olson

Doggone, Brown Searunner 40 Lake County/Paradise Village, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

⇑⇓ THE SYSTEM AT LARGE

Corruption at its best.John Retzlaff Planet Earth

While it's outrageous that Russell Perdock has the nerve to submit his name for the job of chief of police — and also for anyone in Lake County to give him the slightest hint of consideration — it is sadly not shocking. In fact, it has become a strange status quo. Keep in mind that Perdock was elected to the Clearlake City Council, and then appointed mayor, a position that is filled by rotating council members.

Anyone who followed the long and sordid story 12 years ago could see all the elements of small-town politics on display, as the local DA and police department appeared to collude to clear Perdock of charges and put the blame on Bismarck Dinius. Fortunately, sailors have a long tradition of aiding mariners in distress — usually such aid is rendered at sea, but in this case, sailors came to the rescue of Dinus with a public outcry and funds to help support his expensive but ultimately successful defense.

While the friends and family of Lynn Thornton have had to mourn, move on with their lives, and seek closure, there was never what should have been an abrupt closure of Russell Perdock's career in law enforcement and public service (Perdock was terminated from his job as chief deputy sheriff in 2010 for "undisclosed reasons," but was elected to the city council in 2014.) Sadly the oft-repeated quote, "Eternal vigilance is the price of freedom" remains true. If you looked away and imagined this travesty was corrected, you'd be wrong.

It was clear that when this case came to light, Lake County was grappling with corruption and cronyism. In a glimmer of a silver lining, Sheriff Rodney K. Mitchell and District Attorney John Hopkins were voted out of office following the Perdock case. But the thought that Russell Perdock might be appointed as the chief of police of Clearlake (it's not an elected position) is a shocking and cautionary development in a community struggling to find the straight and narrow path. — ja/th

Page 24 • Latitude 38 • June, 2018

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