March 2021 President’s Report

David Leonhardi

by David Leonhardi

Throughout the past several months, you may have heard chatter or read in the meeting minutes about the DSA exploring the idea of purchasing and operating the William B. Kolender Sheriff’s Museum in Old Town. The DSA has, in fact, been exploring the option of purchasing the museum as an additional benefit to our membership. No decisions have been made about whether we will ultimately attempt to purchase the museum, and we don’t know whether an agreement can be reached, but a decision may be coming from your board in the next couple months. I thought this would be a good time to provide some insight, perspective, and perhaps a glimpse into future possibilities.

Let me start by explaining that the decision to move forward with an idea like this will fall upon each of the DSA’s board of directors, and they have much to consider. I am an advocate and am strongly in favor of moving forward because I believe there is amazing potential and future benefit to our members and to the DSA as a whole. A decision by our board to embark on this venture will undoubtedly result in many changes and additional duties. It will take a team effort to be successful. Part of the reason I support this endeavor is because I strongly believe in the ability of our staff, led by our CAO Rachel Parrott, to create something very special at the museum.

Currently, the Sheriff’s Museum is owned and operated by the Honorary Deputy Sheriffs’ Association (HDSA). The HDSA has done a great job creating and maintaining the museum, which has become a popular attraction for visitors in Old Town. The HDSA is a great organization; they have been a wonderful resource to the department and deputies by providing assistance to ensure our folks have all of the equipment they need. The members of the HDSA are citizens who care about us, our profession, and making sure we have the tools we need to do our jobs well. But HDSA members are not deputy sheriffs. They have been recording and preserving Sheriff’s Department history simply because they see the importance and value in doing so. I believe it’s our responsibility as deputies to do those things, which is why I see the DSA as a natural fit to own and operate a museum honoring our past.

I want to ensure our membership that the DSA board is not taking this decision lightly. We’ve already had several discussions, and more are forthcoming. Each of our directors has been provided with well over 100 pages of information to review, including profit and loss statements, a building inspection report, an appraisal, and an inventory summary. We are consulting with our attorneys to ensure we are following all applicable laws, including our organization’s bylaws. Once the board considers all of the information, they will give me direction on how to proceed.

If the DSA board decides to move forward and the DSA ultimately purchases the museum, there are several potential benefits to our organization and individual members. Some people may view a purchase of the museum as an investment. While I am not an expert in real estate (and won’t pretend to be), many believe owning a building in the middle of a tourist hub like Old Town San Diego is a great investment regardless of the business operations. I believe there is immense potential for the DSA to make the museum into an asset for all of us. I envision a place where we can organize field trips for school age children to come learn about the history of our department and the positive things law enforcement does for the community. I believe it will be a great place for us to host events, heighten awareness of the things we do, and improve public relations with our communities. I also envision the museum as a place where our members can bring their families to learn about our history at no cost. We have many ideas to build upon the success of the museum, while also making it our own and turning it into something we can all take pride in.

I do, however, want to make clear that this is a very big decision that each individual director will need to consider carefully. I have faith that each director will consider the information with an open mind and will ultimately cast the vote they feel is most appropriate. As I said before, I am an advocate for this venture. I hope the DSA can embark on this journey, and that the board decides to make that possible.

Having said that, I also mentioned above that this venture will take a team effort. If you were not aware, the DSA president only votes in a tie. I have committed to our board members that I will not break a tie on this issue with a “yes” vote. If our board is divided 4 to 4, we will not proceed. We will all need to work together to make this a success, and I want to make decisions that will bring our board together, rather than divide us. We will certainly update you on our decisions moving forward and we welcome your input as well. I look forward to hearing from you.