PORT ANGELES — Clallam County Sheriff candidate Bill Benedict — who is also a sergeant in the department — suspects a political ploy after the current sheriff’s right-hand man accused him of fudging his resume.
“He’s basically calling me a liar,” Benedict said Tuesday in response to a Monday memorandum from Undersheriff Rich Sill.
The memo takes exception to verbal and written statements Benedict has made since officially announcing earlier this month his intention to run.
Sheriff Joe Martin has said he intends to run for re-election, but has not officially announced.
Martin said he had nothing to do with the memo, but that Sill told him about it.
“He keeps me well informed of everything,” Martin said.
Benedict says he has about 11 years of law enforcement experience with the department.
He joined the department after retiring from the Navy, where he served as a naval flight aviator and retired at the rank of commander.
His time with the department is mostly full-time experience — about seven years — but for about four years Benedict downgraded to a reserve officer while he worked as an airline pilot.
The memo says that Benedict has about seven years of law enforcement experience, which excludes the time Benedict spent as a reserve officer.
