Deputies vote no confidence in sheriff’s administration; Kriete disputes concerns

MOSES LAKE — Members of the Grant County Sheriff's Office Deputy Sheriffs’ Association held a vote of no confidence in the current sheriff's office administration in June, though the results have not been publicly released.

A no-confidence vote is a nonbinding expression of member sentiment and does not remove an elected official from office. Such votes are often used by employee organizations to signal concerns regarding leadership or management practices. 

Sheriff Joey Kriete, who is seeking re-election, confirmed a vote had taken place but said he had not been served with an official letter from the association and therefore could not confidently verify the results.

"All of my comments are being made in the context of the ongoing election campaign and not as an official statement on behalf of the sheriff's office," Kriete said. 

The association has not publicly released the results of the vote, and the Herald's public records request seeking documentation remains pending. As a result, it is unknown at this time whether the measure passed or not or the specific concerns that led to the action. 

Deputy Sheriff's Association President Jason McDonnell declined to comment on the measure beyond a brief written response. 

"At this time, the Deputy Sheriffs’ Association has no comment regarding the vote of no confidence against Sheriff Kriete," McDonnell wrote. 

McDonnell confirmed there are 55 members in the association, 54 of whom are eligible to vote. He said he would vote only in the event of a tie. 

Public records request delayed

The Columbia Basin Herald filed a public records request with Grant County on June 22 seeking documentation related to the Deputy Sheriffs’ Association's no-confidence vote. County officials initially estimated a response within five business days but later extended the deadline, citing questions about whether records associated with the vote were subject to public disclosure. 

Records Clerk Michael Sperline said the vote was conducted using an app accessed on county-issued phones assigned to deputies, requiring additional review to determine whether any records fall under public records laws.

County officials also said more time was needed to locate responsive records and complete a legal review before any documents could be released. The deadline was initially extended to July 10; when that date arrived, the records office issued a second extension to July 24, citing ongoing difficulties collecting records and completing the review process. Officials indicated another extension could be necessary if the records are not obtained in time for legal evaluation.

Kriete responds

Kriete said association representatives met with administration officials June 22, after the vote, to discuss employee concerns. According to Kriete, many of the issues raised involved matters he believed had already been addressed years earlier or topics tied to collective bargaining that could not legally be discussed outside contract negotiations. 

"A lot of the concerns they had were about three years old that have already been dealt with," Kriete said. "Or they were fiscally responsible decisions that I had to make." 

Kriete also said many complaints were submitted anonymously or relayed through other employees, making it difficult to verify information. In some cases, he said, employees whose situations were referenced told administrators they had not filed the complaints attributed to them.

Kriete, who is seeking a second term, said he believes the vote was politically motivated and multiple employees told him discussions surrounding the effort included political references.

Kriete is running against candidates Josh Sainsbury and Darrick Gregg in the primary election for sheriff. 

Sainsbury, a sergeant with GCSO, declined to comment. 

"I don't have any comments," he wrote. 

Gregg, who serves with the Moses Lake Police Dept., also declined to comment. 

Primary ballots must be postmarked or returned by Aug. 4. 

Communication breakdown alleged

Kriete expressed frustration that many of the concerns raised after the vote had not been discussed during regular meetings between sheriff's office leadership and association representatives. 

The sheriff said he has met monthly with association leaders since taking office about three and a half years ago and believes those meetings were intended to identify and resolve employee concerns before they escalated. 

"I can't make adjustments or fix things if I don't know it's broken," Kriete said. 

Kriete said discussions following the vote revealed what he described as a breakdown in communication between association leadership and rank-and-file members, as well as between the association and administration. 

The GCSO schedules four training days annually. Kriete said scheduling conflicts prevented two of the 2024 sessions from being held, leading some deputies to mistakenly believe the agency had reduced the number of training days. He said all four training days were scheduled in 2025.

Sheriff issues public statement

On Monday, the GCSO released an official statement from Kriete addressing the vote and outlining steps the administration plans to take moving forward. 

"The vote of no confidence is a significant expression of concern, and I recognize the importance of taking those concerns seriously," Kriete wrote. "I value honest feedback from our employees, and every member of this organization deserves to feel heard, respected and valued." 

Kriete said he has already met with Deputy Sheriffs’ Association leadership and described those discussions as constructive. He said some concerns raised by employees fall within his authority as sheriff and can be addressed directly through continued conversations with association representatives. 

Other issues, including pay, benefits and working conditions, are governed by the collective bargaining agreement and must be negotiated between the county and the union, Kriete said. 

"While I cannot make those changes on my own, I am committed to participating in that process respectfully and in good faith," he wrote in the statement. 

Kriete said he plans to continue meeting with association leadership and employees to identify concerns that can be addressed immediately while ensuring matters requiring collective bargaining proceed through the appropriate channels. 

"I remain committed to leading this organization with respect, transparency and accountability," Kriete wrote. 

While Kriete has addressed concerns he believes contributed to the vote, the specific issues raised by association members have not been publicly disclosed. Because records remain under review and association leaders have declined further comment, the full scope of concerns that prompted the vote remains unclear. The Herald will continue to follow developments.