“I’d probably like to see them involved with the community”

Excerpt from Gael, a family member of a victim and a defendant at the Hall of Justice in winter 2022.

Interviewer: So say you were going to vote for a sheriff, district attorney, or judge. What qualities would you look for in candidates for these positions?  

Gael: Um, some what—I’m sorry, some qualities you said?  

Interviewer: Yeah, some qualities. What would get you to actually want to vote for these people?  

Gael: You know, I think, you know, being able to lead—have good leadership in the right direction of like, you know, being for the people and not like just for the, you know, not just for the city, but also for the community around it that they're serving, you know. So, you know, definitely leadership. And you know, they have to have some type of, you know, skillset to show such as like, you know, maybe schooling or something like that.  

Interviewer: Mhm. Skillset like schooling, great.  

Gael: Another thing is I’d probably like to see them involved with the community. I don't want it to just be some random person, you know, that you know … It would have to be someone who's like, engaged and involved with community stuff. And I think that's where the, you know, the leadership and leading the community and stuff to the right place—that’s where that comes in.  

Interviewer: Yeah. Right. Okay. And involvement in the community, are there particular things that you would like, that you would like to see, or just sort of general involvement?  

Gael: Yeah, just general involvement. I mean, it could include, you know, just being at community centers, helping old people, you know, at schools, anything, you know?  

Interviewer: Hmm. Okay.  

Gael: As long as they're involved, even with, you know, union and all that stuff.