As Tom Dickson campaigns for Kootenai County sheriff, the Independent candidate asks one thing of voters.

To base their selection on a candidate's qualifications.

And Dickson takes pride in those he has to offer.

"I think my qualifications pretty much speak for themselves," said Dickson, a U.S. Marines veteran and former jail commander at the county jail.

Dickson was with the Sheriff's Department from 1988 to 1994. He is also retired from the Los Angeles Police Department after 18 years there, during which time he served in several positions, including patrol supervisor, homicide detective, investigator and labor relations supervisor.

He also served two years as a patrol officer and detective for the Redlands Police Department.

Dickson, who also ran for sheriff in 1994, said he is running because he hears complaints about the current level of service from county law enforcement.

"I think there needs to be changes made," said Dickson, 77.

He believes that outlying county areas, like in Cataldo where he owns a ranch, are not receiving equal law enforcement protection.

Dickson hopes to put more detectives on the streets, he said, by reorganizing employee responsibilities so detectives are freed up from work that could be accomplished by civilian employees.

Cutting administrative salaries might pay for more deputies, too, he added.

"Right now Kootenai County law enforcement is reactive," Dickson said. "My goal is not to be reactive, but proactive."

Dickson hopes to improve communication with the community, he said, to ensure citizens are more alert to dangers and offenders.

He hopes to organize a citizen committee to help select new deputies, he said.

"I would like to clasp hands with this community, and construct a bridge of cooperation between county law enforcement and citizens," he said.

That includes taking a Socratic approach to addressing the jail overcrowding issue.

Dickson said the selected sheriff should sit down with the public, and "discuss possible ways and means to run or operate that jail so we wouldn't have to build a new jail at this time," he said.

A new facility may not be necessary, he said. During his time working in the jail, he said, he sought to make a prisoner pod out of storage space.

"It takes a creative mind," Dickson said. "And it takes a creative citizenry to be involved."

Dickson has two grown sons.

He holds an associate's degree in police science from Fullerton Community College, a bachelor's in criminal justice-police administration from the University of California in Fullerton and a master's in public administration from U of C in Fullerton.

Dickson's education also includes the Backster School of Polygraph in San Diego, the FBI Command School, the California Terrorist Institution and the POST Academy in Idaho and California.

"I'd like people to know they have an obligation to select the most qualified candidate," Dickson said. "Whether it's myself or another qualified candidate, they should closely the peruse the qualifications of each candidate."