SHERIFF SAYS JOHNSON SHOULD STEP DOWN

Santa Fe County Sheriff Ray Sisneros angrily called for Gov. Gary Johnson's
resignation Wednesday, saying the Republican leader's campaign for
legalization of drugs, including heroin, "is giving the wrong impression to
the young people."

"That is such an irresponsible position that I think the idiot should
resign," Sisneros, a Democrat, said in a telephone interview. "He ought to
go to Las Vegas (state hospital) for a psychiatric evaluation, or claim
mental disability and let the lieutenant governor take over."

Neither the governor nor Lt. Gov. Walter Bradley could be reached for comment.

Sisneros said his ire wasn't sparked by partisan politics but by questions
his deputies are fielding from youngsters as a result of the governor's
position, such as, "Are you guys going to quit enforcing drug laws?"

Sisneros made the comments on the same day about two dozen other sheriffs
and police chiefs from around the state gathered at the Albuquerque Police
Academy to announce their opposition to Johnson's drug-legalization stance.

"The biggest concern is what we are telling our kids when the governor
says, 'Hey, it's going to be legal and it's OK.' It's not OK," Albuquerque
Police Chief Joe Galvin said at the news conference.

Roswell Police Chief Richard Campbell said he was not attacking Johnson
personally, but "I do think the governor was irresponsible when he said
smoking marijuana is cool" recently to a group of Washington, D.C., college
students.

Johnson has been speaking widely - including appearances on national TV -
in support of legalization, calling the nation's drug war "a miserable
failure" and saying most people use drugs responsibly and shouldn't be
penalized. He also has expressed doubts about the effectiveness of
substance-abuse treatment.

While castigating Johnson, members of the law enforcement group praised his
public safety secretary, Darren White, for saying the governor's position
is hurting the morale and credibility of New Mexico officers.

Sandoval County Sheriff Ray Rivera, chairman of the Johnson's
drug-enforcement council, said police now "catch hell" from drug dealers
who argue that their activity is condoned by the governor.

And district attorneys are telling police that the governor's comments are
being used as a criminal defense in court, Rivera said.

Santa Fe Police Chief John Denko said he would have liked to attend the
news conference but couldn't.

"He is very misguided," Denko said about the governor.

Sisneros said that when Johnson began his current campaign by talking about
a need for discussion on whether marijuana should be decriminalized, "that
was fine." But a call for legalizing heroin and cocaine indicates "a
chemical imbalance" in the governor.

In addition, Sisneros said, "All this is taking so much of our time, as law
enforcement administrators, that it cuts into our time for other stuff that
is more productive."

On Tuesday, the Santa Fe County Commission unanimously passed a resolution
asking the governor to take a leadership role in combating drug use, abuse
and addiction. The resolution also asks Johnson to visit county
rehabilitation programs and the jail to learn about heroin and marijuana use.

"Gov. Gary Johnson's public statements favoring the legalization of
marijuana and heroin use are blatant misdirection of the problem ... and
show a lack of knowledge and sensitivity to the problem in his own state,"
the resolution says.

Commission Chairman Joe Grine said: "Here we are trying to find a solution
to fight this problem and the governor is conveying a message that it's OK,
there is nothing wrong with it. I'm not trying fight with the governor. I'm
just trying to get him to acknowledge that what he says has a big impact,
especially on adolescents."

In addition, Santa Fe City Councilor Peso Chavez has said he plans to
introduce a resolution this month denouncing Johnson's drug stance as
"irresponsible, thoughtless and careless."

He said the governor has done a disservice to parents, teachers and others
who are trying to help children make wise decisions about drug use.