Vote Teeple for Sheriff!

VIA SBINSIDER NEWS\ANALYSIS | July 26th, 2024

Politics is war by other means and the first casualty in war, is the truth. The Pinal County Sheriff’s race has reached new depths with direct mail pieces sent by Kevin (Smith) Cavanaugh and his supporters that have taken the lowest road possible. Perhaps in other races over the years, there have been comparable lies told by one candidate about his opponent, but they usually have a modicum of truth making the claims tangentially plausible. Not in this case.

The lies Cavanaugh has been spreading have but a scintilla of truth but are mostly made up out of thin air.  Most amazing, Cavanaugh has always claimed in public, of his fealty to Christian principles. Bearing false witness is one of those tenets.

SBINSIDER interviewed Lieutenant Teeple Friday, July 26th.

SBINSIDER: Ross, this is your first run for office and you had been warned by Sheriff Mark Lamb that Cavanaugh had a history of using blatantly false claims in prior campaigns and makes them personal attacks. Now, he has done this to you. What is your reaction?

Ross Teeple: “The only true fact in that mailer is that I was once in charge of Internal Affairs. Those who know both of us best, in a union survey, 97% of the Pinal County Deputies Association voted for me for Sheriff. The survey was conducted by Ben Cook, the VP of the Deputies Association. ”

Editors note” Ben Cook verified the Deputies Association vote in a conversation with SBINSIDER. “We used the online tool Survey Monkey and it was 97% for Teeple and 3% declined any endorsement.”

Ross Teeple: Cavanaugh does have a history of using last minute smear mailers in previous campaigns. When he ran and lost for Justice of the Peace, he sent a mail piece accusing his opponent of being under investigation for child molestation. A complete fabrication. But, I was warned by Mark Lamb. Mark ran a background check on me before his endorsement and he said quote” Ross, there is nothing in your background that an opponent can use, so be prepared for totally false accusations.” 

Also, Cavanaugh requested the Pinal County documentation on my Internal Affair history, so he has the correct information but knowingly made up all the accusations.

SBINSIDER: Cavanaugh also claims he was a Deputy Chief under Sheriff Lamb, is that true?

Ross Teeple: “No, he has never supervised law enforcement field officers. Sheriff Lamb hired him for an administration job and he lasted 4 months. He was forced to leave because he refused to submit to a required background check. Matt Thomas, the current undersheriff (#2 officer under Sheriff Lamb) was quoted that after Cavanaugh’s 4 months tenure, it took him 8 months to fix everything that was broken.”

SBINSIDER: Why would Cavanaugh, or anyone, refuse the required background check?

ROSS TEEPLE: Because he would not pass the check. His verified record in Ft. Wayne Indiana shows he was placed on leave 3 times for official misconduct. He then left that department claiming a medical disability. In addition, he later failed to pass his probationary period with the Anoka, Minnesota police department. On all his applications for police work, including Pinal County, he never indicated any military service. Lately, he has said he spent time in the Coast Guard but cannot produce a DD-214.

SBINSIDER: There is also supposed a claim against Pinal County, by a female, for “millions” in damages due to your actions, or inactions?

ROSS TEEPLE: Anyone can check this with the County Attorney’s office. There are no pending claims and never have been concerning the case Cavanaugh cited. In point of fact, if there were any truth to the nonsense he claims about me, he is required to report that to the Arizona Police Officers Training Certification board, which oversees all the licensed officers in Arizona.

SBINSIDER: Any final thoughts you want the readers to know before the primary vote on Tuesday the 30th?

ROSS TEEPLE: It would be my honor to receive your vote and if elected, I will serve the citizens the same way I have for the past 17 years. I would like to add that in 2012 I earned a meritorious service award and in 2022, I was awarded the Jason Lopez “Spirit of Service Award”  from Pinal County Sheriff’s Department. The Jason Lopz award is the highest honor a member of the Sheriff’s office can receive.

SBINSIDER: Thank you and good luck Ross Teeple. For more information you can watch this youtube video interview.