'Downum bill' forwarded on to state Senate

A bill that would allow former Calaveras County Sheriff Dennis Downum to spend up to a year in Iraq has cleared the Assembly and is headed to the state Senate.

Downum left Dec. 28 for a post received through the U.S. State Department to train Iraqi police officers in procedures and policies used by their American counterparts.

The position is a one-year assignment, but state law allows only a six-month leave-of-absence for local elected officials.

Assemblyman Dave Cogdill R-Modesto, introduced legislation to extend that time period and it passed the Assembly Feb. 17 by a vote of 55-0.

Assembly Bill 1786 will now be reviewed by a state Senate committee before going to a full vote before that body.

Downum has already received approval for the one-year assignment from the Calaveras County Board of Supervisors and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.

The assignment is part of a program that eventually will place 1,000 American law-enforcement officers in Iraq, and Cogdill noted the importance of Downum's willingness to take part in it. "I am proud that his expertise will be shared with the Iraqi people in their quest for a free and safe society," Cogdill said.

Former Undersheriff Randy Grasmuck has been sworn in as Downum's replacement during his absence.

Calaveras Enterprise story. For more Calaveras news, click: calaverasenterprise.com

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