Sheriff seeks to sue Kootenai County, wants it to pay legal expenses

The Kootenai County sheriff wants the county to pay the legal expenses for the Sheriff’s Department in a lawsuit he wants to file against the county. Sheriff Rocky Watson filed legal action, called a writ of mandate, to force the county to pay legal expenses in a suit he plans to file concerning what he says is a lack of funding for the department leading to reduced public safety. Watson said the county prosecutor would not be allowed to represent him due to a conflict of interest and that the county denied his request for money for an attorney. Watson believes county officials are funding unmandated services while mandated services, such as the Sheriff’s Department, get what he says is less than is needed.