Ozzie Knezovich
A candidate for Sheriff, Spokane County in the 2010 Washington General Election
Party: Republican
Age: 61
City: Western Spokane County, Wash.
Occupation: Spokane County sheriff
OZZIE KNEZOVICH
Education: Graduated from Rock Springs High School in Wyoming. Graduated from Weber State College with an integrated studies bachelor’s degree in 1985.
Work experience: Became town marshal in Superior, Wyoming in 1990. Joined Rock Springs, Wyoming police force in 1991. Joined Olympia Police Department in 1995. Joined Spokane County Sheriff’s Office as deputy in 1996. Became sergeant in 2004. Appointed Spokane County sheriff by county commissioners in 2006 and won election to the post in November of that year. Re-elected while unopposed in 2010.
Political experience: Former president of the Spokane County Deputy Sheriff’s Association. Former president of the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs. Named to the FBI’s Law Enforcement Executive Development Association in 2008. Served as president of that group in 2012.
Military: U.S. Army airborne medical specialist and combat medic, served in Korea, 1987-90.
Family: Married, three grown children.
Contact information
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Former Sheriff Sterk won’t challenge Knezovich
Former Spokane County Sheriff Mark Sterk announced today that he won’t challenge incumbent Ozzie Knezovich.
Former Sheriff Mark Sterk considers run for old job
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Sterk mulls run for sheriff
Former Spokane County Sheriff Mark Sterk may give his successor, Ozzie Knezovich, a run for his money. It’s a daunting prospect, Sterk acknowledges, because state Public Disclosure Commission records show Knezovich already has raised $38,778 and spent $17,959. “That’s one of the things we will look at very carefully, as to whether we can win it or not,” Sterk said Wednesday after registering his potential candidacy with the state Public Disclosure Commission.
Sheriff: Jail contracting didn’t ‘pencil out’
Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich expressed doubt Tuesday that the city of Spokane could save any money by hiring a private company to run a municipal lockup.
Victims, families share their heartaches, healing
Sitting in a courtroom Thursday listening to a man plead guilty for his role in her son’s murder, Tracey Cochran felt voiceless, and desperate. “It’s so hard to sit there and listen to this kid talk about handing over the knife that killed my son,” Cochran said. “I couldn’t handle it. I got up and left.”
City explores opening jail
The city of Spokane wants to spend less money housing low-risk inmates and will begin exploring cheaper options, including the possibility of creating its own minimum-security lockup rather than relying on the county jail. The idea, which could include using a private jail contractor, caused tension this week with county leaders concerned that a city jail could torpedo a four-year regional process aimed at building a new countywide lockup and putting greater emphasis on rehabilitation. The county currently charges daily incarceration fees for housing inmates from the cities.