Sterk to step down as sheriff in March

Spokane County Sheriff Mark Sterk’s voice cracked Friday morning as he told four new deputies about the fulfillment of the life they are about to undertake: “I can’t think of anything else that I would have rather done the last 30 years of my life.”

Six hours later, Sterk stood at a hastily called press conference and announced his resignation, effective March 31, to pursue new challenges within the Nazarene Church.

Starting April 1, Sterk and his wife, Nancy, will become the directors of Pine Low Park and Conference Center at Deer Lake in Stevens County. The retreat center is owned by the Northwest District of the Church of the Nazarene. Sterk also hopes to become ordained as a minister.

Sterk, 53, leaves more than 30 years of public employment, including 24 years at the Spokane Police Department, four years in the Washington Legislature and his six-year-run as sheriff. His term, which pays him $102,000 a year, would have ended in December 2006.

“My wife and I have both been feeling for some time like we’ve been called full-time into the ministry,” Sterk said. “I’ve had a tremendous career. The trouble is, it has gone by in a blink. The relationships that you build up over those 30 years will be the toughest part of leaving.”

Late Friday night, Sterk said in an interview that a contributing factor in his resignation was stories in The Spokesman-Review, which he said unfairly reported that his office delayed the release of documents regarding Deputy David Hahn, who killed himself in 1981 after being accused of sexually abusing boys.

“It was just one of the things that helped persuade me that I wanted to do something else,” he said.

Spokane County Commissioner Phil Harris said Sterk’s knowledge and experience will be hard to replace.

“I guess he’s answering a higher calling to be a minister, but I’m going to miss him,” Harris said. “He’s done a great job. He probably has the best working relations with his people than any other department in the county.”

Spokane County Prosecutor Steve Tucker was caught off guard by Sterk’s announcement.

“I’m shocked, speechless almost,” he said.

Tucker, who considers Sterk a friend, joked that he has admired the sheriff’s ability to convince the county commissioners to fund his projects. “He’s good at it,” Tucker said. “I’m trying to get good at it.”

Since all three county commissioners are Republicans, the Spokane County Republican Party will be involved in finding Sterk’s replacement.

After Sterk is gone, precinct committee officers from the county Republican Party will send commissioners the names of three candidates to fill the remainder of the sheriff’s term. The new sheriff could then run in the next election, which starts with the September 2006 primary and ends with the November general election.

Sterk suggested that Spokane Valley Police Chief Cal Walker would make a fine sheriff.

“If it was up to me, I would name Cal as my successor right now,” Sterk said. “He certainly has the experience and the knowledge. I believe his name is one of those that will go up to the county commissioners. If they make a wise choice, they’ll pick Cal.”

Walker, who joined the sheriff’s office in 1988, wasn’t ready to order a new chair for Sterk’s desk just yet. And, he said, he hasn’t considered running for the office if he’s not appointed next spring.

“I’m very aware of the ramifications of what he is doing and the doors that might be opened up,” he said of Sterk’s comments. “I haven’t had a goal of becoming sheriff. But I do consider it an honor to be considered. Today, it’s really about Mark.”

Sterk counted among his accomplishments the investigation that found and convicted serial killer Robert Yates, building a new dispatch center, putting mobile data computers in deputies’ cars, and building a Spokane Valley precinct. But a huge project remains undone, he said.

“The community desperately needs more jail space,” he said. “That’s one of the things that we will leave on the table for the next administration.”

Sterk was raised a Lutheran but married the daughter of a Nazarene minister. His wife, Nancy, works as the outreach director for the Spokane Valley Church of the Nazarene.

For the past three years, Sterk has been studying to become a minister. He hopes to have the course of study done by April 2007, he said.

Only on Thursday did the Sterks learn that the Pine Low board of directors had voted to hire them as the camp directors, Sterk said.

“We are just thrilled,” said Chuck Wilks, chairman of the board that oversees the Pine Low camp. “They are two of the finest people I know. They are going to provide dynamic leadership for us.”

Undersheriff Larry Lindskog, who has 36 years of experience in law enforcement, said Sterk had a unique ability to go into a classroom or seminar and come away with ideas to make the agency better.

“I will miss him personally. But mostly I’ll miss his vision,” Lindskog said. “I don’t know anyone who has the insight for things that he seems to have.”

Sheriff’s spokesman Cpl. Dave Reagan said the senior staff has a great chemistry. “We’ve learned that every time the sheriff says, ‘This is going to be fun,’ to grab a helmet and a shovel because it’s going to be work,” he quipped.

Sterk pointed out that he has six months to help with transition to a new sheriff.

“I want to leave my office with my head up and be proud of my accomplishments,” he said. “I think most of all, I want to be remembered as a sheriff who cared about the people of this community and worked very hard to provide the services they deserve. I’m not done yet.”