Calling Jerry Brown "erratic," state law enforcement union backs Whitman

Whoa... Whitman actually picked up a union endorsement.

A 7,000-member union that represents state investigators, law enforcement personnel, 911 dispatchers and others on Tuesday endorsed Republican Meg Whitman for governor, calling Democratic contender Jerry Brown “erratic” on key issues.

Alan Barcelona, president of the California State Law Enforcement Association, wrote in a letter to the group’s members that he was unsure how Brown, a former two-term governor, would govern if he was elected a third time. Barcelona said Brown had changed position on some issues and taken positions on others – opposition to the death penalty and extolling inmate rights, for example – that many in law enforcement opposed. 

Brown has received support from public employee unions, but Barcelona said other considerations were involved.

“It’s a much larger issue than just being a public employee union. The state has gotten to such a perilous point that we have to get someone with the experience to fix it. And she (Whitman) understands the importance of public safety. Our board just doesn’t think Jerry has the ability, but that Whitman does.”