Plumas County board appoints Undersheriff Chad D. Herman as sheriff, unanimous vote

The Plumas County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously Aug. 5 to appoint Undersheriff Chad Daniel Herman as Plumas County sheriff, and Herman took the oath of office before the board. The board moved through a public discussion about whether to open the vacancy to an open recruitment and interview process. Several supervisors said the county’s established succession process and the department’s support for Herman weighed in favor of immediate appointment. Supervisor McGowan said following the existing job description and internal promotion process made sense; Supervisor Paul said Herman’s decades of service made the appointment a “no-brainer.” During the public comment period, several current and former law-enforcement officials urged continuity. Plumas County District Attorney David Hollis told the board, “He is the right person at the right time,” and said a smooth transition helps the criminal justice system and the public. Herman was sworn in during the meeting. The roll-call vote as read into the record recorded all supervisors voting yes; the board clerk administered the oath. The board did not adopt an alternate selection process at the meeting. The board discussed that an expansive public recruitment would likely return to the same result and could harm morale in the sheriff’s department. Board members said that if there were no qualified undersheriff in place the board would consider other options in the future, but that is not the case now. No other formal actions were taken on the sheriff’s office hiring at the Aug. 5 meeting.