Media Source: The Idaho Sheriff

Bob Norris has been a 30-year law enforcement government employee from LASD. The Internet is largely lacking in background information regarding Bob Norris, who has seemed to make it a common practice to have his information scrubbed from the Internet as recently as August 2024. Google “Sheriff Bob Norris” and you will find no evidence of the July 2024 tort claim that was newly filed against him, which originally hit all major, local news outlets in Kootenai County and Spokane, Washington. While these news articles can still be found through an Internet search, they have been pushed down in the rankings and require a very specific search string to find them, evidence of a recent scrub regarding anything negative that includes Bob Norris’ name.

What you can find on the history of Robert “Bob” Norris is a dumbed down version of his work history and experience, including the following found on the KCSO website:

• A 30-Year Law Enforcement Career – Bob has worked patrol, custody, narcotics, gangs, investigations, counter terrorism and emergency preparedness. He finished his career as chief of law enforcement services serving a population about the size of Kootenai County.
• A Proven Law Enforcement Manager – Bob has managed a multi-million-dollar budget and a staff of over 150 public safety professionals. Bob is also an expert and believer in community-based policing.
• A Supporter of Community-Based Policing – Bob has seen first-hand the benefits of crime reduction through proactive community policing. He’s also implemented, supervised and managed programs for at-risk youth, before they become adult criminals.
• A Leader of Elite L/E Teams – Bob was selected to lead an anti-terror Team at the Joint Regional Intelligence Center after 9/11. His assignment was to manage personnel and resources from local, state and federal agencies. His responsibilities also included the planning, logistics and response to man-made and natural disasters.
• A Current Member of The Kootenai County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue Team – he has a deep understanding of the inner workings of our Sheriff’s Department and the needs of our community.
• Active Supporter of the 2nd Amendment – Bob is an avid supporter of conceal carry, often shoots in his spare time and is a Lifetime Member of the NRA

Since his 2019 campaign for Kootenai County Sheriff, Robert Norris has failed to produce a resume with references that would substantiate and legitimize his career and work history.

In 2019 the Coeur d’Alene Press hosted a 3-part Kootenai Candidate Sheriff Town Hall that features a Norris campaign advertisement at the beginning of this online Zoom event. This town hall was moderated by Clint Schroeder, regional publisher for the CDA Press and North Idaho Hagadone Newspaper Group. A link to this 2019 town hall featuring then sheriff candidates Bob Norris, Mike Bauer, and Justin Nagel can be found by clicking here.

Why is it that in 2019 Robert “Bob” Norris, retired from LASD, had such a strong backing by local political power players such as the Kootenai County Republican Central Committee, local mainstream media, and the newly reformatted Kootenai County Deputy Sheriff’s Association? In fact, the KCDSA had for decades been nothing more than a “benevolent society” that served KCSO deputies and stayed out of politics.

In an article on the North Idaho Slow Grow website, there is deep research and evidence that in 2019, just as Norris was ramping up his first run for sheriff, the decision was made to affiliate the Kootenai County Deputy Sheriff’s Association with the Fraternal Order of Police, a national police lobby. A year later, KCDSA was re-chartered as KCSEA, Lodge #43 of the Idaho Fraternal Order of Police. This association changed both the mission and makeup of the group.

KCSEA-FOP’s tax status was changed so that it could engage in political activity, and its membership was expanded to include the Sheriff’s command staff, and non-sworn KCSO employees. As stated in the NISG website article this is significant because:

“KCSEA’s leadership is composed of men (and women) who have been promoted into positions of leadership within KCSO. This means that KCSEA represents KCSO leaders rather than rank-and-file deputies.”

Bob Norris is a lifetime law enforcement government employee who in 2019 was propped up and promoted by big business, big money, and the local, Republican political machine. He was also largely funded by the KCSEA, Lodge #43 whose political purpose is to keep Norris in power. The KCSEA, Lodge #43 continues to fund Bob Norris’ 2024 re-election campaign.

The Transparent California website reports that as of 2023 Bob Norris is on a $186,675.60 per year disability plus benefits retirement. This amount increases annually and has increased significantly since Bob Norris’ early retirement in 2014. Many Kootenai County residents are not aware that Robert “Bob” Norris retired early at the age of 51, on a large disability payment each month and has now been employed by the KCSO as sheriff of Kootenai County with a generous salary in 2023-24 of $145,000. Kootenai County Sheriff Robert Norris’ salary increased in 2022-23 from $119,392.00 to over $145,000 in 2023-2024.

Bob Norris claims that this large LACERA disability payment is due to 12% and 13% injuries on his respective shoulders. How does one receive an over $186,000 per year disability and benefits payment for minor shoulder injuries? What are the true terms of his disability? Is Bob Norris breaching the terms of his disability retirement if he performs police functions?

Bob Norris has failed to produce evidence of the terms of his disability, and it is obvious that the local power players such as the Republican machine, legacy media, political action committees, big business donors, and KCSEA, Lodge #43 that support him either don’t care, or they do not want YOU to know.

The Kootenai County Sheriff’s office is failing under the administration of Bob Norris. The residents of Kootenai County are being spoon fed skewed statements and statistics by Sheriff Norris and his Public Relations Manager Bruce Mattare such as Norris having “a 100% approval rating by the Deputy Sheriffs Association”. There is ample evidence to demonstrate many layers of troubling issues at KCSO. Sheriff Norris is seeking re-election based on his supposed successful record since 2020. Surprisingly despite salary increases for KCSO employees, the Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office is down 50 total deputies, a majority in the jail with jail staff working double time for shift coverage.

During Sheriff Bob Norris’ time in office, he has also been involved in questionable activity that stands to tarnish his 5-star status and remain a blemish on his record after his time in office.

Learn more about Robert “Bob” Norris and his administration:

• Why Sheriff does Bob Norris refuses to debate 2024 Kootenai County Sheriff Candidate Dan Wilson?
• Kootenai County is being played by County Commissioner Bruce Mattare who is also Bob Norris’ public relations manager
• Bob Norris disguises “Coffee With Your Sheriff” events as community outreach when in reality they are ongoing campaign events that are taxpayer-funded, costing taxpayers over $45,000 since 2023

The General Election is on November 5, 2024.

For more information on voter registration in Kootenai County, Idaho or to register to vote visit https://www.kcgov.us/329/Registration-Voting.

Dan Wilson for Kootenai County Sheriff 2024
285 W Prairie Shopping Ctr, #530
Hayden, ID 83835
info@theidahosheriff.com

Paid for by Dan Wilson for Kootenai County Sheriff, Luann Hopkins treasurer. © 2023 Dan Wilson for Kootenai County Sheriff. All rights reserved.