The Pearson Group forum was an opportunity for the candidates to introduce themselves, and to answer a few questions. The format allowed each of the 11 to introduce themselves, followed by questions videotaped in advance. The questions were only to selected candidates.

Candidates then got to ask one question each, and choose who would have to answer it. Finally, the event wrapped up with a closing statement.

Below this narrative is a slide show, with a photo of each candidate and a summary of their opening statements. The candidates at the forum, in order of their opening statement, were: immediate past El Paso Police Chief Richard Wiles; El Paso ICE ASAC Maria Guadalupe Dempsey; former Supervisory Deputy U.S. Marshal Al Patino; former El Paso Police Chief Carlos Leon; Sheriff's Department Lt. Marvin Ryals; former El Paso CBP Director Luis Garcia; retired police Sgt. Mary Lou Carrillo; Sunland Park Police Chief Jose Ramirez; retired police Lt. Gabriel Serna; retired police Deputy Chief Robert Almonte; and retired Sheriff's Department Commander Larry Wilkins.

Some other items of interest:

-- Most of the candidates questioned said they were in favor of some form of consolidation between the police and sheriff's departments. The question, from City Council member Steve Ortega, was answered by Wiles, Leon, Ryals, Garcia and Wilkins.

Wiles said he was in Indianapolis recently, which provides a potential model for El Paso. He mentioned some areas that ought to be consolidated right away, including the academy, criminalistics and records. Leon said when he ran previously for sheriff consolidation was a major part of his platform, and said while it would take legislative action to have a true, "metro" force, he agreed with Wiles that "baby steps" could happen immediately.

Ryals said it's been a 30-year discussion, and there are many elements to consider, including the fact that the sheriff and police chief work respectively with the county and city, creating a huge political hurdle. But he said, "I can make this go forward."

Garcia said he was the only candidate who went through a consolidation, when the Department of Homeland Security was formed. Wilkins said it's about saving tax dollars, and gave an anecdote about his son being hesitant to move back to El Paso because of the tax burden; he also noted his experience in consolidating prisoner booking in the 1980s, and helping put together a common record system for police and sheriff.

-- All candidates answered a question about the staffing and budget under their command. Wiles said the Police Department had 1,100 uniformed officers, 350 civilian employees and 400 volunteers, with a $110 million budget. Dempsey said she oversaw 300 employees in West Texas and New Mexico, and while she didn't administer a budget, she worked with the budget officer daily. Patino said he managed 200-300 people while stationed in Hawaii, with a program budget of $160 million; in El Paso he ran 60-75 people on the futigive investigation squad.

Leon oversaw a similar police department as Wiles, if a little smaller. Ryals said he oversaw up to 300 people in difference parts of the Sheriff's Department. Garcia said his office in El Paso had a $116 million budget and 1,200 employees. Carrillo said she worked with FBI agents and members of the police department, oversaw federal grants, and was supervisor for the regional bomb squad.

Ramirez said when he worked at EPPD, he was commander of Mission Valley and had 130 officers. His department in Sunland Park has a $5 million budget and he oversees 35 people, he said. Serna said the question really is, what skills does a person needs for the job, and he said it was critical incident management skills, which he used daily as a lieutenant.

Almonte said as deputy chief he was involved in the budget, and said that although the Sheriff's Department budget is $71 million, the department also generated $30 million in grants and other funds, which Almonte said he would continue. Wilkins said he oversaw 330 personnel and 1,400 inmates, with a $28 million budget, and said he was able to cut $1 million from that budget in one year.

-- On one of the hot button issues in the race -- whether a crime victim who is undocumented can feel safe calling the Sheriff's Department for help -- all the candidates agreed they should. The context for the issue was the controversial sheriff's department checkpoints, at which deputies apparently were asking for residency documents and turning immigrants over to the Border Patrol. This has led to mistrust of the department in many immigrant-heavy communities in outlying areas of El Paso.

Ramirez stated unequivocably that it did not matter where a crime victim is from or their immigration status. "You help them ... that is what i am about," he said.

Others couched their answer by also bringing in the issue of criminal undocumented immigrants, while agreeing crime victims ought to be feel safe calling law enforcement. Patino, for example, said he would not advocate officers asking for immigration status, but said the federal mandate is to find and prosecute "criminal aliens," and inevitably local law enforcement will run into those.

-- The candidates were asked what makes them more qualified then the others. Wiles said he inherited and turned around a department in distress, with lawsuits, courts of inquiry and discipline issues. Leon, from whom he inherited the department, said his department was a successful one, noting a low crime rate, his creation of citizen advisory boards, and -- in a little barb at Wiles, an attrition rate of 5 percent, as compared to 8 percent "under my chief deputy."

The attrition issue came up again when Carrillo asked Wiles why officers were leaving. Wiles said the federal government is on a hiring spree, and it pays more and in many cases the officers can stay in El Paso.