Captain Brant was speaking at his son’s criminal court appearance, post arrest
||| FROM ERIC PETER, SAN JUAN COUNTY SHERIFF |||
WSDOT Leadership,
I am writing you today to inform you of extremely inappropriate comments, that come across as a threat to the operation of our Inter-Island Ferry here in San Juan County which were made by Ferry Captain Albert Brant, while in WSF Uniform on 7/25/24. Captain Brant was speaking at his son’s criminal court appearance, post arrest and transport to San Juan County by the U.S. Marshal Service, on multiple charges related to child pornography. While Captain Brant was speaking (public recording of the hearing is attached above) at the 14 minute & 36 second mark on the recording, he talks about the burden of having to take off work if his son is held in the Skagit County Jail on bail and stated the following, “If I’m not working, the ferry’s not running here, ok?” I encourage you to listen to the whole recording, especially the portion between the 12 minute & 35 second mark and the 16 minute and 41 second mark where Captain Brant is speaking.
I, along with multiple other colleagues, were appalled at the arrogant attitude and threatening comments made by Captain Brant that somehow his son’s possible incarceration would somehow negatively affect our transit system in San Juan County, especially in this unstable time we are currently in with seemingly weekly cancellations of our Inter-Island Ferry. As the Sheriff, if one of our employees were to make such egregious and unprofessional statements like this regarding our service to the community if we didn’t get our way with something, that would be deplorable, and I would want to immediately be notified so I could take swift action to remedy the situation.
If our community was aware of what many would interpret as a threat to our Inter-Island Ferry service, they would be outraged. The Inter-Island Ferry service is very vital to our community members for personal transportation, transportation of kids to schools, and more importantly, for their livelihood, as many people live and work on different islands in our community.
As a veteran law enforcement officer for over 29 years, it is offensive that Captain Brant would “name drop” members of the Sheriff’s Office that he allegedly knows as if that should somehow afford him special treatment over anyone else in the community. As the leader of this agency, I ensure that we abide by the laws of the State of Washington and the policies of our agency, and we don’t conduct ourselves or make our decisions based on who we know or what their position is in the community. Additionally, while I firmly stand by the belief that “all persons are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law”, these are very serious allegations of children being violated and for Captain Brant to appear in court in his official WSF Uniform and downplay these horrific allegations is appalling. As a fellow leader of a government organization in this state, I feel it is my duty to make you aware of this incident just as I would want to be made aware of such egregious conduct if it was one of our employees. Again, as the Sheriff, I would be appalled if one of my employees made statements like this, especially if they were in uniform, representing our agency.
I hope WSF treats this with the appropriate measures. Unfortunately, the union will come to his defense. Sickening.
I am not hearing a threat. I am more concerned with the sheriff using his position to attack a long serving captain of the Washington State Ferry system.
I agree entirely. The sheriff’s over-reaction is worrisome.
Attention Washington State Ferry employees,
Violence and threats to our residents of San Juan Islands is a crime and SHOULD be treated as such. Please be respectful of our home when conducting your business on the islands so we can all have a comfortable environment. Enjoy your time on our islands.
While agree I saw nothing that indicated any violence and was there really any threat? I think the captain was stating a fact. We have seen what happens when there is a shortage of crew, ferries get canceled. I’m not sure the sheriff should be attacking this captain because he perceives his comment as a “threat.”
I believe a veiled threat is a threat! OK?
Where’s the violence?
Just a warning that I hear every time I ride a ferry. I thought he might understand that if I framed it in that manner
But it’s not a CRIME, Ed, as you stated above. According to my understanding of state law, which may be imperfect, you need a threat of physical violence for a “threat” to be a crime, and I see no physical violence being threatened here.
FYI The police knocked on my door when I stated that “I would teach the school a lesson” by asking them to take my letter to the “board” after denying me an interview for a job mowing their lawn, I didn’t believe that to be a crime either, on my part. Can anyone take a joke here, or are we all too critical of each other? “Don’t shoot me, I’m only the piano player”. Disclaimer, I play the Jew’s Harp and am not a Jew.
Why is he wearing his official uniform for a hearing unrelated to his position? His testimony drips with arrogance and minimizing of the charged crime.
To me it is pretty interesting captain comes to court dressed up in official uniform saying ferry will not go without him , and apparently he doesn’t care about rest of us . I think police officer who wrote this post knew what he was saying. He knows law better than any of us and he knew right there this wasn’t right . Like he said it is not about who you know , it is about what you represent and captain’s statement and his attitude was as bad as it gets.
I too did not hear this as a threat, veiled or not.
The skipper was stating that the community would inevitably be affected if he has to take time off work to visit his son in jail off-island, as would be his right and duty as a parent. I accept that the skipper truly believes that his son would not offend if he is housed at home with protective restrictions. He could be mistaken about that, of course, but if he truly believed it then he was not threatening the ferry-riding community, but trying to minimize more disruption to ferry services.
I also think that keeping potential child sex offenders in jail is absolutely the right thing to do, times ten. That is a different issue.
Don’t confuse my silents with complacency. When the seeds of lies are given sunlight, they will prosper and spread, like weeds. But, if the truth is allowed the same sunlight, it will over shadow the field of lies. And like the mighty oak the truth will grow strong and diminish the field of lies.
Please, let the true be told. Please, give my son a fighting chance at a fair trial. Please, stop the witness tampering and threats.
I did not wear my work uniform. My last name is spell BRANT, without a d. Just my great ancestor Chief Joseph Brant.
I will not run from a bully.
And that is how it starts. They don’t like the clothes you wear. They don’t like the way you spell your name. They don’t like the way you comb your hair.
I am unapologetically an Unlimited Master of the United States Merchant Marines, that show count for something. I don’t lie. I don’t steal, and I definitely don’t cheat.
Please, give my son a fair chance to tell the truth.
I do apologize for the spelling errors. I’m hoping you might get through that.
I have worked with Captain Brant for several years and have never seen him wear those clothes to work. I don’t know what about those clothes Sheriff Peter thinks makes them a WSF uniform.
Al has worked hard throughout the pandemic to provide service to the interisland ferry and through out the fleet. He has given up his free time and asked others to do the same. I am proud to serve on his crew.
I would like to add there are several people living amongst you in these Island communities who do everything we can to provide scheduled service to the interisland ferry for you, our friends and neighbors.