Doug Traubel is a thirty-two-year veteran peace officer. In 1984, Doug’s career began in Chula Vista, California, seven miles from the U.S. − Mexico border. His assignments included patrol officer, field training officer, SWAT team, and Street Team (a proactive patrol unit that targeted gangs and series related crimes i.e. robbery and other special enforcement projects).
Doug graduated from The San Diego County Sheriff’s Academy in 1986. On the first day of instruction he attended a lecture from Sheriff John Duffy on the history, role and unique authority held by the Constitutional Office of Sheriff. It was then that he developed a reverence for the Office and an understanding of the necessary and substantive differences between Sheriffs, Chiefs of Police and Federal “law enforcement.”
Doug graduated from San Diego State University with a BA in political science (emphasis on constitutional law) and a minor in the Spanish language.
In 1993, Doug was awarded the medal of valor for his response to three hostile, armed men he and his partner confronted while on plain-clothes foot patrol in the alley of a high-crime apartment complex.
Disgusted with the infiltration of Marxist philosophy in the California criminal justice system and its near paralyzing effect on police work, Doug moved to Idaho in 1994. The seed planted by Sheriff John Duffy determined his course: Doug became a Deputy Sheriff. His assignments included patrol, juvenile crimes detective (High School Resource Officer), and gang detective. In 1998, he was awarded the Field Services Director’s Award for his work with troubled youth. In 2003 Doug transferred to the Ada County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office as an investigator. Doug continues to serve as a trainer and private investigator.
Doug has been an instructor on the topic of gangs at the Idaho State Police Academy and an adjunct faculty member at Boise State University where he taught an upper-division class titled, “Gangs, Drugs and Violence.”
In June of 2021 Doug received the most votes from the Ada County, (Idaho) Republican Central Committee of the three finalists selected to replace Sheriff Bartlett who abruptly left office under a cloud. When the three names were submitted to the Ada County Board of County Commissioners it was their prerogative to vote/appoint out of order. They passed over the #1 ranked Doug for the #3 ranked establishment candidate, Matt Clifford.
All three finalists were given separate and public job interviews before the three commissioners. Doug’s interview was less an interview and more of a Grand Inquisition over the content of his book and his many writings from various publications. Doug was the only candidate to receive a standing ovation from the public at the conclusion.
The tie-breaking vote rested with Commissioner Rod Beck. Leading up to the public interview Beck had the establishment in one ear, fearful of Doug for his oath-centered passion and in the other ear, Constitutional-minded patriots including precinct committee members, state senators and state representatives.
The Idaho Statesman newspaper, Boise State University Public Radio, and TV News Channel 7 branded Doug an anti-Semite and racist due to content of his book taken out of context during his commissioner interview.
To the shock and surprise of his critics Doug doubled down. The following year, on May 17, 2022 he challenged the appointed sheriff in the primary.
Leading up to the election the Chairman of the Ada County Republican Central Committee, Victor Miller, would not facilitate a debate between the two candidates when asked to do so by Doug. He also did not publish a one-on-one video interview he did with Doug at a candidate forum claiming the audio was bad. This was quite odd considering the professional cameraman had a backup digital recorder running simultaneously.
Doug was unable to overcome the negative press and establishment high jinx. His energetic and educational meet & greets, speeches and alternative media interviews, combined with door knocking, radio spots and Web presence ended in a loss with 34.4% of the vote. Clifford won with low energy, no message and comparatively little campaigning. He was carried and insulated by the Marxist media and GOP establishment. Doug is proud to run again in 2024 for the Constitution Party of Idaho.