BELLE — I am not big on social media, it’s such an easy platform to cower down and talk smack about something or someone without meeting them face to face. Because of the sensitivity of the election in the county this year, I felt a post was warranted and decided to share my thoughts here as well. This isn’t word for word with my Facebook post but shares my thoughts on the election.
Most of the candidates on the ballot for Sheriff are there just for spite or the salary, not for the safety and welfare of the citizens. I believe the new sheriff elect should be a man that will assist his staff, not just his deputies, in anyway he can, and make sure the task is completed to the satisfaction of the ones involved.
I have listened to the candidates talk about honesty, integrity, and transparency, most of the candidates I feel are talking out of the left side of their mouths. They need to reeducate themselves on the true meaning of those words.
When a man loses sight of the task that is set before them, to help protect and defend, and focuses on the demise of those who are working with them we have a problem.
When a man who has served in the military and claims to have had responsibilities of numerous lives in their care yet has lost the ability to follow the direction of their superiors and jeopardizing the safety of those under them, that’s not the leadership I want to be a part of.
When a man who claims to be looking out for their community and wants to run the sheriff’s office like a business, depending on someone else to manage the books, or believes the office can be ran like it was 30 years ago when we have real crime today, I believe that is the wrong approach. I believe the sheriff needs to be up-to-date on the task at hand, not someone who hasn’t performed as a law enforcement officer in years.
We need someone who has an intimate working knowledge of a Sheriff’s Office. Someone who knows statutory requirements of budgets and regulatory reporting requirements of crime statistics, traffic stop racial profiling, and so much more. Most of the candidates believe they are going to have a full or well-versed staff if they win, from where I’m standing it doesn’t look like that. I won’t speak for others at the office, you should talk to them. However, I do know this, if the wrong man takes office, my wife and I are ready to take retirement by the horns.
Folks I love my job, I love the people I currently work with. I trust each one has my back and I have theirs. When they call me or my current supervisor in the middle of the night, we will be able to assist them if the need arises.
There are pieces of art in galleries all over the world worth thousands of dollars, these art pieces you can turn them several different ways and still get a clear view of something that catches your eye. When you find what pleases you, that is the way you hang it, but the painter may have only had one vision of what the piece actually is about.
This Sheriff’s race is pretty much the same, we can look at each candidate and see what catches our eyes and display it to benefit us.
I trust in the leadership of God, your belief may be different, if so that’s on you. I am convinced there are flaws in all of us. I believe we need to look at the bigger picture, what is good for our community: knowledge, experience, dedication, and the willingness to reach out to others and lend a helping hand where needed.
Maries County, I’m not ready to quit. I ask you to examine the candidates and choose the man who does portray the mantra of honesty, integrity, and transparency. We all have flaws, it’s what we do with our flaws that makes a man. Don’t let someone cover theirs up or lay them at someone else’s feet.
Maries County Sheriff Cpl. Tim Edwards
