Dear Editor:
Integrity: The quality of being honest and having strong moral principles; moral uprightness.
Where is the integrity when a sheriff misrepresents and omits the facts known to him, in order to bias investigators conducting an outside agency investigation? Where is the integrity in this sheriff coming to my home, the day after presenting this false information to investigators, so he can shake my hand in friendship, proclaiming everything is good; while the entire time he knows what he has done.
Where is the integrity of the sheriff when he uses intimidation to silence others? Both physical and verbal intimidation, such as coming up over the table at a woman who questioned his dispatcher’s knowledge of the streets in Rangely?
Where is the integrity in going into someone’s place of business while on duty and threatening them both physically and verbally? All because that person may have offended a constituent of the sheriff.
Where is the integrity in threatening public officials with “trouble” if they don’t do as the sheriff demands? Where is the integrity of the sheriff who fought so vigorously, leading the charge of the attack on the county commissioners, over their possible closure of the dispatch center? I ask because he later abandons his statutory duty to maintain the county jail. Where is the integrity of the sheriff who closes the jail, in order to “save money” in a time of financial difficulty for the county; yet he turns around and expands his patrol division, command staff, and in house staffing providing raises for everyone. Where is the integrity of a sheriff who provided these raises, to compete with “Meeker” and “Rangely” police departments, when both said agencies make substantially less than their counterparts in the sheriff office make.
Where is the integrity of a sheriff who stops the Rangely Police Chief for driving his patrol car, into the county, so he can have a hotdog with his wife, on the 4th of July? Where is the integrity in the sheriff demanding the district attorney criminally charge the Police Chief with “impersonating a police officer”, because he didn’t have the sheriff’s permission to drive into the county to have a hotdog with his wife?
Where is the integrity of our sheriff who sits on both the Colorado P.O.S.T. Board and is president of the County Sheriffs of Colorado, where he condemns officers, revokes their certifications for acts he himself has seemingly committed?
Perhaps our sheriff doesn’t understand the law, as he should. Of his 30+ years in law enforcement he spent a year in the jail, maybe a couple years as a patrol deputy, then he went straight into administration and politics. No, I did not forget, he also served several years as an investigator, which is why I have such a hard time understanding why he appears so devoid of knowledge of the law and reverence for the code of ethics.
Should our current sheriff be re-elected, I would suggest some homework. My suggested reading assignments would include: #1. The statutory duties of the sheriff. #2. The authority of a police officer (anywhere in the state). #3. The law of fresh pursuit and the authority of an officer in such pursuit. #4. The BRADY act (reference lying to investigators). #5. False Reporting to authorities. #6. Criminal attempt to influence a public official and #7. Official Misconduct, just for starters.
Old news aside, our sheriff should definitely review the definition of “integrity” as he uses this word to describe himself and although I’m certain he knows, it just doesn’t fit.
I see little integrity within our sheriff. I can’t say he’s all bad, but I can say he holds no candle to the prior sheriffs I’ve had the privilege of working for and with.
We need a sheriff who believes the law applies to everyone, most importantly, the sheriff him/herself. It’s time for a change, we need a Sheriff, not a King. I encourage everyone to be informed and get out and vote.
In case you were wondering, I will not be voting for Anthony Mazzola.
Roy Kinney
Rangely
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