Wednesday, October 30, 2002

Helicopter purchase, sheriff's role defended

Mr. [Larry] Robinson first attacks the sheriff for purchasing a helicopter without the consent of the Board of Commissioners. I read in the paper that Sheriff Johnson and Major Jordan met with Mr. Dunn, the chairman, and got his consent to purchase the helicopter. He went on to tell them that he would inform the rest of the commissioners. It seems like he promised more than he could deliver and started to backtrack. I have known of people to disagree with Sheriff Johnson, but I have never, ever, known of anyone to question his honesty and integrity. I don't know enough about the newcomer, Greg Dunn, to say the same thing.

Mr. Robinson characterizes the purchase of the helicopter as financially irresponsible, $165,000 for the purchase of a helicopter valued at more than $1 million new. Is that irresponsible? He fails to note that the purchase of the helicopter was made with seized money from drug dealers and not our tax dollars. Mr. Robinson is painfully unaware that seized drug money cannot, by federal law, go back into the county treasury, but must be used to enhance and not supplement the sheriff's department operating [budget]. Would Mr. Robinson have the commissioners commit a felony?

By the way, seized drug money cannot be used to pay salaries, but can be paid for the maintenance of the helicopter.

Mr. Robinson complains that the sheriff asked for more traffic officers and if they would stay out of Peachtree City and Fayetteville, he would not need them. Not true. I'd be surprised if more than a couple hundred tickets were written in Peachtree City and Fayetteville. By the way, Georgia law requires the sheriff to keep his office in the county seat. Does Mr. Robinson want the sheriff to break the law too?

Just so everyone knows, the sheriff provides more than traffic services to all of these cities. He serves warrants, runs the jail, serves civil papers for these cities and helps the cities with everything they ask for. Hey, by the way, the sheriff's department is the only law enforcement for Brooks, Woolsey and the rest of incorporated Fayette County. Mr. Robinson, unless you know what you are talking about and learn all that the sheriff's department does, just be content with not liking the sheriff's department and save us your knee-jerk commentary.

Think of it this way there is the city of Fayetteville Police Department, city of Peachtree City Police Department, the city of Tyrone Police Department and the Fayette County Sheriff's Deparment. The cities worry about their city. The sheriff worries about the whole county, which includes these cities.

One last thought, a person I very much respect said that we should ignore "nay sayers" because all they want is to moan and groan. I say that sometimes you just can't just let someone get away with something. Here's to you, Larry Robinson. You might not like the Fayette County Sheriff's Department, but they will protect and serve you anyway.

Debbie Nagel