Yesterday when I got to the gym in town, my trainer came in all excited about a breaking news story on our county. Many of the newly-indicted sheriff's department members evidently train at the gym, so she knew most of them. I asked her to read me the story while we got going.
Turned out, 13 people were arrested on federal warrants, including drug and weapons charges. It was the culmination of a two- year FBI, state and local investigation. Half of the officers were at the local airport, waiting for a multi-kilo drug drop, the other half at a warehouse about 30 minutes away, getting ready to distribute it.
They have been charged with helping to transport heroin and cocaine along the East Coast, using these locations. One of those indicted was the son and namesake of our former sheriff, who himself resigned prematurely a couple of years ago, leaving a year of his last term unserved. People have always speculated that he was dirty, too. I doubt these Feds have finished with our area....
How would you feel if you found out late yesterday that a significant proportion of your local law enforcement agency was sitting in jail, waiting to be brought into court for this kind of crime this morning?
We feel at risk...thieves should have a field day. There was no real success at stopping the constant robberies of people's homes here, with a fully-staffed sheriff's office.
We feel ashamed, that this was going on and we were paying these people to work for organized crime at the same time. I know some lived above their means at our local pay grade...evidently, someone noticed.
We frankly aren't shocked or even surprised, though. That is what really worries us....
