Sometimes changing horses in midstream makes sense

by David Grand
April 25, 2007

Yes, one might get a little wet in doing so, but the advantages may be worth it, such as in the case of the commissioners who are considering turning over the reins the resident trooper program has held as the primary law enforcement agency in the county since 1974 to the sheriff's department.

Not because that program has outlived its usefulness, or is too expensive at $5.2 million annually, but rather because its present compliment of 45 troopers is stretched to the breaking point in trying to meet the demands of an ever increasing population (growing from roughly 78,000 in 1974 to 172,000 today.)

From what I can tell, however, the commishes are twixt and between as to how best to replace the resident troopers: by either creating a county police force or by making the Sheriff Department the primary law enforcement agency.

As I see it, the latter would be preferable, given that it has the infrastructure and resources to carry out that role, and has since Sheriff Tregoining got in the saddle performed impeccably. In other words, better to go with a reliable, tried and true horse than to opt for a new one, with all the additional costs (and headaches) that would entail.   .

But commissioner Julia Gouge appears to be leaning, if not committed, to favoring the untried horse. At least that's how I read her in saying, that "creating a county police force with an appointed chief might be more desirable." And while the other board members haven't indicated their preference, it's safe to assume at least one of 'em would side with her.

And anyone with the commonsense that God gave geese knows why (at least Gouge) has reservations about turning the whole kit and caboodle over to the sheriff, albeit they applaud the way he transformed the department into a top notch, nationally recognized law enforcement agency.

And as anyone with the commonsense God gave geese knows full well why she has reservations about making the sheriff the county's "top gun." For while she'd never admit it publicly, she's still haunted by the ghosts of the past, when the relationship between the sheriff's predecessor and the board he served under was, to put it mildly, acrimonious.       To me, that's building a "straw man" (imaginary opposition). For as high as Sheriff Tregoining has raised the bar, the likelihood of voters electing other than someone of the same or similar caliber to succeed him is as remote as Osama bin Laden being invited to speak before the UN.