October 26, 2010
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J.D. Wilmeth on Local Law Enforcement
Will’s Solution to Local Law Enforcement
Newsletter: 5 September 2010
Our county faces a growing crisis. Every year, law enforcement agencies seek to increase their budget and their manpower. These requests are accompanied by the same argument – “with more police and more or better equipment we can cut down on crime.” Yet, consistently, the opposite is what occurs. Our communities see an increase in crime, and often a rise in more violent crimes.The conclusion is inescapable. Present police methods DO NOT WORK. Current methods of patrol, where units work an area in a random pattern, watching for criminal activity, and police are deployed to provide a certain amount of personnel throughout a 24 hour period does not result in a decrease in crime.
Our present Sheriff is a supporter of this method of law enforcement. He points to 24 hour patrol, a new building, and a full complement of personnel as well as his personal involvement in a large number of community advisory boards as evidence of success. Unfortunately our primary goal of lowering the crime rates, arresting offenders and keeping the peace remains unimproved. The Sheriff Department may look good, but its not performing as well as it could.
My solution involves returning to a simpler, more direct method of law enforcement that is in keeping with the vision of our Founding Fathers and based in the U.S. Constitution. Consider this; the majority of citizens are law-abiding, honest, hard-working people who want safer streets, order and less crime. Further, in every community, the vast amount of criminals are known, not only by law enforcement, but by the members of the community themselves. Finally, crimes do not occur in a vacuum. In other words, multiple burglaries occur, not just one. Oilfield larcenies occur in groups, not in single events. So why do those of us in law enforcement assume random patrols and 24 hour coverage are going to catch the majority of criminals?
It may be politically incorrect to say this but the truth of the matter is that, as peace officers, our duties are not to regulate the conduct of law-abiding citizens, or force their “compliance,” rather, our duty is to seek out, properly investigate, and arrest (based on probable cause) those members of our society who prey on others. While doing this we have an over-riding duty to protect everyone’s constitutional rights.
My solution involves recognizing that the majority of crimes are committed by a limited amount of criminals, most of whom are already known to law enforcement. The records sections of local law enforcement agencies are full of information on criminals who have been handled for certain types of crimes, and the amount of unserved arrest warrants is staggering. In my proposed methodology, the Sheriff’s Department will deploy its force based on the actual threats, rather than the possibility of the presence of a threat. We will:
- Cease random, unfocused patrols and minimize our response to non-criminal events that do not require enforcement activities.
- Research local criminal trends for type, location, and method.
- Deploy our units in a focused response to those specific threats and make an arrest as soon as possible.
- Watch for and react to situations of opportunity as we investigate crimes to stop those crimes that we observe.
- We will expend our resources on stopping the criminal, not policing the public at large.
Links to more information about the combined role of the constitution and the sheriff:
Just a reminder to everyone, early voting is a great way to make sure your vote counts. We all get busy, and sometimes Election Day becomes a day where we are just too busy to vote. By voting early, Your Vote Counts! This is a critical election for local offices and on the national level. Let your voice be heard!
J.D. “Will” Wilmeth
Lea County Sheriff Candidate
http://wilmeth4sheriff.com
Facebook pageP.S.: Please forward this email to friends and family. Let’s all work together to put Will in office!
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