Integrity has been sacrificed in the sheriff's department
Integrity has been sacrificedin the sheriff's department
EDITOR:
It is has been five years since I left employment of the Mahoning County Sheriff's Department. While some may say that this letter is based upon a sentiment of sour grapes, nothing is further from the truth. I was laid off with five other civilians in 1999, only months after Sheriff Randall Wellington had been appointed to relieve Lt. James Lewandowski of his interim stint as sheriff, after the resignation of Phil Chance. The department was anticipating approval of a tax, at which time laid-off employees (both deputies and civilians) would be brought back to work. The tax passed. The deputies were returned to work, the civilians were not.
Since that time, I have settled into a position with a small local company and feel very blessed to have a job I love. While the department paid me well and I made many friends, it has been a relief to be freed from the political pettiness, egos, and yes, obscenities, that seem to dominate the sheriff's department. I worked there nearly five years, and while that is not a long time, it's long enough to understand the dynamic of the department.
I knew James Lewandowski fairly well, and quite frankly, I didn't care for him much. I thought his methods of micromanagement were compulsive, but I will say this: He knew the rules, regulations, EVERYTHING. I was merely acquainted, at best, with Mike Budd, but I did like him. He was a patrol deputy at the time I started there and seemed to do a good job at it, and later as a detective. He was always polite to me and seemed to be well-grounded. He was quite instrumental in the "busting" of Phil Chance and got his due reward when Randall Wellington became sheriff.
Then all hell (excuse the expletive) broke loose at the sheriff's department. Of course, I wasn't there much longer to witness the chaos that followed, but I have been hearing about it ever since.
Yes, there are always those who complain about their job, the conditions, etc., no matter who is in office at the moment. But from many who have been with the department for a long time, I have been told that things have never been this bad, and the common denominator of all the bad that I have heard about, running into people here and there, has been Mike Budd. Power can bring out the worst in a person. I do not know about the positives he may have initiated. All that I've been told indicates that he is a liability to the department, and it's a shame that Wellington's pride will not allow him to at least admit that to himself.
It seems to be a common thing for sheriffs to give too much power to their loyal cronies or friends, and the abuse of that power, if not kept bridled by the sheriff, inevitably leads to bad moves based upon ego and revenge. The recent and serious ails regarding the department come as no surprise. Wellington is to be complimented and respected for his many years of service and integrity in law enforcement. However, it's a shame he won't be opposed in November by one single competent individual representing ANY political party.
As for Jim Lewandowski, it's too bad he wouldn't or couldn't have been in the race this year. He may have been an obsessive micromanager, and his intelligence might make him somewhat arrogant, but he knows the rules, inside and out, he's professional and he's probably the best shot in helping to get things back on track. I hope Wellington can put the best interest of the department before his own pride and resentment toward Lewandowski.
CELESTE HYLAND
Youngstown
Bush went hunting too
EDITOR:
The partisan criticism of John Kerry's recent hunting visit to our Valley reveals the hypocrisy of many Bush supporters, as George Bush has done the same thing. During his 1994 campaign for governor of Texas, George Bush went bird hunting. Unfortunately, during this photo-op the future president shot and killed an endangered species.
The event is symbolic of the numerous harmful mistakes the Bush administration has made with regards to our environment, our safety, our economy and our civil liberties.
RAY BEIERSDORFER
Youngstown
Why was the goose a target?
EDITOR:
I understand what the terrorists did. What did the geese do? Was the early morning posse against them necessary?
BILL BLACK
Youngstown