Over the past few months, it became apparent to us that something was a muck in Bainbridge. I own the local locksmith business here in town and noticed a substantial decress in the number of cars we were unlocking around town. Then, I remembered conversation my wife told me that she had with Wiley Griffin our Sheriff a couple of months ago. Quote “it is good public relations for my deputies to unlock cars and we are going to continue to do it”. So, over the past few weeks, I have been investigating this “policy”. Well, it is true. On no less than 15 occasions, a Sheriff’s deputy has either unlocked a vehicle that I have received a call on to provide that service, or has been called directly by the person needing this done. Now, I have in none of these cases, witnessed there to be a child, animal or elderly person locked in the vehicle which would require the Sheriff’s Department to respond based on an emergency. In fact, today at 2:00pm, a deputy was dispatched to Wal-Mart to unlock a Chevy Pick-up. I sat in the parking lot and watched not only one Sheriff’s patrol unit arrive on the scene, but two units. They had the individual sign some kind of paperwork, then unlocked the vehicle. They unlocked this vehicle with the same tool I witnessed them unlock a car at the college with a few weeks ago. I ask that gentleman at the college why he had call the Sheriff’s Office. He said ” I wanted it for free, I didn’t want to pay for it”.
I have extensive training in opening cars and the proper procedure to do so without damaging anything. That is why I described the two incidences previously. These vehicles were opened using an improper technique and tool, which could case damage to the vehicles. Damage you the tax payers are going to be responsible for regardless of a wavior being signed or not. Case in point. About 2 years ago, a deputy sheriff in Alabama attempted to open a womans Cadallic Deville. When the deputy inserted the tool he was using into the door and began fishing around, he activated the onboard air bag system, blowing out both front door airbags, steering wheel airbag and the passanger side indash airbag. The woman tried to resolve having the car replaced through the Sheriff’s Office and after months of nothing being done, she sued. A local judge agreed with her that the wavier the deputy had her sign was invalid because the deputy was not a trained professional and should not have attempted to open her car. By order of the judge, the county paid over $30,000.00 to replace her car, because it was only a few months old. This kind of incident is the exact reason why Bainbridge Public Safety Department WILL NOT OPEN CARS.
Consider the amount of fuel being used for “good public relations” and how much it is costing us. Additionally, consider the fact the the Sheriff’s Office is using a county vehicle to provide a personal service to a private citizen in a nonemergency situation. Is using all this fuel, using a county employee on county time, unnecessary wear & tear on a county vehicle loss of a deputy from patrol to go and unlock a vehicle and the money spent to buy the unlock tools be considered misappropriation of county funds. I don’t know, but that is a question I employ our county commissioners to answer.
Look at the number of deaths related to speed or wreckless driving in the rural parts of this county. Consider the amount of drugs being manfactured in the rural parts of this county according to published reports. Look at unsolved crime in the rural parts of this county. Ask yourself if this “public relations” policy is what you and I as tax payers have entrusted our Sheriff with when he was elected. The next time a crime is committed against you or someone you know, you might have to ask yourself if a deputy was on patrol in the area or was he task with having to go and unlock a vehicle instead.
We as citizens of the county are constantly ask to pay higher taxes because of increased cost within the county agencies. Overtime at the Sheriff’s Office by deputies is a constant from what I hear. Wouldn’t you think that rather than initiating a policy which cost more tax dollars to us, Mr. Griffen would find a way to spend our tax dollars more wisely? If he isn’t concerned about his budget, then the next time I don’t feel like mowing my lawn, painting my house, replacing my roof or paving my driveway, I can get it done for “FREE” by calling the Sheriff’s Office. After all, isn’t that the message our sheriff is sending out with this “good public relations” policy ?.
Don’t get me wrong, I think the deputies at the Sheriff’s Office do a great job. They have always come across as very professional to me when I have met them. I tip my hat to anyone in law enforcement. It is a dangerous job that most people wouldn’t dare sign on for. This is just an issue that I feel strongly about. I don’t honestly believe that most of our deputies even want to open cars, it’s what they have been ordered to do.
