LETTERS to the Editor

Abuse of power is common

To the editor,

Three weeks ago, we learned about poten- tial discrimination with Sheriu Nancy Hove and the county board. Maybe it’s just me, but I feel that there’s been too many negative issues that have taken place in the sher- iu's department and other state and local law enforcement agencies for the past 25 years. With the advancements of smart phones and citizens understanding their rights, we are seeing many of the abuses and cover ups of such abuses taking place in law enforcement for way too long. However, the gaslighting by many in law enforcement continues to happen. Maybe it’s time for Pierce County and the nation to know what has been the culture of lawlessness in law enforcement. If an average person does what the sheriu or law enforcement ovcers have been caught doing, we'd be sitting in jail. A sheriu's dep uty and his girlfriend used the 911 lines here for his own personal use to play a prank on a fellow deputy. Another deputy used village funds for their own personal use and even created fraudulent accounts for their own personal use. Too often, many citizens feel law enforcement has been used as a private army with those who have connections. If Sheriu Hove is bringing up such abuses done to her, we as taxpayers need to know what she and her allies have done to the public. Currently, there is a distrust with law enforcement and much of the time they brought it onto themselves and then gaslight the public they are sworn to serve. These are issues I looked into when I was on the county board more than 20 years ago. The more I looked, the more this kind of conduct in law enforcement and in all levels of government should bother people. Or at least the fact it doesn’t bother these people in government positions. Too often, too many elected and appointed government ovcials along with the stau they hire believe they can do no wrong and have no one to answer to. This is what created much of the abuse of power that has been too common for too long. I firmly believe that we need to expand the scoop of what's going on with the Sheriu's department, the courts, the district attor- ney's ovce and government ovcials at all levels. This shouldn’t be a partisan issue but an issue that the entire public needs to know and how we are going to fix such problems. Maybe a good house cleaning in law enforcement nationwide would be a good start.

John Shafer Town of Gilman