I strongly support the re-election of Sheriff Sean Smith in 2018. Before Sheriff Smith’s 2014 election, LaPlata County “Expected More” and we have much more. A letter to the editor on July 27 claimed that Sheriff Smith has “been a failure.”
I take strong, factual exception to this claim. I mention a few of Sheriff Smith’s accomplishments: saved the county $2 million over three years; brought in $750,000 in new revenue; acquired over $250,000 worth of emergency equipment at no cost (he entered the office with no ATVs); added a second school safety officer; created cooperative special operations team with regional policing and protection leaders; designed and implemented digital management and procedural systems; modernized electronics, jail control rooms and patrol cars; increased visibility and engagement with citizenry; and in this case, “et cetera” is a key. Sheriff Smith, with federal and state outstanding leadership awards for Fire 416 response, has not been campaigning as much as he would like to. Now tried, proven and trusted to protect, his knee-high fire/mud boots have not dried from long hours of field work in emergency after emergency.
I appreciate the Herald editorial July 27 referring to an “oddball study” including the parable of Bell, California. In my nutshell, this referred to the value of the small-town newspaper shining light on the facts of what is happening in our local government.
Editorials and letters are proven opportunities for that.
Kathleen Adams
Durango
