Posted on 06/19/2012 6:33:55 AM PDT by marktwain
As your sheriff, I am writing this open letter to the citizens of Hamilton County.
In recent days, I have been taking a lot of heat from some in the print media regarding my stand on commission cards, special deputies and the Sheriff’s Posse. I normally refrain from commenting publicly about such articles, because I realize everyone is entitled to their own opinion. Also, as an elected individual, I know I am fair game. This time, however; I feel I need to defend this matter more vigorously.
Unfortunately, there are those in our community who strongly oppose our Second Amendment right to bear arms in order to protect our lives. Fortunately for us, Tennessee and Hamilton County have a rich history regarding the right to bear arms. Through legislative mandates, the state of Tennessee has established the right for all 95 sheriffs to issue commissions, special deputy status and even the right to organize a posse which uses law abiding citizens to assist the sheriff in the protection of the county. I believe it is not only very just but significant that the state legislature has never felt the need to change this vital responsibility and obligation of each sheriff.
Reporters, of course, have access to barrels of ink with which to attack a sheriff’s right to utilize citizens for the safety and welfare of their community. Callously, that can even include both men and women who are in good standing in the district. Such reporters and staff will even imply that these good men and women are neither fit nor capable of assisting in the protection of their community. I believe this is an attack not only upon those individuals but also upon the important freedoms we hold so dear as Americans.
Do I believe I should randomly arm or commission every individual who wants to go armed or act under the color of law like our dedicated men and women in law enforcement? Absolutely not. Nor do I intend to pass out these time-honored credentials indiscriminately. There are procedures to be followed, personal record checks to be made and policies and procedures to be followed.
Even then, sometimes a commissioned individual who passes an initial background check will break the law, but these individuals are most often quickly flushed out and removed from holding commissions.
By the way, we all know people in every profession of life who have made poor decisions, violated policies or laws and have suffered the consequences, sometimes even bringing dishonor upon their employers.
As the sheriff of our county, I have enough confidence in our good citizens that they will behave in a professional manner in their desire to assist in protecting our county. The majority of our commission card holders are certified law enforcement officers who work for other municipalities in Hamilton County. Another few are employed as government officials, and there’s a few who the media has chosen to label as “Friends of Jim.”
Actually, I would hope that most of the citizens of this great county are indeed “Friend’s of Jim.” As a realist, however; I know there are political diversities, philosophical discrepancies and sometimes just plain personality differences that would preclude everyone from being a “Friend of Jim’s.”
Finally, I would say that every citizen in good standing under the law has an open invitation to apply for our Sheriff’s Posse. The Posse is not now nor ever has been an exclusive membership. It has always been a support group for the sheriff by word-of-mouth invitation. Being a financial supporter of the sheriff has never been a prerequisite to joining.
I might warn you, though, if you’re a female, there is a very real threat that a certain reporter would delight in printing your age in one of her reports, as she did with my wife without mentioning anyone else’s age in her article.
Look, I understand that we live in a day and age where budgets are strained for law enforcement – but let me assure you that crime never has and never will take a holiday. That’s why these types of citizen support groups are so important to law enforcement. As your sheriff, I will always stand committed to serve and protect all the citizens of Hamilton County. Jim Hammond Sheriff of Hamilton County
Based on what is going on in New Jersey, it seems there is a concerted effort to undermine Sheriffs and their authority across the country. I sense there is something sinister going on here at the federal level. The Feds know that the sheriff is the grass roots defender of citizen rights. If need be, the sheriff is tasked with protecting the citizens from overreaching federal enforcement authority. If Feds seek to enforce Constitutionally invalid laws within the geographic jurisdiction of the sheriff, it is the sheriff’s job to prevent it from happening.
The Sheriff might want to suggest that journalist read about the battle of Athens TN to see what is REQUIRED just in case government becomes corrupt, even if that government might use a Sheriff or other LEO to protect the ruling elite.
This Sheriff seems to have a sound knowledge of the reason for the 2nd Amendment and would be an unlikely participant in an action similar to the battle of Athens TN.
When a government, certainly like our federal government, greatly usurps more power than is willingly given by the people, that government must be dismantled by any means possible.
In our case, that “means” is usually the ballot box unless you have a Department of Just-Us run by a white hating racist and affirmative action failure Holder, who is trying his damned best to stop states from cleaning up their voter rolls and requiring photo IDs.
Is Holder attempting to create a Battle of Athens moment? It sure seems so.
If Holder destroys our ballot box method of keeping our government within ONLY the powers we are willing to give it then what is PLAN B?
Thomas Jefferson knew PLAN B and even told us what it was. How many public school uneducated minds remember what Thomas Jefferson said?
That was a good read. I’m thinking that I’m a “Friend of Jim’s”.
You are right. Same thing in Delaware Sussex county. There does seem to be an effort from the current administration. They absolutely hate the AZ Maricopa county sheriff.
Agreed, but a general test of a Sheriff is CCW permits. If the Sheriff issues CCW to all law abiding residents with a clean record who wish "to comply with the law", as normal procedure, then he is likely a "good guy" Sheriff.
All Sheriffs have associates and acquaintances and no Sheriff is without bias or perfect, but it is the basic attitude toward the Constitution and the citizenry that is important.
It sounds like the problem in Hamilton County is in the mind of a leftist newspaper reporter.
At this point in our Nation's history I distrust any MSM reporter more than the average Sheriff.
Looks like we still have some good guy sheriff’s...
http://politicalvelcraft.org/2011/11/14/u-s-sheriffs-rise-up-against-federal-government-sheriff-threatens-feds-with-swat-team/
http://politicalvelcraft.org/2011/12/16/breaking-oregon-sheriff-gil-gilbertson-continues-stand-against-federal-government-in-his-county/
http://www.countysheriffproject.org/sheriffs-rising-up
And perhaps the most interesting reading:
http://api.ning.com/files/yYdwHv1D-1z7rCcC4-uR*8hW18iHykfUXlLBbXR-psi95ErQMDpYESO4DHXX1Ozw69kGf5sciFZBY367q7z-dpvurT1zkvCT/Unraveling_Federal_Jurisdiction.pdf
What about the bombing of the Sheriffs’ convention recently?
I don’t know about it? Are you referring to the gas explosion?
Was that what it was? I never heard the end of it and just figured. . . . .
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