Pubdate: Fri, 15 Mar 2002
Source: Dispatch, The (NC)
Copyright: 2002, The Lexington Dispatch
Contact:  http://www.the-dispatch.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1583
Author: C. Clark
Related: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v02/n415/a09.html
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/corrupt.htm (Corruption)

WHAT'S GONE WRONG?

Editor:

After reading Mr. (Steve) Hodges' guest column on March 5, I felt compelled 
to write. I ask you what has gone wrong with our society when our own law 
enforcement officials start breaking into people's homes to steal their 
money when everyone of us know that it's against the law?

Also, why do they try to push a drug awareness program on our kids that 
some law enforcement officers can't successfully pass themselves? I agree 
with Mr. Hodges that some of the deputies failed to graduate from the real 
DARE program and brought a whole new definition and understanding of the 
word D. (Dealing) A. (And) R. (Receiving) E. (Ecstasy).

We want our kids to respect law enforcement and be comfortable with them as 
role models. How? I remember when I would pass by someone with authority 
like that and would throw my hand up to acknowledge I appreciated them and 
respected them, which I still do for some with variances to others such as 
a one-finger salute.

The days of respect for the sheriff's department have ended because it's 
such a joke now. In fact they are printing a new bumper sticker with a new 
slogan of "101-3 = 98 and we're dealing." In all reality I'm scared to stop 
for a blue light of a sheriff's deputy now because I'm scared they may try 
to sell drugs to me.

I remember a time as a kid when I tried to decide what I wanted to be when 
I grew up, maybe a sheriff's deputy. I'm grown up today and I still think 
of tinting my windows extremely dark, as the sheriff's department does but, 
come to find out, it's against the law for car windows to be tinted darker 
than 85 percent visibility. The only exclusions is a stakeout or 
surveillance or a K-9 car. I contacted the state attorney general and the 
Highway Patrol and received this response. So if I placed a K-9 sticker on 
my car or sat on the side of the road watching some birds does that mean I 
could get away with tinting my windows as dark as the sheriff's department 
has theirs?

And since when does the dog catcher have official business to the degree 
that they need to tint their windows that dark? Are they trying to keep the 
dogs from seeing them casing them out for pickup? What I am saying is that 
this whole thing is appalling. It's bad when you tell someone you're from 
Davidson County and they begin to laugh hysterically in your face. And the 
whole time, without asking them what's so funny, you know why they're laughing.

Now is the time for us to make a final plea for all citizens to come to the 
aid of our community and let our votes show that we can take our county back.

C. Clark

Lexington
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