Another One: Ohio Judge advises "Arm Yourselves" Due to Police Cutbacks

[Chris_]

http://www.wkyc.com/news/local/news_article.aspx?storyid=133951&catid=45

JEFFERSON -- In the ongoing financial crisis in Ashtabula County, the Sheriff's Department has been cut from 112 to 49 deputies.  With deputies assigned to transport prisoners, serve warrants and other duties, only one patrol car is assigned to patrol the entire county of 720 square miles.

"I did the best with what they (the county commissioners) gave me. If it wasn't enough, don't blame me, don't blame this department," said Sheriff Billy Johnson. 

Johnson said he is suing the commissioners to get a determination of whether he should use his limited budget to carry out obligations defined by law or put more patrol cars on the streets.

"I just can't do it anymore," he said. "I have to have the court explain to the commissioners and to me what my statutory duties are."

The Ashtabula County Jail has confined as many as 140 prisoners. It now houses only 30 because of reductions in the staff of corrections officers.

All told, 700 accused criminals are on a waiting list to serve time in the jail. 

Are there dangerous people free among the 700 who cannot be locked up?

"There probably are," Sheriff Johnson said, "but I'm telling you, any known violent criminal, we're housing them. We've got murderers in there."

Ashtabula County is the largest county in Ohio by land area. 

Ashtabula County Common Pleas Judge Alfred Mackey was asked what residents should do to protect themselves and their families with the severe cutback in law enforcement.

"Arm themselves," the judge said. "Be very careful, be vigilant, get in touch with your neighbors, because we're going to have to look after each other."

Ashtabula County gun dealers and firearms instructors tell WKYC their business has really picked up since the Sheriff's Department cutbacks began some months ago.

"That's exactly why they are coming, so that they can protect themselves," says Tracy Williams, a certified firearms instructor in Jefferson. "They don't feel that they are protected. They want to be able to protect themselves."

Williams says interest in his classes has doubled recently, and many of those coming are people who he would not normally expect to have interest in obtaining a concealed carry permit.

"And as far as him (Judge Mackey) telling you to arm yourselves and protect yourselves, you don't have any other option," Williams told WKYC. "We don't have the law enforcement out here to handle it right now."

Ashtabula County, where unemployment is higher than the state average, is asking voters to approve a one half per cent sales tax increase in May.

The tax hike would raise the tax in the county to seven percent.


© 2010 WKYC-TV

As local revenue continues to drop due to the Obama Administration fiscal policies, it appears that we are approaching time to evaluate our ability to "do it the old way"........by ourselves.......

doc

[The Village Idiot]

This is going to become much more common as it becomes more and more evident where this country is headed.

[The Village Idiot]

I wonder how many bureaucrats were laid off in the county? I wonder how many non-essential items were zeroed out of their budget?

[Red October]

I have my clip full of hollow-points because my friends at DU say they're safer since they don't go through walls.  

[The Village Idiot]

lol

[Chris_]

It's the truth.  Las Vegas is cutting back on fire fighters to save money.  We're already short on police.  Might as well grab a hose and load up on guns & ammunition.  We have a gun store right around the corner from our place.

[vesta111]

It's the truth.  Las Vegas is cutting back on fire fighters to save money.  We're already short on police.  Might as well grab a hose and load up on guns & ammunition.  We have a gun store right around the corner from our place.

Ah this is old news,  20 years ago in the county and town I lived in Tenn. we had no town police outside in the farming area.   There was a Sheriff that delivered court warrents etc. but for protection one had to call the State Police.

I met a Trouper one night coming home from work at 3 AM, I had stopped at the local gas and grub store to buy a six pack of beer, illegal to sell at that time of day, was drinking one as I headed home after 12 hours at work.  Way out on a 2 lane road that they called a State road this cop came up behind me lights flashing, half full can of beer went flying into the back seat and having 3 more miles of tar then 15 miles of dirt road alone with a junk van I was scared to death.  Was this a REAL cop, why stop me.?

We had moved to the farm only a few weeks before, with getting jobs and settling in I never gave a thought to changing over registration or getting a Tenn. drivers license.

The Trouper let me know I needed to get that done as soon as possible, and as we talked he informed me he was the sole Trooper for 250 miles of that area.

Now if you are from Texas that is a small route but in that area it is huge.  The only law man to call on when life and home is in danger from any number of things that arise.

People become self sufficient out there, they cannot depend on the fire department, police or Ambulance to help you for hours.

I miss the feeling that I am in charge of my life, I live or die by my own decisions, no one to blame if I get sloppy or stupid and something bad happens.    It is a good feeling to awaken in the morning and know I am still alive because I did not screw up things yesterday.  I had 6 fire extinguishers in the barn 3 in the house, I have to watch every step I take outside and really check the ground for rattlesnakes, Cotton Mouth and wild Boar come to the smell of the hog in heat.    I have to be very careful of a cow getting ready to drop, even if poled she can kill me.

Armed at all times against big critters with rabies or just hungry.  Armed against poachers who will without thought shoot you so you cannot identify them for either stealing your cattle or killing deer out of season.   

I was young enough then to LOVE that life, today I live in a small town in New England, 3 minutes away are the police, fire department and Ambulance service to a hospital 8 miles away.

I feel safe and secure here as I get old but the joy of watching the dust rise on a dirt road announcing visitors and the double barrel besides the front door and one in the bedroom is gone.

Back then one distrusted anyone that came a calling unannounced even the Pasteur if his wife was not with them.

Today I live in a world of manufactured safety, when the bad guys come a calling I will have no distrust of them as I have been told I am safe.     That is where the headlines come in the morning paper-------family robbed, beaten and killed.

Rant ended--for now.