2009.07.02
Live-fire training should heat up Roanoke's sheriff's race
First, officers' safety was compromised; then, public confidence was shaken in the Roanoke sheriff's leadership of her department after news broke of its participation in training that intentionally put officers downrange of live gunfire. Now, Roanoke County has decided to end joint operation of its training facilities with city law enforcement agencies. In an editorial Sunday, we'll write that the training fiasco should be a central issue in Sheriff Octavia Johnson's bid for re-election in November.
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Yet another RTEB blog bashing a republican. Today must be a weekday that ends with the letter Y.....
Comment by BobH — July 2, 2009 @ 12:04 pm
I don't see the RTEB covering the Roanoke Democrats in any glory either, but that is equally irrelevant. You can bemoan a Republican getting called out on an issue, "bashing" if that pleases you, but since there are issues that make that a credible bashing, you are only making your own argument look weak. If you feel that comment is unfair to the Sheriff, defend her. If you feel the comment was unfair to Republicans, point out the relevance of your argument to the comment. The RTEB did not elect the Sheriff. The RTEB did not make bad decisions for the Sheriff. Once again, you are missing the horses while watching for the zebras.
Comment by Sandi Saunders — July 2, 2009 @ 12:27 pm
Sandi,
The nearest example I can give you is what happened to Dowe (which is really not that close since it was criminal).
Finally, when it was obvious what had happened, came the calls from the RT and the RTEB for him to resign. But not well until it was obvious what had occurred.
Shawna Flowers went so far as to insinuate that Councilman Wishneff wasn't doing his job because he wasn't spending enough city money on travel. You will recall that the first sign of smoke was that simply Dowe was spending more on travel (by far) than any other council member.
Dowe was, of course, a democrat. And Johnson a republican.
That being said, Johnson wasn't elected as much as George McMillan was fired. In this instance, I think she was wrong and have said so. It was a bad decision (but watch Heartbreak Ridge sometime for a similar parody).
Because she is a republican in a largely democratic area she is a marked target and I think that sticks in the craw of the RTEB as much as the actions and decisions she made on this.
That is my opinion.
Comment by BobH — July 2, 2009 @ 1:04 pm
Please get off the Political kick. It was dangerous and uncalled for. Roanoke County agrees.
Comment by Jim Stevens — July 2, 2009 @ 1:42 pm
Jim,
I agree. RTEB should get off the Political kick. I have said so for a long time. There is plenty of stuff on dems out there and you don't have to look very far to find it. Do both sides in equal measure and fervor and I have no beef with it.
Comment by BobH — July 2, 2009 @ 2:25 pm
I thought it was the RT who originally uncovered what Dowe was doing.
Comment by Kristen — July 2, 2009 @ 2:35 pm
"Sheriff Octavia Johnson's bid for re-election in November"
"Roanoke County’s long-standing sheriff has been nominated to be the U.S. Marshal for the Western District of Virginia.
U.S. Senators Mark Warner and Jim Webb nominated Gerald Holt"
Comment by Henry — July 2, 2009 @ 2:41 pm
No, Mayor Nelson Harris counseled Dowe on his spending. That's what triggered the RT to get in on it. Then the audit, the the double billing discovery, then the throwing of Dowe under the bus by the RT (when it was obvious he could not be salvaged).
RTEB called Coleman an "idiot" for challenging the Minnesota Senate race to the Minnesota SC (which even isn't as far as Al Gore challenged with Florida-he went all the way to the SCOTUS) and now that Coleman has conceded (he still had more legal rememdies he could pursue) do you see any RTEB blog saying he is a genius now? No, and you aren't going to.
BTW, he was an idiot for challenging an election that the total votes tallied exceed the total votes cast. No, something like that wouldn't need impartial legal intervention (which it may not have gotten anyway).
Just another example of RTEB bias.
Comment by BobH — July 2, 2009 @ 2:56 pm
Conflate much?
How did the RT first find out Nelson "counseled" Dowe? You seem to have this story down so go ahead and pinpoint what they knew and when so we can really place some blame.
As to the shenanigans in Minnesota, one would think, the less said the better for your side, but I am always willing to go round again. Where exactly did you get that cast/tallied whopper? What exactly turned Coleman into a genius? So when an election goes your way (Bush v Gore) you think it was a waste to go to the SCOTUS, but when one does not (Franken v Coleman) you think it was necessary? You want consistency, try having some. This is like a roller-coaster.
Comment by Sandi Saunders — July 2, 2009 @ 3:41 pm
Coleman won the election and the first recount. The Democrats just counted until they won.
Comment by Henry — July 2, 2009 @ 5:45 pm
Folks, you can't criticize this training unless you've been there. It's very easy to be a Monday morning quarterback and speak your mind behind the cover of the Internet. You have no idea what we face and we have to train at the very extreme so that we can best protect you. Would you really want otherwise? This is political but it is the Roanoke County PD wanting to alienate themselves from the rest of the agencies in the region for some reason. I've heard there is a movement to absolve the PD and turn law enforcement back to the sheriff's office. I would totally support this decision b/c of the leadership and antics of the PD.
Comment by Steve — July 3, 2009 @ 9:39 am
So much for safety in the city PD. This time the county did the right thing. Cameras disabled, come on folks this was wrong and the city trainers knew so. to bad they took out the cameras.
Comment by catspaw — July 13, 2009 @ 1:57 pm