MARYLAND SHERIFF POSTS OPEN LETTER TO OBAMA

“Mr. President, your silence about these events [the killings of cops] SPEAKS VOLUMES!!!!”

By Heather Norris

Carroll County Times
February 15, 2016

CARROLL COUNTY, Maryland -- In an open letter posted on Facebook, Carroll County's top law enforcement officer criticized President Barack Obama's public silence on an uptick in officers killed by gunfire in 2016 nationwide, including two Harford County sheriff's deputies who were killed this week.

"Dear President Obama," Sheriff Jim DeWees wrote in the post Saturday morning. "In case you haven't heard, eight American police officers over the past eight days have been killed in the line of duty. Two of these police officers were Harford County sheriff's deputies that were gunned down at a Panera Restaurant just 50 miles from where you live. I've watched and listened intently for words of encouragement and sorrow to come from you, but haven't heard or seen anything."

Officer Down Memorial Page Inc., a nonprofit that honors fallen law enforcement officers, recorded seven officers killed in the line of duty nationwide between Feb. 5 and Feb. 11, and three in January. Of those 10, eight were killed by gunfire, according to ODMP.

Over the same time period in 2015, one officer was killed by gunfire in the line of duty, according to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund.

DeWees goes on to commend Gov. Larry Hogan for his support of police around Maryland, noting that the governor made the trip to Harford County to meet with members of the Harford County Sheriff's Office the day after the shooting.

Conversely, he said, the president has shown no sign of support for members of the police community in the wake of the uptick in violence against police officers.

"I understand that you are a busy man and are being pulled in multiple directions every day of the week," DeWees wrote. "But, when my president doesn't take the time to openly recognize the sacrifices that brave men & women of law enforcement make each day to keep domestic peace, I'm disappointed! I suspect that if these same deputies walked in to a restaurant, and without provocation shot and killed an innocent man, you and your staff would quickly whisk their family away to Washington for a future speech to make an example of police officers nationwide."

DeWees, who is a Republican, said the letter was not intended to be political. He decided to pen it out of a feeling of frustration with the president's silence on an incident that occurred within driving distance of the White House, he said.

"I kind of wrote that out of a sense of disappointment," said DeWees in an interview Saturday evening. The Facebook post had been shared more than 13,000 times and had received more than 15,000 likes by 9 p.m. Satuday.

Among many members of the law enforcement community, he said, there is a perception that Obama does not support police officers.

Whether or not that is true, he said, "unfortunately, perception is reality, and it's certainly that way with me."

In September, Obama released a statement calling the targeting of police officers "unacceptable" and "an affront to civilized society." On Feb. 11, the day after the Harford shooting, Attorney General Loretta Lynch spoke to the Major County Sheriffs' Association, acknowledging the Harford killings and praising law enforcement officers' courage and commitment.

That is not enough to make officers feel they have the support of their country's top commander, DeWees said.

"That's not good enough," he said. "I think the president should have come out and said something. We need to hear from our president."

He continued, "I think law enforcement has been waiting a long time to hear something from him that has some substance."

Although the president's silence on the issue has made many question whether he supports law enforcement, it's not too late for something to be done, DeWees said.

Visitation for Senior Deputy Mark Logsdon is scheduled for 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday and Friday at the Mountain Christian Church at 1824 Mountain Road in Joppa. Services for Senior Deputy Patrick Dailey will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at Mountain Christian Church, 1824 Mountain Road, Joppa. At those funeral services, DeWees said, he will be there, keeping the spot next to him empty.

"If he shows up, I'll step aside and give him the spot to the right of me," he said.

DeWees' open letter in full

A Letter from me to our president:

Dear President Obama:

In case you haven't heard, eight American police officers over the past eight days have been killed in the line of duty. Two of these police officers were Harford County Sheriff's Deputies that were gunned down at a Panera Restaurant just 50 miles from where you live. I've watched and listened intently for words of encouragement and sorrow to come from you, but haven't heard or seen anything.

Conversely, just two weeks ago my governor, Larry Hogan, spent the better part of a week placing a call each day to one of my deputies that was involved in a severe traffic collision in Carroll County. He wasn't satisfied with speaking to me in order to send his prayers and regards; he called every day after the collision until he spoke with my deputy's wife. Governor Hogan also drove to Harford County the day after two deputies were slain to meet Sheriff Gahler and the men & women of his office to grieve with them. The governor is in the middle of the 2016 Legislative Session and is pretty busy, yet found time to call, visit and pay his respects to me & my deputy, and the men & women of the Harford County Sheriff's Office.

I understand that you are a busy man and are being pulled in multiple directions every day of the week. But, when my president doesn't take the time to openly recognize the sacrifices that brave men & women of law enforcement make each day to keep domestic peace, I'm disappointed! I suspect that if these same deputies walked in to a restaurant, and without provocation shot and killed an innocent man, you and your staff would quickly whisk their family away to Washington for a future speech to make an example of police officers nationwide.

For me Mr. President, it has nothing to do with Republican or Democrat; black or white, male or female; but, it has everything to do with leading or following. I'm not shocked that you haven't openly reached out or acknowledged publically the recent rash of deaths in law enforcement, but I'm tremendously disappointed!

Mr. President, your silence about these events SPEAKS VOLUMES!!!!

PS: I'll be standing outside in the cold next week with my deputies for the funerals of the Harford Co deputies; I'll save you a spot next to me!

James T. DeWees
Sheriff
Carroll County Maryland

EDITOR’S NOTE: Personally, rather than some scripted comments from Obama about the slaying of cops, I think a public condemnation of Black Lives Matter would show that the President really supports law enforcement officers.