Comments by lawman
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Posted on June 21 at 1:47 p.m.
CassieJo:
You have raised an excellent point. Unfortunately, the Kansas Court of Appeals (later confirmed by the Kansas Supreme Court) held in a 1984 case in which a hospital sued the Ford County Sheriff for costs associated with treatment of a jail inmate that the Sheriff is responsible for inmate medical care, not the inmate. There was a case a few years ago in Chase County where an inmate's medical care was so high that it depleted the county's general fund to pay for it. The Kansas Sheriff's Association lobbied the Legislature for relief, but in view of the Kansas Courts' decisions, the best that the Legislature could lawfully do was provide that the medical provider could charge the Sheriff no more than the medicare/medicaid rate (which is about a 40% savings). However, even that leaves the Sheriff (meaning the taxpayers) with a substantial liability. That is precisely why Sheriff Eichorn's action in hiring a night shift nurse will potentially save the county a chunk of money. Of course, the Courts' decision defies common sense - but we all know that the Courts' legal reasoning can be different than common sense reasoning.
Posted on May 30 at 3:10 p.m.
God's speed to you, Mike, and go with the thanks of a grateful community for a job well done.
Posted on May 24 at 9:48 p.m.
Someone once said that youth is a terrible thing to waste on the young. I know well the message therein, because I was a young officer once. Oh, for the chance to have had a Sheriff Eichorn or an Undersheriff Old to mentor me in those days, to teach me about professionalism and how to be a cop in our community, because I had none of that. I had to learn on my own, and learn I did, sometimes the hard way. I suppose that the reason that I have spent so much ink on this forum is that I do know Gary and Richard and I know that they want only the best for their department. It is so very sad that a few officers, who apparently lack the background, wisdom and experience fail to see what is theirs for the asking. They obviously think that the grass is greener on the other side. Maturity will show them that that greener grass may not be as tasty by half as the grass that you have. Maturity will also teach that life is rarely perfect and that it is even more rarely what we thought that it would be. Life is tough, a fact known to no others like us old timers. But take it from us, life will be so much more harmonious if we quit fighting good men who want us to be successful and will go to the ends of the world to help with that if we will just give them the chance.
Posted on May 24 at 4:03 p.m.
I want to make one thing very clear, however, and I don't think that it has been said on this forum. By far, most of the current and past officers of the Lyon County Sheriff's Department are professionals doing a very good job, and they, too, should be commended. We are very well served, on the whole, and are blessed with good law enforcement from all law enforcement agencies that serve Lyon County. My earlier comments have been directed at only a very few. The vast majority have earned our thanks for jobs well done.
Posted on May 24 at 3:46 p.m.
Most (if not all) of the deputies left to improve their pay. We can't blame them for that; likewise, it is not a poor reflection on the Sheriff's Department - in fact, it points to the good reputation that the Lyon County Sheriff and his department enjoy with other law enforcement agencies. By any measure (pay, equipment, training, professionalism, etc.), the department has vastly improved under Sheriff Eichorn. Unfortunately, some younger people (not just law enforcement officers) don't have the same work ethic or respect as older people. I would never say the things that I have read in these blogs about the person who writes my paycheck. It is sad. Especially since the Sheriff and the Undersheriff are working so diligently to provide law enforcement services to the community and to develop these young officers. As cepperly said above, it is easy (and cowardly) to stand behind anonymity and character assassinate a good and worthy public servant like Gary Eichorn. Shame on them.
Posted on May 24 at 1:26 p.m.
I think that we can all agree with your characterization of good leadership, Clint, but where your argument fails is in your description of the Sheriff's Department's administration. Although, like you, I am an outsider to the department, I have observed that the administration is attempting to instill in the younger officers professionalism and accountability in reporting, court appearances and citizen relationships, and some (certainly not all) are resisting. Some of the younger officers conduct themselves like this is New York City, which does not work well here. The administration is attempting to develop true professionalism where officers conduct themselves like ladies and gentlemen while at the same time being firm and fair minded. It is ironic to me that it is (some of) the younger officers who fail to understand and adapt to our community standards. Thankfully, the Sheriff and the Undersheriff are providing the leadership necessary to bring them along. Believe it or not, Clint, younger officers can learn something from the older ones. Thankfully, we have Gary Eichorn and Richard Old to provide that example to them. Someday those officers will look back on this experience and thank these two good men for the help giving to them while they were youngsters. The public will be better served and they will be better officers because of it.
Posted on May 22 at 9:23 p.m.
If I am wrong, Blackshirt, why don't you tell us why you stand behind a curtain and continue to take cheap shots at the Sheriff. You don't have to use your real name, so you can be honest. What is it? Have you been arrested for something? Do you want to be the Sheriff yourself? Did you get fired? Show some courage and tell us exactly what your personal agenda is.
Posted on May 22 at 12:48 p.m.
Amen, Jayhawker.
I have been a law enforcement officer for a long time in this community. I have known sheriffs, deputies, chiefs of police, detectives and patrolmen and worked with many of them. Most have done a very good job, but some have not. That is the way with humans. Unfortunately, if you do your job, you will pick up enemies along the way.
I'll bet anything that Blackshirt is a current or former law enforcement officer. For whatever reason, he is no longer objective about the Sheriff. My guess is that he got into trouble over something. Cops are just human and are a reflection of the community, as they should be. We are not perfect, although we are (properly) held to a higher standard than the rest of the citizens. Blackshirt probably failed to live up to that standard and Gary Eichorn is probably the man that had to deal with Blackshirt over his failures. Being the Sheriff is not an easy job.
Gary Eichorn has been an excellent Sheriff and I am glad that he is running for another term. People like Blackshirt are like a mosquito to a police administrator, but they will not keep the good ones from doing their job. I just hope that we can see Blackshirt for what he is, and that we can see Gary Eichorn for what he is. Instead of being critical of the Sheriff, we should thank him for the job that he is doing.
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Posted on July 17 at 7:41 p.m.
Thanks, toninj, my thoughts exactly.
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