Sheriff Jewell Williams wants the city to buy him a brand new Chevy Tahoe SUV with a pimped-out engine and pay the $38,000 price tag. Mayor Michael Nutter refused; the city is cutting its budget and experiencing budget cuts from the state as well. Williams will continue to use the department’s 2012 Ford Escape SUV. The city didn’t see Williams’ reasons for the request as realistic.
Williams also wants the city to shell out $3,000 for decals with his name on them to put on the department’s 54 vehicles. That won’t be happening either.
Williams feels that no one knows that he’s the new sheriff and driving around in a souped-up SUV would advertise this fact. He also wants to separate the fact that he’s new and not part of the negative cloud that currently presides over the department.
Williams thinks the Ford SUV is too small for his 5’10 ½” body. There’s also his safety concern. He thinks the Chevy would be safer than the Ford when he transports inmates around. There’s also the fact that he lives in North Philly and there’s the threat that he could be taken hostage for a prisoner exchange.
There are a couple problems with Williams’ reasons. The first is everyone in this city knows that Williams is the new sheriff. Some even voted for him.
The second problem is that Williams knew about the problems within the department. He even campaigned with knowledge of the problems and outlined a plan to deal with them.
The third problem is that he really isn’t that tall. A lot of people who are 5’10 ½” comfortably drive around in a Honda or Toyota.
There is also something quite disrespectful about insinuating that all of North Philly is dangerous. Williams obviously didn’t have a problem with North Philly when he lived there, raised three-2 of them who share his first name-kids, and represented the area as a state representative.
The fourth problem is that he doesn’t escort any inmates anywhere; deputies who do that. Obviously Williams doesn’t understand the criminal element either. They really aren’t loyal enough to their fellow brethren to risk going to prison. They wouldn’t hesitate, however, to steal a SUV worth $38,000.
Get over yourself Sheriff Williams. If getting a horse to ride around Philly would make you feel better, be our guest. Just don’t forget about the pooper scooper laws.
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