King County Sheriff Sue Rahr is quickly proving that she is nobody with whom to tangle when it comes to making tough calls, trimming fat from a budget and putting public officials on the spot.
In Tuesday’s on-line edition of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, reporter Scott Gutierrez reveals a proposal from Rahr to interim King County Executive Kurt Triplett – who replaced Ron Sims when he flew off to a cushy “bail out” job with the Obama administration (What else could one call it? Sims was not likely to get re-elected this fall, and just about everybody knew it.) – about how to cut $200,000 from her budget. She explained this in a letter to Triplett.
She would eliminate his security detail, consisting of two sheriff’s detectives. This detail has been with every county executive since the 1980s with the exception of Tim Hill, and a couple of years ago, the department started officially budgeting for it, to the tune of about $60,000 overtime in addition to their regular salaries.
He is afforded Sims' security detail, which includes a sheriff's detective who drives him to and from work and meetings. Two detectives are assigned to the unit...
According to a reliable source in the sheriff’s office, a detective picks up the executive at his doorstep every morning, goes with him to meetings and events throughout the day and in the evening, and then takes him home at night. This security detective also accompanies the executive on out-of-town trips. We should all endure that kind of pampering.
Truth be known, we’re not just talking about two detectives. There has to be someone else available in case one of the primary people is on sick leave or vacation.
Detectives assigned to the executive’s security detail typically work more than 40 hours a week, and fair labor standards require overtime payment for that.
Here’s a suggestion for self-important public officials who think they cannot travel safely without a security detail: Buy a handgun and learn to use it. Us lowly private citizens - your constituents - do that. Carry it with you on the job. If you are not licensed to carry concealed, get a Concealed Pistol License (CPL). Washington State’s CPL is recognized in about 18 states, and if you need cover in the rest of the states, get either or both a Utah or Florida non-resident carry license (mine is from Florida), and that will just about cover all of your bases.
If you worry about traveling to places that do not recognize or allow concealed carry, just don’t go there. Insist that meetings be held in gun-friendly jurisdictions. For meetings with the president or a member of the cabinet, meet them over breakfast at a Denny’s in Virginia.
Further, it seems inappropriate to maintain this level of staffing when we are reducing staffing for the safety of the 340,000 citizens living in unincorporated. My officers remain at your disposal should you, or any County employee, receive threats - Sheriff Sue Rahr in a letter to Interim Executive Kurt Triplett King County
If you don’t want to bother with a CPL, then carry your pistol openly. The drawback in Washington is that to carry it loaded in your car – which you drive yourself back and forth to work, by the way – you need a CPL. It’s stupid, of course, but this is one state statute you can work to change in Olympia, and you would have lots of support from the Open Carry community.
If you need to go through papers or study something enroute to a meeting, have one of those $100,000-a-year-aides drive and leave the cops alone to track down criminals.
Worried about competent instruction? There are at least two top level shooting schools in this region, Insights in Issaquah and the Firearms Academy of Seattle, down in…Onalaska (don’t ask), or train with your own county sheriff’s deputies. If none of those options appeal to you, give me a call and I’ll teach you. I’m a certified firearms instructor, and as an added bonus, I’ll toss in a copy of my book, Washington State Gun Rights and Responsibilities, to keep you in line with the state laws on firearms and self-defense.
County executives should not require a security detail, and should not have to worry about their personal safety. When he was president, Andy Jackson was known to carry a pistol. He once clobbered a guy with a club, and then challenged the man to a duel (but according to history, the other guy’s horse bolted with the dueling pistols). Another time, Jackson fatally shot a guy – again in a duel – over insulting remarks the man had made about Jackson’s wife, Rachel. Nowadays, instead of defending your wife’s honor in a duel, it is considered “manly” to go whining to Dr. Phil.
After leaving the White House upon the death of her husband, Mrs. Roosevelt moved to New York City, where she obtained a permit to carry a handgun.
In Jackson’s days, leaders stood their ground and didn’t depend on somebody else’s gun to keep them safe. Leaders didn’t worry about armed citizens, because they, themselves, were also armed. Everyone got along better back in those days. Even Eleanor Roosevelt, when she was First Lady, carried a revolver because she liked to do things without a Secret Service escort. She continued carrying a handgun after leaving the White House. Her uncle, Teddy Roosevelt, carried a handgun when he was president.
Of course, there is another option for public officials who fear some angry taxpayer might try to do them harm.
Stop doing things that make taxpayers angry.
For more info: Washington State Gun Rights and Responsibilities.
Comments
Dear King County Executive Triplett,
Hello, sir. If you're feeling the need to be protected, I'm sure if you contacted Mr. Workman he would be happy to make time in his busy schedule to help you out with some firearms instruction, range time, and even a field trip to a local gunshop of your convenience. He can also walk you through the process of applying for and obtaining a Washington State Concealed Pistol License. I highly recommend his book, but be warned. He'll probably try to sell you a holster.
Right on! And Mayor Greg? Same thing.
It's really easy for those of you with 24 hour armed security to say that we don't need guns.
I challenge all of you to drop the security and drivers. Act like real people.
I don't have 24 hour armed security and I say we don't need guns. But, maybe I need protection from you gun nuts so I guess I'll run down to the gun show and get an unregistered automatic weapon and avoid the background check.
Alex, you know that's a myth, right?
You are either a liar (and a stupid one), ignorant (cureable, unless willfully so), or deluded (also cureable, I recommend electro-shock). Be honest and admit which it is.
PavePusher,
Alex is neither. Just the big O trolling on the internet between his apologizing and vacations.
RIGHT ON SHERIFF SUE RAHR. WHERE DID WE LOSE THE IDEA OF ELECTED PEOPLE, TO DO THE PEOPLE'S BIDDING. BACK TO THE BASICS
Hey Alex, I keep going to the gun show to try and find a paperless gun to buy. First I had to fill out a thousand forms to join the stupid club to even buy a gun and then inside, it's all freaking dealers anyway! You have to fill out another 1000 forms and they check you out on the phone!!.
Alex - You been getting your info & opinions from Jay Riestenberg ?
Got something to say?
Examiner.com is looking for writers, photographers, and videographers to join the fastest growing group of local insiders. If you are interested in growing your online rep apply to be an Examiner today!