by: Diane Benjamin
Several years ago I received a frantic call from a sister-in-law who lives about 2 miles away from me in the country. She was home alone. She heard what she thought was a motorcycle very close to her house. She really believed someone was going to break her door down and attack her.
Being a typical liberal, she doesn’t believe in self-defense (un-armed!), so she called me. I kept her on the phone while I called the Sheriff’s Department on my cell. At the same time the motorcycle sound would leave and then return a short time later. The Sheriff’s Department informed me there was only ONE officer on the road and he was in the far western part of county. We are far east – at least 30-45 minutes away!
Meanwhile, my sister-in-law is hysterical and the motorcycle sounds keep coming and going! Eventually the County Officer did show up. He determined people on 4 wheelers were driving up to their gas pump and stealing gas. No one was ever arrested.
I mentioned the incident to Jeff Elston the first time I met him. He knew exactly what I was talking about. Jeff plans to get more officers on the road and out from behind desks. That is exactly what McLean County needs!
Elston has my vote!
(no my in-laws haven’t bought a gun – every family has some black sheep! Hey-they are my husband’s family)
Hi Diane
I have not made up my mind on sheriff yet, and I agree with you on officers. However, that’s a really complicated administrative position and has a real impact on our rapidly shrinking constitutional rights. The single reason you give seems pretty minor. Is there more you know that you are leaving out?
Lee Newcom
Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S®4
Neither of them takes their job seriously as the highest law enforcement position in the County. Both said they would follow the law. I don’t get the impression that either would not enforce unconstitutional laws. Elston is very willing to discuss issues. I’ve been in the same room with Sandage and never had a chance to talk to him. Maybe that just makes Elston a better campaigner. One more thing, Elston left his job just so he could run. Scores points for me since current officers might be affected by a co-worker running to be their boss.
“Elston left his job just so he could run” … the implication being that had he kept working he would’ve been unable … ? Doesn’t the fact that the other candidate is still working raise the obvious question – that he didn’t leave just to run?
You don’t see a problem running to be the boss while you are working in the same place? Think the other guys might be tip-toeing around just in case Sandage wins?
No, I’m not sure there is a problem. Somehow the department survived the transition during the last competitive race, esp. considering the then-current Sheriff endorsed one over the other.
I was hoping Mike Emery would run again because he has done a good job as Sheriff. He has stood by his oath of office to uphold our Constitution, as he is one of the Sheriff’s across our nation standing against Obama’s “gun control” and infringing attack on our 2nd Amendment gun rights. So far, my decision to vote goes to Jon Sandage and I have three reason’s why: First, he has Mike Emery’s endorsement for Sheriff. Second, after listening to Jeff Elston in an interview I noticed how he continually interject the word “:change” in his ideas and plans for our county. That word “change” scares me, because it most always brings higher taxes and pulls us into the wrong direction. That is why I like to hear the word “restore” from a candidate because we have drifted away from practical and common sense ideas that should be brought back again. Thirdly, I think we have a huge drug problem in McLean County and with drug problems comes crimes like murders, rapes, robberies and thefts. So when Jon Sandage stated, “I want to combat the growing heroine and prescription drug problem in our country by expanding our K9 program and by working addiction patrol” I was very encouraged by this! You may not agree with my choice but these are my reasons why. We need a good Sheriff, many people do not realize this but the Sheriff of a county has the power to keep out the federal government if he deems them un-Constitutional and over-stepping their authorities. 😛