CLEVELAND — One judge’s solution for citizens feeling less secure because of budget cuts in an Ohio county: Carry a gun.
Judge Alfred Mackey of Ashtabula County Common Pleas Court advised residents Friday to be vigilant and arm themselves because the number of deputies has been cut about in half because of a tight budget. He also urged neighbors to organize anti-crime block watch groups.
“They have to be law-abiding, and if they are not familiar with firearms they need to take a safety course so they are not a threat to their family and friends and themselves,” Mackey said Friday. Mackey, whose comments were first broadcast Thursday by WKYC-TV in Cleveland, was expressing concerns with budget cuts that have trimmed the sheriff’s department from 112 to 49 deputies in the county, which is Ohio’s largest by land area.
Asked by WKYC how people should respond to the cuts and limited patrols, he said, “Arm themselves. Be very careful and just be vigilant because we’re going to have to look after each other.” With deputies assigned to transport prisoners and serve warrants, only one radio car is assigned to patrol the county of 720 square miles, excluding municipalities with police departments. The sheriff’s patrol area covers most of the county, the judge said Friday. “People in this county are hunters,” said Mackey, who grew up on a farm with rifles and still owns firearms.
If the government were not so concerned about generating income by enforcing petty laws, they could use their energy for real crime prevention. Maybe the answer is more taxes….more..more..more.
#12 “I would really like to see government funding put up for a referendum,”
How do you thing California got into the mess their in? Referendums were pass for all their Government Spending but non for paying for it.
Why do you think the Founding Fathers only let people who pay taxes vote. 47% of people in the USA now don’t pay Fed income tax. Some of those even get money back. What reasons do they have to stop the government from wasting money?
The Police DO NOT “Protect” you. A judge recently ruled as much. They are there only to find somebody with enough bleach to clean up the mess afterwards, and attempt to charge somebody with the crime. That’s why when I retire in a couple of years, I am moving to any other Western state besides California, because they ALL allow concealed carry.