The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

Dear Editor,

Law enforcement is dangerous work. Law enforcement officers in the U.S. suffered a 24% increase in deaths by gunfire from 2009 to 2010, according to a recent report. In the Walla Walla sheriff's race we need to remember officers' families and all families. Until 4 months ago, when my husband retired, he'd been a Walla Walla County deputy for more than 37 years. My oldest daughter is a deputy sheriff in Idaho. Last month a man from Waitsburg shot a police officer in Rainier, Oregon. Another man walked up to 2 Las Vegas officers who were eating their lunch and shot them to death. That man had gone to school in Finley and been arrested in Benton County. These crimes could just as easily happen in Walla Walla County. Sheriffs and police chiefs across this country are dealing with gang violence and increased attacks on officers. Patrol and corrections officers have families who love and rely upon them. These are jobs with long hours and average pay. The officers deserve to be led by the best and the most capable leader, regardless of where that leader happened to be born. For Walla Walla County that leader is Sheriff John Turner, who has done a great job as sheriff and will continue to do so.

Gangs are a huge problem in this country. Only one candidate for sheriff, John Turner, is a Delinquency Control Institute graduate. Only one candidate, John Turner, partnered with other local law enforcement to establish the Walla Walla Valley Strategic Gang Initiative and is working on a Clearinghouse for Hope to keep youth out of gangs or get them out. The families of Walla Walla deputies deserve to have John Turner continue as sheriff. They deserve a sheriff who will be out there day and night working with and for them, not someone who wonrsaquo;t work nights.

Most of the officers and employees of the Walla Walla Sheriffrsaquo;s Office are outstanding men and women who deserve our respect and our support. They deserve the best equipment we can get them. They deserve someone with world class perspective, a quality education, and experience working in challenging situations. Walla Walla County does not exist in a bubble. The outside world impacts it every day, in ways both good and bad. Like I said, law enforcement is dangerous work.

Virginia Romine

Waitsburg