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Dexter, Missouri ~ Tuesday, October 7, 2008
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Got to give credit where credit is due
Posted Tuesday, October 23, 2007, at 2:07 PM<< Previous | Read comments | Respond | Email link | Next >>
Obviously, the talk of the county right now is the dog fighting ring that was recently busted. For those of you who know me, you know that I absolutely love animals. I myself have nine dogs, a cat, a quaker parrot, two pac man frogs and much more. I have taken literally hundred of rescues into my home and found them loving homes. I have bottle-fed squirrels, rabbits and have helped nurse owls and hawks back to health.
But I believe most of us agree that these guys are absolutely sick. Disgusting. Complete wastes of perfectly good skin and oxygen. However, that's not what I'm going to talk about today. Today I am going to give credit where credit is due. Whatever your political views, personal opinion, whatever, you have to give kudos to Stoddard County's sheriff, Carl Hefner. When confronted a few months ago with a situation that left him scratching his head on what exactly to do (several animals found abandoned in Essex), Hefner didn't downplay the issue and push it off to the back burner. Instead, Hefner arranged for two investigators from the Humane Society to come to Stoddard County and educate people on what Missouri law says has to be done in order to properly care for an animal. These two investigators told local law enforcers how to deal with those not following the law and how to go about taking animals away from those who want to abuse them. Coincidentally, not two days later, the sheriff's department found themselves confronted with probably the biggest dog fighting ring in Missouri. Had it not been for Hefner's initiative â€" his willingness to admit that neither he nor his officers really had any idea how to approach animal abuse issues â€" Stoddard County may have been greatly embarrased by having local law enforcement who didn't have a clue on how to shut down a dog fighting ring. Instead, local law enforcement knew what to do, how to do it and when to do it. The operation ran smoothly and those dogs were saved â€" even if they are later euthanized â€" from the terrible future that awaited them. So, don't be shy. Even those of you who have an opinion that isn't necessarily glowing have to admit that this was a job well done. Congratulations to the many law enforcement officers who responded that night and WELL DONE to Sheriff Carl Hefner! Comments Showing comments in chronological order [Show most recent comments first] |
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I am certainly not shy about agreeing with you on this issue! I am most impressed with the Sheriff for taking the initiative to bring down the Humane Society agents to offer the class on animal welfare. The events of the weekend just show how much the class was needed. Great to see that Sheriff Hefner recognized that!
I personally like our Sheriff. I know some people think I am going overboard with this "bring chaingangs to Stoddard County",but if you knew your community sentence or county jailtime included real manual labor,I think as lazy as some of these punks are,it might deter them.
At the very least,it would help the taxpayers get work done that the county can't afford.
I want to see some of these criminals "working the program",by putting gravel on a hot,mosquito infested gravel road with fashionable perp clothes-orange tops with striped convict pants,sweating and filthy,blisters and aching muscles from doing something honest for a change. Every city,tax district has some hard work they can't budget for-and I would feel so good as a taxpayer if I could proudly see our local law on backs of horses with shotguns ready to "commute" anybody's sentence who decides to run!
I am so sick of repeat DWI's,repeat druggies,thiefs,killers, and now dog fighting all getting "probation".
Maybe the jail can't hold them all,but the road crew can!
Sacha,if (and only if) you agree with me,can you mention this to our Sheriff?
I'd like to know if this plan is viable even-they do it in Texas and I think Florida in some places.
Never in my life, no matter how long I live do I want to see another human in leg chans again.
When you are in the pen you wear chains a lot,I KNOW because as most people here already know,I have an uncle( who I have visited as a child) who is currently a guest of the State of Missouri! He sure is getting fat,and I think he only wishes he could be outside doing anything,except probably hard work. That would be a first for him.
They are only in leg chains when they are in jail or doing the perp walk to the courthouse,or during transportation.
I have seen them doing roadwork down south,and they didn't have any leg chains on,but then with deputies on horses with shotgun ready they may not need them.
So what do you suggest we do,build more jails? What good will that do if so many are being given probation for serious felonies? I am not being snotty,just like to know what kind of "community service" do our fellow citizens think is correct?
My own uncle was given repeated community service and probation until he finally did something stupid-he commited a crime outside of Stoddard County and got put away for some real time. I doubt he will be at a family dinner for another 30 to 35 years.
If somebody would have made it really tough,instead of him treating it like a big game,maybe he would have been a productive member of society instead of a career thug. Why do think there are so many repeat offenders around here?
Everybody knows our business,and they tend to judge our entire clan by him,I can only stay away from drugs,crime,stay in church,keep a job and try to be a good person to prove them wrong!
I am white as is my uncle who wears chains in jail.Most criminals in Stoddard County-FYI-are white,as are the vast majority who receive community service or probation.
I am too young to have "slave memories",and if you read my comments as rascist,well,you are wrong-sorry to burst your bubble.
GOD BLESS YOU AND YOU HAVE A SUPER DAY!
I apologize for Sanders comment. I thought it was out of line and we have taken the comment off the site. Thanks for blogging and keep it up!
I am white as is my uncle who wears chains in jail.Most criminals in Stoddard County-FYI-are white,as are the vast majority who receive community service or probation.
I am too young to have "slave memories",and if you read my comments as rascist,well,you are wrong-sorry to burst your bubble.
GOD BLESS YOU AND YOU HAVE A SUPER DAY!
Good Blog!
Hooray for the Sheriff. I'm serious. They do a hard job (that most people couldn't or wouldn't do) with long hours, not much pay and very little thanks. They deserve a pat on the back when they do good. We, as citizens, don't hesitate to speak harshly when they do something we don't like. We should be just as quick to say "well done" when they do well.
I like some of Charles's ideas. Combine them with that Sheriff in Texas and put the prisoners in pink and white striped outfits while they're out in public working on a chain gang. The "chain gangs" I've seen lately haven't actually been in chains, but they have had guards with shotguns - some mounted, some not.
I've seen a prison workforce doing manual labor at Bloomfield City Park. These men were from the Charleston area prison, not the Stoddard County Jail.
And I add my kudos to the sheriff and his deputies, the MSHP and SEMO Drug Task Force for their outstanding work in this case. And congrats to you, Sacha, for your excellent article about the humane society meeting.
I hope Sheriff Hefner tries to implement a program to get prisoners working -- especially the younger ones.
I agree Sacha,good blog and thank you for your help. You and Corey are good writers.
In some countries in the Middle East they still cut off one of your hands if you are caught stealing. The second if you are caught again. Adultrey is punishable by stoning to death. Is that harsh enough punishment? Some people go through life with no hands and some people still commit adultrey even though they know that the penalty is death.
I don't see how anyone could disagree with congratulating the Sheriff on this victory. After all, he's enforcing the law, and that's what he was elected to do, right?
Sadly, there are way too many counties all over the country in which law enforcement officials not only ignore animal fighting, but are actually participating in it. Sometimes it can be helpful to get an animal advocacy group involved to make sure that the complaint is noticed and properly handled.
WHAT DID I MISS HERE?????? I READ THAT JAMIE AND OTHERS SHOULD BE IN A CHAIN GANG???????WELL LAST WEEK I SEE OF CHILD MOLESTERS IN STODDARD COUNTY ARE THEY.... COME ON,
Well,mgulmer,if you want to talk about important issues,then repeat offenders for any crimes that you get "community service & probation" for could qualify for roadwork "chain gangs".
I don't care who you are or who you know,if people had to do real work in the hot sun,maybe they would think twice about committing crimes (at least in our county).Crime is crime,and we have too many repeat offenders in this county and not enough shame or desire to be productive citizens.People who steal,DWI's,molesters,rapists,thiefs,druggies,shoplifters,accidental manslaughters,drug dealers,etc.
The only person who can solve every problem on every issue,right every wrong,is Jesus Christ. Any human thinks different is only fooling themselves.
Until that wonderful day,we need to make punishment serious enough that it's not a public joke.
If stoning people to death and cutting their hands off doesn't prevent crime can you please tell me what punishment would? Surely a little chain gang duty would be of little concern to a person who is a repeat offender for stealing if they are risking losing the other hand.
Charles, I agree w/ you. I do not have a criminal background b/c I figure if I do commit a crime, I won't get lucky enough to just get probation. But some people out there just don't care. They are selfish, and don't care what the punishment is. And when they receive a slap on the wrist, they think, "wow, that was easy!" And that is especially true if they get to do it twice. A relative of mine got 2 years supervised probation for the felony of 35 grams or more of marijuana. And he has a LONG rap sheet of various crimes...some that would have made him a repeat offender. His probation officer doesn't drug test him once a month, or even check to see if he has a job. If she did drug test him, he would have violated his probation months ago. You would think she would being that he is on papers for a drug-related crime, but no. But you can guarantee he HATES hard work. He works hard just trying to keep from doing hard work. So the possibility of being on a chaingang if he does wrong anymore might actually straighten him up (or at least I would hope so). I do firmly agree w/ you on this. I would rally w/ you at the courthouse doors a/b it if the sherriff deemed it uncalled for. I'm sure our wonderful governor wouldn't like it any though. He is the one that is against every other good idea I have seen so far.
You might think it sounds like a good idea and that it should work, but 5000 years of history doesn't indicate that it will.
Well,then you must know a better way,please tell us after someone has committed the crime,what should be their punishment?
I want to address Mr.Truthy about his statement about thieves hands being cut off. This is true-VERY TRUE. The Quran 5:38 states this is a punishment,however whether male or female,they should come prior to realize the evil of stealing and return the stolen goods to the owner,then they should be forgiven.
At Mecca, theft is not really a problem,in fact it makes international news when someone is punished. You can only imagine the millions of pilgrims there,and the cash money in that place,and a theft makes the headlines.
Do I agree with such harsh punishment?
Well, I have to say that the recidivism rate is pretty low,but they really uphold the law.
The Bible says you shall not suffer a witch to live,Acts 25:11, the Apostle Paul acknowledges there are acts worthy of the death penalty,and so forth.
Do I want to be the punisher-nope, but why is the crime rate lower where the punishment is swift and severe?
To Charles- I have to say that I don't equate a person who writes hot checks with a drunk driver,but I'd rather see a chain gang than a handless beggar anyday,you can't exactly regrow a hand.
Just some food for thought,not putting down either faith,just putting some facts out to mull over.
I wasn't really addressing this from the point of a persons faith. It was about the punishment. I was trying to make the point which is true that if cutting off of hands and stoning to death do not deter crime, which they do not, no matter what you are told and believe, then how do you expect chain gangs to stop crime which they have not done in the past.
The chain gang comments are laughable. Anyone who knows these guys knows that they are some of the hardest workers around. I don't really think they are scared of a little sweat or hard work. Keep up the great 'punishment' ideas.