BUTLER COUNTY: Disturbing Trend Emerging

Maybe Sheriff Spotlight skipped the press conference the other day because he needed to attend to busting crime. Most of the sheriff's deputies are completely trustworthy, but this one could use a spotlight shined on him.

A Butler County sheriff’s deputy has resigned amid allegations he misused Fraternal Order of Police funds he was responsible for as the group’s treasurer. Deputy Kenneth Ritchie, 37, of Trenton is accused of bank charges that are “inconsistent with FOP business,” according to Jeff Gebhart, president of FOP Lodge 101, which represents the sheriff’s office.

That charges have not been filed yet is disturbing especially since this isn't the first time this particular deputy has had a problem with this particular crime.

No charges have been filed against Ritchie, but this is the second time the deputy has been accused of mismanaging funds with a nonprofit group. Ritchie was suspended by the sheriff’s office in September 2011 after being accused of mismanaging funds as treasurer of the Edgewood Youth Baseball and Fastpitch Softball Association.

I've heard of second chances, but the third time is a cover up.

BUTLER COUNTY: Sheriff Retiring

For a minute there, I thought Sheriff Spotlight was finally packing it in...but the story is about the Butler County Sheriff in Kansas, not Ohio.  I mean, what do you do after commanding the Butler County Air Force, Navy, and Horse Cavalry...???

Sheriff Jones Pens a Letter to the Tea Party

National_Debt    

Is this the same guy who went on to Willie Cunningham's radio show and was whining about Senate Bill 5?

Fiscal responsibility is for EVERYBODY, Sheriff, not just the feds...

Tea Party folks, don't buy what the Spotlight is selling...his actions on budget issues the last few years tells you all you really need to know about where he stands on fiscal responsibility.

Butler County: Sheriff Spotlight STILL Doesn't Get It

Check out this piece over at the Cincinnati Enquirer about Sheriff Rick "Spotlight" Jones once again running to the media to cry about money.

This time, Sheriff Spotlight wants over $2,000 to attend a conference in Florida.

Butler County Tea Partiers ought to take notice of fights like these and start asking the guy some serious questions...

Hey, Sheriff, I'll start taking you seriously when you finally start taking the financial situation we are in seriously...

I'd actually like to see Commissioner Chuck Furmon go even further with cutting these sorts of things from the budget.

ERRATA: That conference is in California, not Florida...

UPDATE: Why is Spotlight holding a fundraiser with less than a week to go until E-Day when he isn't on the ballot?  Because Spotlight is all about Spotlight.

Sheriff Spotlight Gets One Right

I've given this performance audit thing a thought or two and I have come to the conclusion that it is a waste of taxpayer dollars.

While I find his antics, as reported in the story, to be childish and the sort of rhetoric that is not helpful; I simply must agree with Sheriff Jones that this performance audit is nothing more than passing the buck (or 116,000 bucks, if you like) at a time when the county can ill-afford to spend more money that we really don't have available.

Look, I get that these are hard decisions and that our commissioners would like to have the very best information possible in order to make the decisions, but the time for that sort of "throw money at the problem" mentality is what got us in to this mess in the first place.

I know each of our commissioners are people of a certain character and I know they possess the ability to look at the numbers and make the right decisions. This isn't rocket science, after all. The problem with spending this kind of money on something we already know is that it makes those of us who defended the Commission in their fight with Sheriff Jones on the budget issue look bad. And I don't like looking bad one bit...

How many times do we have to pay other people to study our problems? No more committees. No more special audits. No more consultants. Let's get this done already.

Butler County Update: FOP Union Out of Control

This is what happens when you give and give and give to the sheriff...his union thinks they can tell the community to raise taxes.  Also, I totally disagree wit hthe union on the issue of immigration enforcement...it is NOT just Sheriff Spotlight's personal mission, the public has gone on record supporting immigration enforcement measures time and again.  Furthermore, the union still has no idea what it is talking about: said legislation would not increase the workload, for the deputy to be in the position to ask the questions the legislation poses, said deputy would have to have stopped the offender for something else already.

I will agree with the union on one thing though: Why hasn't the sheriff and his top command staff offered to give up some oftheir fat cash to save some jobs?  I thought this was about safety and security, Sheriff, or is it about something else entirely?

Butler County Update: MS-13 in Fairfield Edition

A lot of folks misunderstand my love/hate relationship with Sheriff Jones, but the truth is I fully support Spotlight on a number of issues including his stance on illegal immigration.  Why?  Because I believe that facing down the crime of illegal immigration will have an effect, however large or small, on other crime.

The article doesn't say, but I'd bet dollars to donuts that this guy is an illegal alien. 

The very last thing Butler County needs is a gang problem on the scale that MS-13 represents. 

Butler County Update

God bless these guys...  Butler County's law enforcement community has some of the best people on the planet working for us.  Despite my quarrel with the Sheriff on these budget cuts, the quality and character of the people remains top notch.  Best of luck to all of them and here is hoping that the county can get its act together quickly so the Good Guys can get back on the job.

Sheriff Jones on "Vacation" in Arizona?

I found it interesting that the last line of this piece from Intrepid Reporter Josh says that the trip is "self-funded." I assume this to mean that the Sheriff is using vacation time for this trip.

Ohio is surrounded by Michigan, Pennsylvannia, West Virginia, Kentucky, and Indiana. Now, I joke about Kentucky being a foreign country all the time, but I really don't think we need a Border Patrol to join Sheriff Spotlight's Navy, Air Force, and Horse Cavalry.

Look, I get that illegal immigration is a problem. Specifically, enforcement of our laws are the problem. What more is there to learn from junkets to Arizona? If he were spending his "vacation" in Columbus or Washington DC lobbying for the laws we have to be enforced, I'm totally on board. But I don't believe this sort of theater is productive at all.

Your mileage may vary...

Sheriff Jones Costs Us $700,000

Add this to Spotlight's price tag...

Previously on WMD, we covered Spotlight getting tagged for $100,000.

Well on his way to a cool million...

Sheriff Jones Costs Butler County $100K

Next time we hear Sheriff "Spotlight" complaining about his budget getting cut, maybe taxpayers ought to remind him that it is HE who should be paying $100,000 instead of the county. I mean seriously, how do you -- as a law enforcement leader -- not understand the constitutional issues involved in a case like this? Probable cause first, my friend...you have to have probable cause. This is STILL America even in Butler County.

BUTLER COUNTY UPDATE: Sheriff Jones and the Tea Party Express

Hey Tea Partyers! Read this and let us know what you think...

Personally, I think a guy who runs a department that gets more than a quarter of the total budget ought to be able to find some ways to trim the fat...and I'm not talking about eating at Subway and hitting the treadmill.

How about that helicopter? Does Butler County really need an air force?

How about the boat? Does Butler County really need a navy?

How about the horses? Does Butler County need a cavalry?

Fiscal conservatism means reducing spending particularly in a time of economic trouble. When is Sheriff Jones going to realize that just because he throws a fit, that doesn't change the numbers?

Butler County Update: Sheriff Deputies Nab Illegal Alien Drug Dealer

This just in...

Butler County Sheriff Richard K. Jones announces today that his newly formed “Highway Interdiction Team” (part of the BURN unit) is scoring points in the fight against drugs in this county. Deputies arrested Juan Alfonso Rivera-Murillo (age 25) during a traffic stop at around 9:30 am this morning on State Route #4 near the by-pass in the city of Fairfield. The officers found approximately 27 grams of Heroine hidden in the vehicle. It is believed such an amount of heroine would have a street value of approximately $5,000.00 dollars.

The illegal drugs were believed to have come from Montgomery County, however, Rivera-Murillo refused to cooperate with officers during investigation. Seized from this incident: a 2000 Ford Explorer and over $600.00 dollars in US currency.

Rivera-Murillo reported that he is in the United States illegally from Mexico and an “ICE” holder was placed against him for deportation proceedings.

Rivera-Murillo was charged with Possession of Drugs (Felony 2) and Trafficking in Drugs (Felony 2).

Butler County Update

Intrepid Reporter Josh and Friends sure have been busy covering Butler County. Here are just a few of the stories that I wanted to shed some light on...

Burer’s Garage: Lindsey Hilty reports that Butler County Auditor and All-Around Good Guy -- Roger Reynolds -- has cleared up some confusion caused by Fairfield Board of Education member Arnold Engel. Using COAST tactics, Arnold managed to stick his foot in his mouth and fired off baseless charges that Robert Burer wasn't paying his taxes...or something. Turns out, Burer has paid all of his taxes and the family land is properly designated. What got Engel's panties in a twist? Engel wants Burer's business to bid for a bus maintenance contract that his company has held with the Fairfield School district for 70 years.

Furmon's Neighbor: I'm really not sure why this news at all, but Richard Wilson reports that Commission Chuck Furmon's neighbor had a fender bender. There is a stolen newspaper involved...somehow...but that really isn't explained in any kind of detail even though that is how Furmon's name appears in what shouldn't have been a story anyway. Slow news day???

Jones' Jails: Sheriff "Spotlight" Jones closed some jails yesterday. Ordinarily this also would not be news...except that the most dangerous place in Butler County is between the Sheriff and a news crew... Jones chose not to notify county commissioners ahead of time and instead made a cryptic announcement on Twitter. Intrepid Reporter Josh has the details on all of that...

Jones vs. Jolivette: Intrepid Reporter Josh has a very interesting item that also involves Spotlight Jones. Apparently, Jones has "trust issues" with Butler County Commissioner Greg Jolivette:

“I don’t have much trust for him,” Jones said of Jolivette.

We can debate whether or not Jones should have notified county commissioners prior to the jail closing...I'm pretty neutral on that actually. But it inexcusable to debrief only the commissioners you like. I'd like to hear more specifics on what exactly it is that Jollivette is said to have done that warrants the Sheriff having "trust issues" with a fellow elected official.