April
2006
Sheriff Clarke: Yes to Junkets, No to Tasers for Deputies
How can Sheriff David Clarke say there is no money for Deputies to have taser guns to control unruly inmates and protect the public, yet he’s spending $25,000 in travel junkets and remodeling his office with a brand new LCD TV?
An open records request on Clarke’s travel habits showed that Clarke spent over $25,000 in travel junkets and the Deputy Sheriff’s Association is frosted that Deputies are struggling in an effort to make their squads with 100,000+ miles on them limp along. While these squads are serviced by County employees, Clarke has his own vehicle serviced at a car dealer at a much higher price. Everyone knows that dealerships charge about 50% more than a good solid mechanics shop so why would Clarke waste the tax dollars if he can’t even get his deputies tasers?
Elected officials have to set priorities but is it too much to ask that the safety of then men and women serving under him should be Clarke’s priority? Is it too much to ask that he have his Deputies properly equipped? Why would he prioritize having an LCD TV in his office over the safety of his officers?
In the jail deputies do not wear a sidearm. Risk of an inmate getting into a skirmish and overwhelming a deputy are just too great. There are often situations where one deputy is in an detention pod with 60 inmates. Inmates who choose to rebel could easily overwhelm the deputy and get a hold of a gun. This is why guns are not allowed in the pods. However tasers, a non-lethal restraining tool, could be used in the case where an inmates is acting up.
Clarke has conciously prioritized travel junkets for himself over the safety of our deputies. It’s no wonder that deputies feel that Clarke isn’t watching out for their best interest.
Jim McGuigan
Clarke Watch, Jim McGuigan
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Just further evidence of King David’s philosophy, “There is no ‘team’ in ‘Sheriff’, but there is an ‘I’!” The man (and I use the term loosely) has always been about using his office to benefit himself. He cares nothing for the people who work under him unless they are kissing his ass.
This just goes to show the people of Milwaukee County that voted this stupid person into office. Along with Scott Walker. Where the County money is going (right into their pockets) these two are getting more action from Milwaukee County than if the were with class A hookers from Vegas. They are just PIMPING the County of what little money the County has left while their still in office. Like I said before take care of the Deputies first. Then get KING DAVID OUT. And fire the command staff. Their all no good rotten people that have no business in Law Enforcement. The next time KING DAVID goes on a trip, lets hope he buys an one-way ticket. I think the people of Milwaukee County would not mind paying for that one. I know I would be the frist one in line to see that selfish no good Sheriff get the hell out of town.
People… rant as you may… One major problem is left for us to deal with … That Prick is still in office. The PEOPLE need to know… Not now… but much much closer to the election. Citizens WILL forget about this by the time the elections role around. So rant as we may, it feels good, but we are not reaching those who vote. If there is a god, JESTER CLARKE JR will not be in office at years end.
Walker and Clarkes’ mismanagement of the Budget and Department will cost the taxpayers more in the long run. Instead of of being fiscally responsible and getting off his campaign drive, Walker has let a burgeoning budget deficit grow and continues to blame it on the pension scandal. Talk about beating a dead horse to death. How long can one person use that as an excuse for his budget woes. Stop being the consumate politician and start becoming the responsible manager of the county and fix your budget. Time to increase taxes and bring the County services back to an acceptable level. If Walker is left to manage the county, we will have no county services left to manage.
As for Clarke, he is a “my way” only type of person. That is where King David comes into play. He wasted how much money just to change the Sheriff’s badges to a five point star because he likes it. The public has yet to see how much the Sheriff’s department is depleted. If we get busy on the freeway with a couple of major accidents, we will be unable to assist any other motroists who need help. They are currently attempting to fool the public into thinking we have lots of squads on the freeway by bunching them all in one area. Heaven forbid that someone on the other side of the county needs help. This is only the tip of the iceberg and there is a DisInformation campaign by managment to keep a lid on how much services have been depleted and what dire straights our dedicated Deputies are in as they have their lives increasingly put more at risk then they already are. Heaven Help Us.
Just like Clarke to send himself and his two Inspectors (Gadget and Clouseau) to resume building training junkets. Primarily, to the John F Kennedy school of Government (in Boston) to the tune of $20,000.00 a piece. There have been an assortment of others too, but they only run a mere few thousand each. The only bureau he has expanded is Administration with high paid PR, Secretary and sworn staff toadies to run interference while he’s out of the office more often than not. This is really taking a bite out of crime and the tax payers’ wallets. Wouldn’t it be nice to have that helicopter back instead of spraying mosquitos in Florida. Does the Sheriff really need a gas guzzling SUV to commute from photo-op to another. Just more egotistical, irresponsible behavior from some who claims to do everything with the taxpayers in mind. What a crock of BS!!!!!!
What kind of an auto did Baldwin drive? As far as Tasers are concerned there have been deaths of unruly prisoners when Tasers were used. This has occurred in various parts of the country. In fact at one time its stock was going right up the charts and split several times. Then it started going down, down, down due to these deaths and law enforcement agencies were not buying them anymore. I don’t know what the stock is now.
However, what did law enforcement do before Tasers?
It sounds like you’re trying to justify what Clarke is doing now. Are you suggesting that the Sheriff ought to be driving to and from the CJF in anything but his own car?
It’s not like he’s running radar on the freeway.
As for tasers, they’re an acceptable and reliable non-lethal way to take down a combative suspect. Our men and women in brown deserve to be equipped with them for their own safety.