August
2006
Is That a Gun in Your Pocket, or Are you Just Happy Serving Beer?
Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke was all smiles during the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce’s Fiesta Tailgate at Miller Park in July.
Yep! The Sheriff was right at home serving up the drinks to the folks of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. Grinning ear to ear while blowing off the suds from the tops of those cold mugs of Millers, gave Sheriff Clarke some good quality time with the voters. I wonder if the Sheriff after handing off one of the cold beers reminded each voter that drinking and driving don’t mix.
Well, it seems that serving beer and wearing a gun are two ingredients that should not mix either.
There the Sheriff was, having a grand ol’ time passing out the beers while wearing his pistol and looking like as if he were in some southwestern saloon filled with hard-drinking Mexican banditos and gringo bad men.
He was not at some saloon, but at Miller Park. He was at a ballgame handing out alcohol and in his own subtle way reminding people that he was the Sheriff, the gun prominently displayed in public helped to remind the drinking voters of that fact.
Don Holt, a concerned voter also took note of the fact that our Sheriff was wearing his gun while serving alcohol to the electorate at Miller Park. So much it bothered Mr. Holt that he went on to complain to Mr. Kevin Kennedy, Executive Director Wisconsin State Elections Board.
Mr. Holt wrote to Mr. Kennedy that “The current sheriff (Clarke) was in uniform and wearing his sidearm at the time. Clarke’s action is a clear and serious violation of the Milwaukee County Code of Ethics. “9.05. Code of ethics. (1) The county board hereby reaffirms that a county elected official, appointed official or employe [sic] holds his/her position as a public trust, and any effort to realize personal gain through official conduct is a violation of that trust.”
Holt is arguing that Sheriff Clarke betrayed his position as a leading law enforcement official by promoting alcohol while Clarke was in uniform.
I think Holt has a point here.
If Sheriff Clarke is at one end of the public service message wearing his uniform telling people not to drive when they drink, how could he expect that message to be taken seriously if he’s at public events wearing his uniform serving beers? There is tomfoolery here!
Is alcohol the leading cause of death in automobile accidents? If it is, should the Sheriff of Milwaukee County be serving beers while in uniform at a public forum like a baseball game?
In the letter to the Wisconsin Election Board Holt states, “The current sheriff’s (Clarke’s) action of serving alcoholic beverages while in uniform, wearing his sidearm and clearly recognizable as the sheriff is in direct conflict with his responsibility to enforce all laws and ordinances relating to the improper or illegal use of alcohol. The citizens of Milwaukee County could be subject to severe liabilities should one of those to whom the sheriff served alcohol to, later become involved in vehicle crash involving the intoxicated use of a motor vehicle or illegal use of a firearm.” Good point! Let’s suppose that one of those people the Sheriff served a beer had gotten into an accident. Would the people of Milwaukee County be held accountable to the family of the person or persons hurt?
Fortunately, the tax payers will not have to deal with that issue this time around. It would nevertheless be wise for Sheriff Clarke to think about what he’s doing in the public. Serving beer while in uniform is counter-productive to the idea of law enforcement’s message that drinking and driving don’t mix.
Miranda
Clarke Watch, Robert Miranda
Like I have said before, this guy cares about nothing but himself and how bad and how much he can screw the people of Milwaukee County. I mean, let them drink and drive the County Freeway system. There are hardly any Deputies on the road now anyways, and their chances of getting away are good because this guy cut the staff on the one thing that Milwaukee needs — the freeway system. He took a bunch of deputies off and gave them black suits and let them roam the inner city looking for whatever. He needs to put them back on the freeway.
Just a little story for you. I work for a small police department out of the Milwaukee area, and one night around 1am I see a drunk driver entering Milwaukee County. This guy could not even keep his car on the road he was so bad and almost caused several accidents. So I do what every good person should and call 911. I tell the operator that I am an off duty Police Officer and tell them what I saw. The 911 operator tells me he has no squads in the area. Fine, I will follow him until you do. I follow the car from the County line in Hales Corners all the way to North Ave. We go past the Sheriffs Sub station and the 911 operator still does not have a squad in the area. Well, I thought, \”that\’s funny.\” As we drove past the Sub Station I saw several marked Sheriffs squads parked in the lot right in front of the building … Well, \”so be it,\” I thought, and I continued to follow the car until North Ave.
We exit on North Ave by Mayfair Mall. The 911 operator transfers me to Tosa Police and I tell them what I\’ve got, and within 45 seconds there were 4 Tosa squads on the scene to stop this vehicle. The driver was arrested for OWI. He blew a .18.
I know from when I worked the Freeway as a deputy that we were fighting our way over to get that drunk. Clarke does not care. The way I see it, Clarke is just promoting drunk driving in Milwaukee.
Hey, David: If you get that $600,000 to remodel your office, when you\’re sitting at your desk, ask yourself if that new office of yours is worth a single life that might be taken because you choose to have a new OFFICE instead of Deptuies patroling the Freeways. I hope you sleep well at night. Jerk.
It appears my BELOVED David has gone astray. Disreguarding departmental policy once again. My God, my GOD, why have you forsaken us. For he does not care what he does against us, but leads us from enforcement.
AMEN
And God bless Deputy Jensen and his family as well.
M.Toole
How many other police department jurisdictions did this drunk driver pass through before City of Wauwatosa arrested him? Hmmm. The comment by ex-deputyoutsider that Clarke is now promoting drunken driving is about the most dumbest statements I’ve read in a long time. Your statement that when you were a deputy, there would be squads fighting for the arrest. No doubt. Easy overtime, I’ve seen deputies walk their cases through intake court (real slowly) and telling the Clerk’s Office not to type up their case real fast so they could really milk the overtime. I just hope Clarke puts the right colored socks on in the morning, otherwise you’d be criticizing him for that too.
no appleton14 Clarke wouldn’t put the wrong color socks on because your the one putting them on for him. Why don’t you be just like all the other disgruntled retires and move south for the winter better yet you can move there for good. It is obvious that you don’t care about the deputies and the department you once worked for. Because if you did. You would follow what your association and the retired deputies that do care about their department and kick King Clarke to the curb and tell him to try to find a new job in politics.
Hey appleton14, this guy was on the MILWAUKEE COUNTY FREEWAY SYSTEM. I, think that the Sherrifs Department patrols that. DUMB ASS. It’s the responisablity of the Sherrifs Department to enforce that not other departments. And if you read the story you should have known that the drunk drive exited the freeway. And so what about the overtime. I would be happy as a Milwaukee County resident to pay extra to have drunks off the freeway. My family and friends travel the freeway every day and to have them safe would be worth it. You may not have any friends or family here in Milwaukee so you don’t care. Well, I DO CARE. Until you get your head out of your ass and look around you might see what is going on in Milwaukee. My big point was that we passed the Sherrifs sub station and there was parked squads there. How easy of a drunk can you get. He drives right past there and I was telling the 911 operator that there’s squads just sitting. I dont hate the Deputies I hate Clarke for what he has turned the Sherrifs Department into.
It’s SHERIFFS sorry for the spelling.
So you are blaming Clarke for the fact that nobody responded? How many deputies are there? Let’s stop for a minute and do the math, hmmmmmmmmm? and this is ONE man’s fault?
Seems spelling is not your only problem, maybe math too.
First of all, it’s completely legal for Sheriff Clarke to be wearing a sidearm and any time. The only time he needs permission is when he boards a plane. He can wear it to bed if he so desires. So slamming him for wearing a sidearm when passing out a couple of beers at a charity event that is out in the open air is pretty childish and picky if you ask me. If you spent 1/2 the time you do on picking about the minute details of whether or not the Sheriff should be wearing a gun at certain times and invested it mentoring a child or voluntering at a soup kitchen, the world would be a far better place!
It may be legal but it’s against Clarke’s own departmental policy to be wearing a gun and using or serving alcohol.
By violating his own rule, Clarke sent a message to his deputies that he is more important than they are.
So for that he should resign? I would hope that a uniformed deputy would not be allowed to serve beers no matter what the situation.
When the Sheriff was serving beers, he wasn’t in full uniform. But he is allowed to carry a gun at any time, regardless of what he’s wearing or what he’s attending.
Bill Stocks, were you a Deputy? or are you one now. If not let me tell you something. When I worked the freeway there was at least 15 Deputies per shift. Clarke has cut that less than half of that. Math and spelling are not my only problem.
Do you even work in Law Enforcement? Clarke has run the Sheriffs Department into the ground. Most of his Deputies hate the guy. Name one good thing this asshole has done for the department. So, Bill Stocks you can go about your business of thinking you know it all. Also, yes it\’s Clarkes fault.
ex-deputy outsider:
1. This was not a personal attack on you, it was in defense of a man I know, and ALL my friends and family like and support.
2. I have never been in law enforcement. However, it is my civil duty to vote, and to vote in my own families best interests. Bobot has caused my family a lot of pain and it was only for political gain. Holt seems nice enough, but at the debates he is approx. 75% un-informed.
3. Your spelling IS bad.
4. I don’t hate the deputies (former or current) or the union. However, I do believe there are political agendas within the department. It is very obvious.
5. Your swearing and name-calling are a bit irritating, but I know my own character, and I am satisfied with it, and the things that aren’t true are just not that important.
6. I most definitely do NOT know it all.
7. Have a great day!
Jim wouldn’t post my comments, because I called M. Toole a bad name. ha
I did that Monte. I’m in the process of cleaning up some of these threads. We’ve got to keep these discussions above board, as difficult it is to argue with folks who sometimes won’t recognize a fact even when it’s plopped anvil like ‘pon their heads. Stocks, I think, is pretty reasonable, and has not been anywhere near as bad as some of the others.
– ed.
I’m sorry, Jim. Even though you guys have convinced me to switch my Clarke vote to Holt, I don’t care much for M. Toole or ex-deputy outsider’s comments. They are way out of line. I understand debating on an issue, but the personal attacks on citizens who have an opinion are too much. Just my thoughts.
I know Stocks, and he cancelled his Republican party membership, and I believe is now independent. I think he is a bit too conservative based on his religious ties to the community, but he believes in doing what is best for the people of Milwaukee. What I disagree with him on is the whole Iraq/Bush thing.
Monte – We disagree on a whole lot more than Iraq. But, the bottom line is that I don’t agree with how we went in and why we went in. At this point it is unfortunate Bush won’t pull out, and in fact it may be bad timing to pull out, I am not sure.