Sheriff Cole Gets Schooled: County Sheriffs as National Law Enforcement Entity?

[XLFD]

A seemingly innocuous story about Mason County's sheriff, Kim Cole, going to Colorado for training at a National Sheriff's Institute (NSI) left me wondering about a couple of things after I did a little research.  As noted in the Mason County Press:

Mason County Sheriff Kim Cole was one of 26 sheriffs who was invited to attend the National Sheriffs’ Institute’s 106th class for new sheriffs. The class was held last week in Colorado. The class was paid for by federal training funds, which included tuition, materials, travel and lodging.

Cole said the class focused on leadership, leadership styles, the office of sheriff and media relations. It was open to first term sheriffs.

In the photo is Carolyn B. Welsh , NSA board member and sheriff of Chester County, Penn. and Mike Jackson from the National Institute of Corrections, which hosted the training in Denver, along with Sheriff Cole.

Now, county sheriff's are a local office, unlike the state police and FBI, so using federally allocated funds to 'train' them is a little suspicious to those who keep a watch on government.  One could say that county sheriffs are our nation's highest legitimate law enforcement officials, and in general the only law enforcement officer that is democratically elected to their office.  State troopers and FBI agents are appointees. 

Which is why a nationalized training of first-term sheriffs meeting out in Colorado without much to say about what they are being trained in exactly throws up a red flag.  A sheriff should be listening to the residents of the county and not to bureaucrats from Washington and their state's capital.  They should already have an idea of what works in their county from their predecessors and the local officials they work with, rather than be instructed on ideas that may (or may not have) worked elsewhere that would not fit in their county. 

Or worse yet, the sheriffs would get indoctrinated into nationalized ideals rather than regional ones.  The website for the NSI say quite matter-of-factly about these particularly exclusive classes that Kim Cole has just taken part in: 

"As a graduate of the NSI, you become a vital part of a national law enforcement entity that is, in reality, larger than any single "office of the sheriff." 

If the federal or state government ever decides to step beyond their legitimate bounds of jurisdiction, wouldn't it be nice to have your county sheriff protect the interests of your community against such encroachments, rather than side against you?  It has already been tested somewhat in the gun control debate as seen below, but it will undoubtedly be tested in the future.

Close to 15% of America's 3,080 sheriffs have signed Richard Mack's pledge to "oppose and disallow" any new federal gun control legislation. The highest numbers have come from gun-heavy Western states like Texas, New Mexico and Utah. State sheriffs' associations have also signed the pledge in states depicted in dark red.

[XLFD]

In related news, someone may have took their life at Sheriff Cole's jail, while coincidentally the jail was having electrical issues, meaning there may not be video of the incident.  In the matter of transparency, Cole would not release the type of cell the man was housed in — a multi-inmate pod or an isolation cell.  Was he trained by the Feds in this?: 

A 46-year-old Ludington man was pronounced dead on Tuesday after what was reported on scanner traffic as an inmate hanging at the Mason County Jail.

Mason County Sheriff Kim Cole said he could not confirm the death was by hanging but the ongoing investigation indicates it was a suicide. Family members have been notified, but the name of the man is being withheld until extended family can be reached, Cole said.

The incident was discovered at 5:08 p.m. during routine cell checks. Three corrections deputies responded and initiated CPR while Life EMS was called. He was transported to Spectrum Health Ludington Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

The jail was fully staffed on Tuesday with no trainees on the crew, Cole said. One corrections deputy was assigned to transport and guard inmates at the Mason County Courthouse, which is not unusual on Tuesdays when 51st Circuit Court is in session. Cole noted that Tuesday was fairly busy at the jail with seven out-of-county MDOC prisoners booked into the jail by corrections staffers.

Cole would not release the type of cell the man was housed in — a multi-inmate pod or an isolation cell.

The man was arrested at 10:59 a.m. Thursday by the Ludington Police Department at the Mason County Probation/Parole office. Cole said the man was technically a Michigan Department of Corrections inmate at the jail.

Electrical issues

The Mason County Jail suffered an electrical outage of control panels last Wednesday while a contractor was inspecting aspects of the control system for the jail. The problem affected lighting and locks, according to the Mason County Sheriff’s Office. Cole said he did not believe the problem, for which repairs are being sought, was a factor in the incident or the officers’ response time.

“Instead of pushing a button (to access the cell), it was a matter of turning a key,” Cole said.

Cole said the investigation was not yet far enough along to determine whether there was video of the incident.

Cole was scheduled to meet this morning with Mason County Administrator Fabian Knizacky, Mason County Board of Trustees Chairman Charles Lange and representatives of the Michigan Department of Corrections to review the incident.

The investigation is ongoing.

http://www.shorelinemedia.net/ludington_daily_news/news/local/artic...

[Willy]

I have to hand it to you X, this is something almost everyone would have remained ignorant about but instead you have enlightened us with a very important piece of information. This is another example of the Federal Government slithering into position to influence and manipulate our Sheriffs. I wonder if Cole will put the pieces together and realize he is being used by the Feds. Just the fact that he's there shows he hasn't made the connection or that he knows about it but has no problem rubbing shoulders with Government agencies whose goals are to tighten the screws on a system that is trying to remove our freedoms so that we can be better handled and controlled. Well done X.

[XLFD]

Thanks Willy.  I would like to know what the real selection process is for these federal classes for county sheriffs is, because I bet you won't find any Constitutional-sheriffs among the choices.  Sheriff Cole is a fine person, but I don't see him ever taking an active part in defending the freedoms of his constituents over what someone in Lansing or DC dictates.  If I am in error about this judgment, then he can join the group of sheriffs in the middle link that are geared for freedom over tyranny and change my mind.