Seeing the Round Corners

September 11 2017

SELECTIVE ENFORCEMENT OF THE LAW

The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) has been up front and center on media coverage in recent weeks. Sparse mention has been made of the way DACA came into being. DACA was the work of former President Obama, but should have been the work of Congress – that did not happen.

A column from this writer’s archives comes to mind.

April 1, 2013

SELECTIVE ENFORCEMENT OF THE LAW

Eye on Gilpin County has been on hiatus in recent weeks. While this writer vowed to not write a word about gun control legislation making its way through the General Assembly, recent comments evoked these very opinionated comments.

The hearts of Coloradans must be warmed beyond description by the extortion tactics employed by various county sheriffs during debate on gun control legislation now under consideration.

This writer has frequently written about elected officials who take the oath of office, swearing to uphold the laws of Colorado, to then digress from inability or lack the willingness to do so, as if to say the oath meant nothing.

Selective enforcement of state laws is not exactly an idea that sets well with the citizens of Colorado, especially as we are “forced” to observe the aftermath of the Aurora theatre shootings and the mockery of James Holmes’ efforts to escape the death penalty. Escaping death is not exactly something Holmes himself afforded his victims.

This writer is seldom at a loss for words, but the heinous murderer using a ploy of insanity to now avoid the death sentence is nothing but spitting on all things decent.

Weld County Sheriff John Cooke has been quoted as questioning the law on universal background checks, “Why put the effort into enforcing a law that is unenforceable?” Not being capable or willing to enforce the law is quite different than the law not being enforceable. When elected officials are unwilling to abide by the laws of Colorado, they should be run out of office whether by vote or recall.

But, when a county sheriff takes the position Sheriff Cooke has taken, considering that the sheriff is the primary law enforcement officer of a county, it should be dealt with as malfeasance in office, if not negligence/criminal, regardless of his political position on the matter at issue.

Elected officials are tasked with acting in the best interest of the citizens, but county sheriffs should be held to a higher standard of fulfilling their duties. If unable to put personal preferences and politics aside, maybe Sheriff Cooke and those sheriffs of similar beliefs should resign and get into another line of work.

Sheriff Cooke and his like-thinking fellow sheriffs should be required to read and study the Constitution of Colorado. No provision therein allows for selective enforcement of the laws of Colorado, regardless of resources, manpower or the worst of all, lack of desire.

The oath of office for elected officials which includes county sheriffs, states in part “. . .  before he enters upon the duties of his office, shall take and subscribe an oath or affirmation to support the Constitution of the United States and of the state of Colorado, and to faithfully perform the duties of the office upon which he shall be about to enter.”

No where in that oath does it allow for selective enforcement of the law(s)!

Mark Twain once said:  “The rule is perfect – in all matters of opinion our adversaries are insane.” 

The reader's comments or questions are always welcome. E-mail me at doris@dorisbeaver.com.