In eight years of submitting opinions, I have never rebutted others. After all, it’s just an opinion. But when a county officeholder receives county funds, I believe taxpayers do have a say.

I’m not sure why the chief law enforcement officer of Westmoreland County found the need, or the time, to submit a letter to the Trib’s opinion page (“Keeping Westmoreland County safe,” Dec. 10, TribLive). An elected public official who has taken an oath to protect all county residents apparently has allowed his personal ideology to get the better of him. He seems to indirectly encourage more gun licensing with fearmongering, which could also turn out to be detrimental to law enforcement. Studies show more guns mean more gun deaths, no disputing that.

In his letter, he blames liberal officials and , as he phrases it, illegal aliens as the root cause of our county’s woes. I think it is despicable and shameful that the office of county sheriff is being besmirched by the current holder.

The duty of the sheriff, and the staff of 75 under him, is to protect and serve. In this time of hostility and the end of a very divisive election, it was my hope that people in public office would show a genuine effort to stop the hateful rhetoric instead of continuing the name-calling and finger-pointing. I suggest to the sheriff: Just do the job; no need for your opinion.

Frank Flori

Greensburg

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