Last Tuesday (7/31/07), I filed a petition in Circuit Court on behalf of the citizens of Bradley County. This petition was filed as a last resort and as required by law after failing to reach an agreement with the Bradley County Commission and County Mayor Gary Davis regarding the 2007-2008 budget for the Bradley County Sheriff’s Office. I filed this petition for two reasons. First, it was the right thing to do. The citizens of Bradley County deserve the best that law enforcement has to offer, and the men and women of the BCSO deserve adequate and competitive salaries and compensation. These deputies risk their lives every time they pull a shift and they deserve the safest possible conditions within which to operate.Secondly, I did this because I was required to by law (Tennessee Code Annotated 8-20-101). Also, according to the CTAS Sheriff’s Handbook, the Sheriff must enter into a letter of agreement or file a petition with the court. “Doing nothing,” reads the CTAS code, “is not an option” (emphasis mine). Since an agreement with the Mayor and the Commission could not be reached, I did what the law requires.

To fulfill my mandated obligations under the law, I cannot agree to a budget that places deputies’ salaries at 22 percent below the regional average (and $5,000 a year behind the average pay for the Cleveland Police Department ). Nor can I agree to a budget that forces those deputies to depend on outdated equipment and exhausted patrol vehicles (over 30 BCSO patrol cars have logged 200,000-plus miles, with some approaching 300,000). Also, the Sheriff’s Office is the largest county department. It is a huge operation that combines law enforcement, patrol, criminal investigations, court security, warrant service and corrections. It is futile and a disservice to the citizens of Bradley County to try and effectively administer these critical areas without adequate equipment or staffing.

Just over a week ago the parents of a six-year-old placed a frantic 9-1-1 call reporting their daughter missing.  Family members had canvassed the neighborhood for half-an-hour but when their efforts produced no result panic quickly set in.

They looked everywhere they could think of.  In vehicles, the house, and places outside the house where the missing child might be. But she was no where to be found.

Only a parent who has faced a crisis of this nature can understand the fear they were experiencing.   

It was then they called the Sheriff’s Office.

Upon receipt of their call dispatchers in the 9-1-1 center directed several deputies to the area to assist with efforts to find the child. At the same time, additional personnel were en-route to provide sufficient manpower in the event the search was expanded to cover a larger area.

The Sheriff’s department’s first responders went back over the same area where the family looked.  The house, surrounding area and vehicles parked in the driveway were checked again to make sure the six-year-old had not been overlooked.   

As two hours passed since she was last seen,  plans were being formulated to expand over a wide area using approximately three dozen volunteers who had responded from the Sheriff’s office, the community, and that community’s volunteer fire department all wanting to help.

Then over the radio was heard “ she’s been found,” bringing a sigh of relief to everyone.   

It was relief for the parents and other family members that she was safe. The officer who found her had decided to look closely at the rear seat of a king-cab pickup truck that was parked at the girl’s residence.  There he found her asleep, out of view behind the rear seat.

Child Restraints and Safety Belts  - Ingredients for Safe Motoring

Whether you’re traveling across the country or across town, the operator of a motor vehicle bears responsibility for their own safety and the safety of any passengers.

As Sheriff, I encourage you to operate your vehicle in a safe manner, don’t get behind the wheel if you are impaired, avoid distractions such as adjusting the radio, obey the speed limit and keep your vehicle under control at all times.

You should also buckle up every time you are in a vehicle and make sure child passengers are properly restrained.  A major concern during the past few years has been the issue of child passengers and air bag safety.  Air bags save lives.   But they work best when everyone is buckled and when children age 12 and under are properly restrained in the back seat. An infant riding in a rear-facing child seat must never be placed in the front seat of a vehicle with a passenger side air bag.  The message is clear; “Everyone buckled: Kids in back.”

Motor vehicle injury is the leading killer of children more than one year of age. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, child safety seats, when used correctly, can reduce fatalities among young children less than five years of age by 71 percent  -one of the most effective safety innovations ever developed.

Children must rely on their parents to use safety seats correctly  - infant, toddler/convertible, or booster seat.  NHTSA recommends that all children ride in the back seat  -using rear-facing seats until a child is 20 pounds and one year old, forward-facing over one-year old and 20 pounds up to 40 pounds, and booster seats until the child can use the vehicle’s lap/shoulder belts. Parents need to read the information provided in their vehicle owner’s manual regarding child safety seat placement in the vehicle along with the proper use instructions provided with the child safety seat.

The primary points of Tennessee’s law are:

• Any child under the age of 1 year old and 20 pounds or less must be in a rear-facing child restraint IN THE REAR SEAT, if available.
• Any child from 1 through 3 years old weighing more than 20 pounds should be transported in a forward facing child restraint seat IN THE REAR SEAT, if available.
• Any child 4 – 8 years old measuring less than five feet in height must be in a belt positioning booster seat IN THE REAR SEAT, if available.
• Any child 9 – 12 years old measuring 4 feet 9 inches or more in height must use a seat belt and THE REAR SEAT is recommended.
• Any child 13 to 17 years old must use a seat belt and may sit in the front or rear of the vehicle.

It should also be noted the driver of the vehicle is responsible for ensuring passengers under the age of 16 are properly restrained.  Violators can be fined up to $50.   If the child’s parent or legal guardian is present but not driving, they are responsible for making sure that the child is properly transported and may be fined for non-compliance.

All 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Territories have laws requiring the use of child safety seats. While penalties vary from state to state, violators can face fines, points on their driving record, or more serious charges.

Getting your older kids into the habit of buckling up will teach them a safety practice that can save lives. It will be much easier if you set the example. Make your concern for passenger safety known by insisting that everyone -even adult passengers- buckle up.

It’s the safe way to go!