Plea to strengthen the county’s law enforcement corps

Wayne McCall took his push for additional Oconee sheriff’s officers and higher law enforcement pay to the political body on which he served 12 years, including time as chairman of the county council law enforcement committee.  McCall, the former District Two councilman, recently issued a position paper calling for 20 additional deputies and a starting salary of $65 thousand.  That would be about $20 thousand more a year than that which Sheriff Crenshaw has requested in his new budget.  Last night, however, McCall got personal with the current county council by rhetorically asking them how they would feel if they, working alone as a deputy sheriff, approached an individual who would shoot them. McCall has lamented the frequent scenario of an officer riding alone without a sidekick.  Responding to McCall’s public comment remarks, Councilman Julian Davis agreed with the need for additional cops and higher pay, but he made the audience aware of major strides the council has made in just the last few years to address the shortcomings cited by his former colleague McCall.  And Davis decried those who’ve, as he put it, are responsible for “misinformation” to the extent that today’s county council assigns a higher priority to green and bicycle trails than they do stronger law enforcement.