Editorial: The case of the trashed sheriff’s office
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The smooth transition of power is always important after an election.
It reinforces the will of the people. It proves that the office is bigger than the occupant.
It also shows that the people involved are mature adults who can play by the rules of the game.
In Allegheny County, that happened with grace and a sense of humor as Darlene Harris left Pittsburgh City Council after more than 10 years with a goodbye that included proclaiming a day in her honor, lauding her commitment to the people she represented and acknowledging the sometimes contentious relationships that inspired.
There was also some ribbing. While Harris and council President Bruce Kraus have a difference of opinion over who owns a few items gifted to the city by visiting dignitaries — resulting in a police investigation — there were still tears and laughter on her last day.
And then there was Westmoreland County.
On Monday, as the courthouse was getting back to business after the holidays, things started with a bomb threat that shut the building for hours. Once that was handled, new Sheriff James Albert found his office blocked by boxes of old arrest warrants, trash strewn on floors and desks and his predecessor’s dirty uniforms piled up and topped with a DVD of “Paul Blart: Mall Cop.”
Albert called it disgusting and intentional. Former sheriff Jonathan Held, whose tenure was plagued by lawsuits and criminal charges against department members including himself, denied involvement and suggested the scene was staged.
So much for that peaceful transition of power. Regardless of who did what, it all speaks to rank and blatant disrespect.
While that disrespect might appear to be directed at either the new sheriff or the old one, it isn’t. Not really.
It’s a childish tantrum that disrespects the process. No elected official is guaranteed a job beyond the next election. Every four years (or two if you’re a state or U.S. representative, or six if you’re in the Senate) is a fresh start. It’s a new job interview and a possibility of turnover and changed direction.
And plenty of people who have lost one election have gone on to win another. That probably wouldn’t happen if they treated the office they were leaving like a foreclosed house, stripping the copper pipes and pulling up the carpets, all to leave the new occupant with a mess to clean up.
Ultimately, the disrespect is to the people, whether they voted or not, because the office really is bigger than the occupant. It’s a trust that deserves more than to be trashed.