To the editor,

The following is a letter, dated June 28, 2022, sent to Columbia County Sheriff Joe Helm. The letter pertained to his Under Sheriff wearing the County Law Enforcement uniform and badge while giving a political/religious speech on the streets of Dayton.

June 28, 2022, Sheriff Joe Helm, Columbia County, 341 E. Main St., Suite 1, Dayton, WA. 99328.

Sheriff Helm: As an introduction: I left Dayton in 2015 but still remain connected to the community that I lived in and served for 24 years. Additionally, I’m retired with over 28 years in law enforcement and seven years in direct support of law enforcement at the city, county, state and federal level, in a consultant role.

I have read and totally support your Vision, Mission, Values and Goals established for your department. With that said, I take exception to Deputy Patterson wearing what appeared to be a uniform shirt with his Name and a Columbia County embroidered Sheriff’s Badge as a speaker at a recent event near the Dayton Deport. After reviewing a video of the speech, I found no relationship between his political views/words, Biblical and Constitutional references and your Departments Vision, Mission, Values, Goals and law enforcement responsibilities to the Community. It begs the question: Was Deputy Patterson on duty?

What happened to the sayings “When you wear the Badge you’re always on duty” and “What you do and say reflects on your Department and Community!”

As a past member of the law enforcement profession I continue to support and uphold the uniform and badge in high esteem. I strongly feel that Deputy Patterson was wrong when he wore the Badge while speaking or preaching on a matter of his personal, biblical or political beliefs and interests? Additionally, by wearing the embroidered badge, his words and personal view represented that of the Sheriff’s Department and Government of Columbia County. Ted Paterson

To date, I have not received a response nor acknowledgment that the issue has been corrected.

Ted Paterson

Freeland, Wash.

To the editor,

The relationship between religion and government in the United States is governed by the First Amendment to the Constitution. The establishment clause compels government neutrality and, in this capacity, could inhibit public employees’ rights when they are government actors.

If an employer allows a civil servant to discuss their religious faith while working and addressing the public, one could say that the employer is endorsing the religious views. It is far more likely that an establishment-clause violation will occur if an employee proselytizes to the public.

The expectation for our local law enforcement is to protect and serve not to proselytize. Police officers represent the government espousing the authority of the state, this is why police officers wear uniforms to indicate their authority and their position.

The law is designed to balance free speech alongside the prohibition on government endorsement of religion. A secular approach to public services is what government employers should be encouraging. This principle is often neglected by those that should know better.

It is damaging to communities when their citizens are made to feel like outsiders and not full members of a community. endorsement sends a message to those that share the belief that they are favored members of a community and raises the specter of bias for those who do not. We as taxpayers have a right, that our tax dollars do not go to endorsing religion.

Theresa Eier

Dayton, Wash.

To the editor,

We seem to live in an ever-increasing political state of division. But I think it’s an illusion caused by the far-right and far-left and the media that is constantly scrambling for viewers. There are lots of dog-whistles being blown that raise hackles and get people frothing at the mouth about some lefty-libtard or some right-wing-nutjob. But I don’t think that’s where the majority lives. And it certainly hasn’t historically been where the majority lives.

Some of us are old enough to remember how closely Republicans and Democrats worked to pass important legislation on the federal level. Here is a link to historical bipartisan-ship https://bipartisanpolicy.org/history-of-bipartisanship/. And on the local level, traditionally party didn’t matter as it seems to matter so much to some these days. It was once ‘county over party’ or ‘city over party’ and deeply ingrained ideologies didn’t worm their way into the dealings of local government.

One of the reasons I am supporting Jack Miller is because he isn’t being held aloft by one tribe, like Simba in the Lion King as the great and only savior for this county. He was approached to run by Democrat and Republican voters alike because we are wanting to find our way back to the place where party and ideology isn’t being placed over county/city/citizen.

I’ve heard Jack being called a RINO (Republican in Name Only) as if that is an insult on down-ballot elections like Commissioners/City Council/Port elections. Down-ballot elections shouldn’t be responded to with the hard-core ideologies that we’ve see of late. Local issues are rarely driven by the same engines as federal elections are and we need local people taking care of the local people’s business with ALL the local people’s interest at the forefront.

So, when a candidate has the support of people from both parties, I’d say that’s a win for us all. When ideologies keep leaders from seeing or hearing or acknowledging their neighbors in our small community, then something isn’t working right. When ideologies cause leaders to speak disparagingly of neighbors who don’t vote, look, worship or love as they do, then something isn’t working. Exclusion in small communities isn’t sustainable.

We need leaders who are willing to be supported by members of the opposite party. We need leaders who are not so entrenched in their ideologies that they reject, outright, anything that comes from the opposite party. We need leaders who the opposite party is willing to step out of their entrenched beliefs to offer support to and see as a leader for ALL of Columbia Counties citizens. This is how to accomplish and move ahead.

Jack Miller is supported by Republican and Democrats in this county and that is quite amazing in such divisive times. I’m voting for Jack Miller, County Commissioner, Position No. 3 in November.

Vicki Zoller

Dayton Wash.