TIMES EDITORIAL: Inmate escapes threaten Region public safety nwitimes.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from nwitimes.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
On Friday morning, Ron Latimer stood before District Judge Don Word, placed his hand on the Bible that his wife, Lana, was holding, and swore to do his job.
Thatâs something heâs been doing for the past 29 years, but to make it official, he was sworn in at Scottsboro City Hall as the cityâs new police chief.
Better late than never, right?
Latimer had served as interim chief for almost 10 months prior to this week, when Mayor Jim McCamy made the recommendation and the city council approved it, making Latimer the permanent police chief.
An alleged incident last September in Marshall County, which was later dismissed, prolonged the obvious of making Latimer police chief, replacing Ralph Dawe who had retired. Latimer was accused of operating a vessel under the influence.
CROWN POINT â In a rebuke of the Lake County Commissioners over the recent renewal of an electronic monitoring contract, Sheriff Oscar Martinez referenced three escapes that he says happened under the watch of the company that was awarded the contract.
In each of the instances, which occurred between April 2019 and September 2019, Martinez said the escaped offenders who were on court-supervised release committed serious crimes. The discord between the sheriff s office and the monitoring company has been longstanding.
In May 2019, Martinez barred the monitor ankle bracelet company, ICU Monitoring Inc., and its employees from entering Lake County Jail after two escapes in which the detainees were on court-supervised release and wearing GPS ankle bracelets monitored by the Merrillville-based company.
Deputies from the Jackson County Sheriffâs Office are involved in a couple of speed chases per week, as referenced in the front page story today. That will likely continue until state legislators toughen up current laws.
Law enforcement officials talked this week about the dangers of police pursuits. Lt. Craig Holcomb, of the sheriffâs office, remembers a chase that began in South Pittsburg, Tennessee and ended in Rainsville, in DeKalb County, resulting in two deaths.
Interim Scottsboro Police Chief Ron Latimer remembers the time, during a pursuit, his vehicle was rammed by the suspect vehicle.
Police pursuits are dangerous for all involved, and those not involved. While some police departments have âno pursuitâ policies, that invites those who donât want to be stopped by police officers.