Candidate: Edison Edison

EDISON EDISON PLATFORM

PROGRAM  FOR  PUTNAM  COUNTY  SHERIFF'S  OFFICE A LIFE MEMBER OF CSPOA

(386) 336-0845

Our Sheriff's Office is not immune from the mistaken thinking that is slowly turning the whole United States into a militarized Police State. Luckily, Putnam County has avoided the extremes of Violence we have seen in Ferguson, New York City, and elsewhere. We want to keep it that way, and even demonstrate a Better Way.

Ideally, we should be able to look on Police Officers sort of as "Concerned Parents", who are devoted to the "Protect and Serve" idea of policing, rather than a powerful Army to be feared. Through the years, the British Police have been a model for this kind of approach, as they traditionally and successfully operated without guns. At our stage in the United States, we could not go that far, but it is a laudable goal to make it theoretically possible.

Respect for Police Officers is essential, but it should not have to be based on Fear of bodily harm, or verbal abuse, just as with parents. A better way is for them to lead by demonstrating their own Respect for the Law, and their own Respect for Citizens. There are several ways the Sheriff's office could demonstrate this "parental" attitude.

1.    Police Officers could benefit directly from this "Mutual Respect" idea in that they would not need to constantly project an Intimidating Posture, which, in itself, can­ sometimes escalate conflict situations.

2.    Establish a Civilian Review Board, composed of trustworthy individuals representing all parties, which would enable citizens who felt they had been abused or disrespected by Police Officers to get a hearing free from Coercion.

3.    Using the latest-Professional Information, conduct classes for Officers on how to

deal with cases where a citizen is clearly not in his or her Right Mind, so as to avoid damaging or even fatal violence. This is a lack throughout the whole United States, and it would help us, as well, in Putnam County.

4.    Provision of personal video cameras for each Officer, to establish Facts in any disputable case, to enable the Officer to show that the Rules were followed, and that there was no improper conduct.

5.    Community Outreach Programs to Schools, etc., using Police Officer Volunteers to

demonstrate their community-minded abilities, _and to teach both the Public and Officers about Civil Duties, such as Jury Duty and the Provisions of the Constitution.

6.    More Efficient Use of Resources.

7.    Restore appreciation for the United States Constitution as a safeguard for the Civil Rights of ALL people.

Please note Edison Edison is an NPA, No Political Affiliation. I will be in the General Elections November 3, 2020.