Polarizing ex-sheriff ‘sends wrong message’
They were sooooo excited to announce their keynote speaker — excited enough that the organizers of the New Mexico Gang Task Force’s 20th annual conference in Albuquerque revealed their gold star guest in October, six months before the conference. Sooooo excited that, in their Facebook post, a single “o” was so not enough.
Oh, but who could blame them? In the pantheon of living law enforcement legends, few stand taller or speak louder than former Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke, whom the committee has snagged for its convention in April. Few are also as polarizing. Clarke, who fancies cowboy hats and crisp military-style jackets, weighed down by constellations of sparkly pins, was christened
“America’s Sheriff” by Fox News fire-breather Sean Hannity, which right there tells you something, though what that something is depends on what side of the political spectrum you fall.
He’s a staunch Trump supporter, a Trump-esque speaker who fires off brash rhetoric, often via tweets, that often inflames more than informs. His fans love that; everybody else, not so much.
Few have evaded his withering words, especially those he considers to be on the “lefty” side. He compared former President Obama’s policing policies to those of Adolf Hitler. He refers to Planned Parenthood as “Planned Genocide” and Black Lives Matter as “Black Lies Matter.”
Not surprisingly, he despises the media and was temporarily blocked from Twitter for posting three tweets that appeared to call for violence against journalists. One read, in part: “When LYING LIB MEDIA makes up FAKE NEWS to smear me, the ANTIDOTE is to go right at them. Punch them in the nose & MAKE THEM TASTE THEIR OWN BLOOD.”
He’s advised citizens to “point that barrel center mass and pull the trigger” because “911 is not our best option” and suggested that it’s “pitchfork and torches time in America” because of an election system he believes is rigged.
Just last week, he criticized the students who survived the Parkland, Fla., school shooting and who are advocating for strengthening gun laws as being manipulated by liberal George Soros.
Those who have known Clarke for years say he had been a good law enforcement officer for nearly 40 years but changed when his bombastic outrage brought him national fame. He resigned as sheriff in August, presumably to accept a job in the Trump administration that never came.
Others suggest he was pressured into quitting after four people, including a newborn, died while in the county jail he oversaw. This week, three of Clarke’s former staff members were charged with felony misconduct in the death of a mentally ill inmate who died of profound dehydration after being denied water for a week. Clarke is named in a civil lawsuit related to that death.
None of this is enough to knock a single “o” from the Task Force’s giddiness.
“Ex-sheriff Clarke served the people of Milwaukee County for 15 years and politics aside, his experiences are invaluable to law enforcement everywhere,” the organization said in an emailed statement. “The decision to invite former ex-sheriff Clarke was made by the NMGTF Training Committee, a committee of 10 volunteers. We stand by our decision to have him as our keynote speaker.”
Which is to say that for $150 per person on April 29 you can listen to Clarke, take a photo with him, receive an autographed copy of his book “Cop Under Fire” and eat dinner at Isleta Resort and Casino.
But the Albuquerque Police Department is critical of Clarke’s invitation.
“It’s disappointing that any New Mexico organization would invite someone with such a radical disregard for civil rights and human dignity to be a keynote speaker,” APD spokesman Gilbert Gallegos said in an emailed statement. “This invitation sends the wrong message at the wrong time, as we bring back community policing and make progress toward restoring public trust in law enforcement.”
The task force did not respond to specific questions, so it’s unclear how ticket sales are going. The convention is expected to attract a thousand members from more than 60 law enforcement, prosecutorial and corrections agencies from New Mexico and surrounding states.
There’s something unnerving about the idea of a roomful of folks who serve and protect the public being enthralled with the words of a man who has become as incendiary as an AR-15 in school, especially when there are so many other important law enforcement voices to be heard.
But I admit I’m on the “lefty” side of this debate. And in these contentious days, it’s hard to draw the line between what is a difference of opinion and what is dangerous diatribe.
I sooooo hope those who go to listen to Clarke figure out the difference quickly. UpFront is a front-page news and opinion column. Comment directly to Joline at 823-3603, jkrueger@abqjournal.com or follow her on Twitter @jolinegkg. Go to www. abqjournal.com/letters/new to submit a letter to the editor.