An open letter to Sheriff Butler:

Congratulations to you and your men on their recent arrests of the people responsible for stealing ATVs, possession of drugs, and multiple other charges. They also scored a large drug bust, and sadly, arrested a man who had killed a motorcyclist. Great police work! But that’s where it all falls apart. The legal system puts them back on the street.

The guy who crossed the centerline in collision with motorcycle believed under the influence of drugs had previously been arrested about twenty times and was still on the street.

The alleged ATV thieves were well known to law enforcement but were out on the street again.

Mr. Capps, a felon, was found with a weapon and a considerable amount of drugs. Again, why was he on the street?

It would appear that the vast majority of arrests were of repeat offenders, all of which avoided jail time. It must be frustrating for you and your deputies to arrest felons only to have them released over and over again. Somewhere the system is badly broken. It is only a matter of time until a more massive tragedy occurs, only to have the question – why weren’t they in jail?

D.C. recently dismissed over 3000 misdemeanor warrants and has started a program to address charges via computer. These charges range from simple assault to driving on a suspended license. I have no idea how this will work, but it was started “to remove the stigma of an arrest” – I am concerned about the feelings of somebody believed to have broken the law?

Continue the outstanding work. Unfortunately, you will always have a job, but you should expect the judicial system to do its job too.

Sincerely,

F. Schwartz
Warren County, Virginia