Tuesday is the general election for sheriff in Freeborn County. The only man to consider for this position is Bob Kindler. His honesty and integrity will bring the Sheriff’s Office morale back to where it used to be instead of in the gutter.

When the current sheriff makes a mistake, he tries to cover it up with lies. Do not forget the James Colstrup fiasco four years ago. Mark Harig took this inmate out of jail to go to Masonic meetings and to cook at a pancake breakfast! When called on it, he tried to lie his way out of it.

Bob’s ideas for curbing the budget are outstanding. He has the knowledge and foresight to look at the big picture of things. The ARMER radio system is a prime example. Harig rushed this system through the commissioners because it is an election year and he wanted to make it look good.

The computers in the squad cars Harig brags about will have nothing but Internet access for the deputies because they are not compatible with the current law enforcement software.

And then there is the missing civil process money. Normal procedure when a law enforcement agency experiences this is to immediately have an outside law enforcement agency come in and do an investigation. This was never done by Harig; he waited two months until finally the county attorney had to demand he do something. So he calls the state Auditor’s Office knowing it cannot criminally investigate but only can recommend a criminal investigation based upon its findings. Look how quick the city acted on the Jim Norman misuse of a credit card. Mower County, the same thing. They had the BCA down and investigated their incident within days. Harig takes TWO months! Cover up? You bet it is! I am certain that Bob Kindler will bring in an outside agency after he is elected and have this investigated the way it should have been done in the first place.

Emergency management leadership is nonexistent, which was very evident when the tornadoes hit our area in June. Harig was out and about instead of where he was supposed to be. Roche, the emergency management director, would not answer his radio or telephone. It was Bob Kindler who finally took over after no leadership and the inability to make decisions was displayed by Harig and Roche.

During the fear of a chemical spill on Interstate 35 last spring, residents were being evacuated on the south side of town. Harig was contacted to come in. He responded (over the dispatch radio system) that he did not have to! He did respond later on, only after he heard that his precious illegal immigrants might have to be evacuated. So you have a sheriff who is elected to serve the county residents that does not care enough about those county residents when they need help but places the safety of illegal immigrants above the safety of county residents!

The voters of Freeborn County have a clear choice. Make a smart decision and vote for Kindler!

Jean Jaspersen

Albert Lea