A demand for accountability …

Dear Editor:
I find it absolutely unbelievable that an investigator with the Sheriff’s Department has pled guilty to running an illegal gambling operation and Chief Josey expects him to be back at work! I am hoping the chief meant back at work-at Party World.

Having served in law enforcement for 17 years, I realize that no officer is perfect and great officers make mistakes that should not ruin their careers. In this case, Investigator Avant did not make a one-time mistake or even two or three mistakes.

Instead, he blatantly disregarded the law for a period of years – for greed and profiteering. Mr. Avant personally managed this gambling operation, which he knew to be illegal. This was not a case where he chose not to enforce a law for whatever personal reasons, but rather conspired to personally commit the crime and induce others to break the law, namely his employees and those who gambled on the machines.

Were there other crimes committed that he could not properly investigate because others knew of his illegal activity? What are the consequences of his illegal actions with the IRS? I’m sure this was unreported income. Will his integrity be challenged more aggressively in future court trials?

I understand Chief Josey’s right to retain Mr. Avant, but the community, churches, civic organizations and others have a right to demand accountability of public corruption over friendship. Would we allow an officer convicted of running a part time drug operation or dog fighting operation return to work at the Sheriff’s office? Where does it stop?

One may not personally agree, but some laws are passed to protect people from themselves; motorcycle helmets, seat belts, gambling etc. Todd Avant took advantage of the poor people who could least afford to gamble, not once, but for years.

While Mr. Avant may have been an excellent employee as stated by Chief Josey, he has forfeited his right to work in certain professions, particularly law enforcement. There are many people in the county jail who profited a whole lot less than Avant or who committed one crime just once. This has been the perfect crime for Avant; profits, only a $500 fine, no jail time, and he gets to keep his job.

I totally disagree with Chief Josey. Investigator Avant’s continuous disregard for the law he was sworn to uphold has made him a potential liability to Sheriff’s Department and Clarendon County.

No law enforcement agency should openly tolerate blatant illegal activities from any of its officers – the citizens should not stand for it.

Sincerely,
Alexander “Herc” Conyers
Kabul, Afghanistan

A dark cloud shadowing leadership …

Dear Editor:
I have been following the news coverage of Clarendon County Investigator Todd Avant’s day in court for the unlawful possession of poker machines and ultimate guilty plea that he entered.

What I find unsettling were the comments of Clarendon County Sheriff Keith Josey.

Sheriff Josey was quoted as saying that “He’s (Todd Avant) been a loyal employee. He knows what he has to do. He’s an excellent employee, an excellent individual and he and Teresa (his wife) are our friends. I hope to retain Todd Avant as an investigator with the Clarendon County Sheriff’s Office.”

Sheriff Josey then says, “What this means is that for every poker game in Clarendon County, it is now my duty to raid them and put the players in jail for gambling.”

Sheriff Josey was quoted in The Manning Times as saying, “He (Josey) hopes to retain Todd Avant because he is that important to Clarendon County.”

Todd Avant’s attorney Ray Chandler was quoted as saying, “Todd is a very fine law enforcement officer and I saw no evidence that his conduct in this incident abused the trust of his office.”

Attorney Tommy Geddings referred to Avant as, “a rare individual with leadership and integrity.”

Excuse me if I’m missing something here, but we are talking about an investigator with the Sheriff’s Dept. that was arrested and convicted of breaking a law he swore to uphold.

I am concerned that the Sheriff of our county finds no harm in what Deputy Avant has done. In other words in Sheriff Josey’s leadership there are no consequences for Deputy Avant’s choices, choices that were ongoing for at least 2 years.

How can you believe that what Deputy Avant has done has not in any way affected the trust of his office or the quality of his integrity. He admitted to approving payouts and telling his employees to make payouts.

Is this a rare individual with leadership and integrity? Is this an individual that is being groomed for the Sheriff’s Office that had been instructing his employees to break the law? Is this the character of a deputy that we want to trust our county to?

I would like Sheriff Josey to tell the citizens of Clarendon County if he sees no harm in what Deputy Avant has done, (Sheriff Josey said that Deputy Avant’s behavior is superior to none), where does that leave the law abiding citizens of Clarendon County? Can we push the perimeter of the law and expect the same high praises from our leadership?

I might be all alone on this one, but I believe that not only Deputy Avant, but also Sheriff Josey, owe the citizens of this county an apology for allowing such behavior to go on in his office. They both owe the local law enforcement a heartfelt apology for allowing a dark cloud to shadow their leadership in this county.

Sincerely,
Ruth Mathis
Manning, S.C.

Preserving our native game fish …

Dear Editor:
Governor Mark Sanford and the S.C. General Assembly have recently approved a new law limiting the harvest of the Arkansas Blue catfish in our lakes. This new law limits fisherman to one Blue catfish 36 inches or larger per day, regardless of harvest method. This will serve to greatly increase the Blue cat’s population.

Instead of focusing on the Arkansas Blue catfish, introduced here in 1964 and 1965, we need to focus on increasing the population of our native game fish, like the white bass and the striped bass. There are no real white bass in the local lakes and rivers now and the striped bass are rapidly dwindling away. If we support this new law, we are protecting a big part of the reason our native fish are disappearing. We would also be supporting a law that could greatly endanger an important part of our economy, namely bass tournament fishing.

The big Blue catfish will eat any fish alive or dead, including the striped bass. The big Blue also eats a lot of the foods that our game fish eat.

Instead of spending money protecting the big Blue catfish, we need to invest in protecting our own game fish. South Carolina’s sport fishermen would be glad to see the white bass back on our lakes and rivers and would support the effort to make it happen.

It seems like the S.C. Dept. of Natural Resources doesn’t care if the white bass comes back or not. As long as we protect and enforce the 36-inch or longer limit on Blue catfish, it will be impossible to have a decent population of any of our native game fish.

Sincerely,
Marshall Richburg
St. George, S.C.
(formerly of Manning)