Commentary: Charleston County Elections Could Have Major Impact

The other major impact in Charleston County from this election is our new Sheriff, Kristin Graziano. The former Sheriff had some very outdated ideas about the world, and Charleston will be much better served with Sheriff Graziano. During her campaign she made it clear that she understood her primary job would be to keep Charleston County residents safe – but that reforming the massive department to incorporate honest and fair law enforcement was also important. In typical fashion, Sheriff Graziano didn’t waste any time in getting going. Having spent years working in the Sheriff’s department and having spent the last few months focusing on the transition, she was ready to start on Day One.

On her first full day, she signed the paperwork to end the formal agreement between the Sheriff’s department and ICE – making good on a campaign promise. Not only did she act decisively on this, but she did what is morally right and will make us safer. Instead of shipping in human beings to lock them up and make some extra money by getting reimbursed by the Federal government, she can work to ensure that the jail and Sheriff’s department are focused on their core job. Many other municipalities have already made that move. Unfortunately, the former Sheriff was unwilling to end this shameful program and it is one of the reasons he was ultimately voted out of office.

Here in Charleston we can now see firsthand that elections have consequences – electing Sheriff Graziano and putting some new blood on County Council will serve all of us well. Congratulations to Sheriff Graziano, Councilman Middleton, and Councilman Wherman.

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