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Sunday, March 16, 2003     Page: 2B

OPINION
WHATEVER SHERIFF BARRY STANKUS WAS TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH IN HIS RECENT
SHOWDOWN WITH A JUDGE, HE WAS OUTMANEUVERED. CAUGHT BETWEEN A BUDGET CRUNCH
AND THE COURT, THE LUZERNE COUNTY SHERIFF BECAME A PART OF THE NEWS FOR NOT
DELIVERING INMATES FROM THE LUZERNE COUNTY CORRECTIONAL FACILITY FOR
SENTENCING. SO A MONTH AGO, WHEN DEPUTIES FAILED TO BRING FIVE INMATES TO
COURT, JUDGE JOSEPH AUGELLO CALLED FOR A CONTEMPT HEARING FOR STANKUS. STANKUS
COUNTERED BY GRANDSTANDING AND WALKING OVER TO JAIL. HE WOULD HAVE DONE BETTER
TO JUST SOLVE THE PROBLEMS. PEOPLE CAN RECOGNIZE THE BIND STANKUS IS IN.
WHETHER THE REASONS ARE PRACTICAL OR POLITICAL, THE LUZERNE COUNTY
COMMISSIONERS PROVIDED LESS MONEY TO THE SHERIFF. HE WAS ASKED TO DO THE JOB
WITH FEWER SHERIFFS. BUT TO HIS DISFAVOR, RATHER THAN LEAD OR FIND A SOLUTION,
STANKUS LET THE STATUS QUO COLLIDE WITH REALITY. THE REALITY IS THAT PEOPLE
EVERYWHERE HAVE BEEN ASKED TO DO THE SAME – OR EVEN MORE – WITH LESS MONEY.
STANKUS WON’T GET MUCH SYMPATHY FROM PEOPLE WHO MANAGE EMPLOYEES, BUDGETS OR
EVEN POCKET CHANGE. WE ALL ARE FORCED TO PRIORITIZE, DECIDE AND CHOOSE. HE
WAS ELECTED TO LEAD AN IMPORTANT OFFICE YET IN THIS SITUATION, STANKUS
APPEARED TO BE UNWILLING TO PRIORITIZE OR TO SEEK SOLUTIONS. THERE’S AN
ELECTION COMING: THE CYNICS MIGHT EVEN THINK STANKUS WAS TRYING TO AVOID
CONTROVERSY OR SPIN THE TIFF TO HIS FAVOR. WHATEVER THE CASE, THE JUDGE CALLED
THE BLUFF AND HELD THE SHERIFF IN CONTEMPT. STANKUS CAME OUT LOOKING MORE LIKE
DEPUTY BARNEY FIFE THAN GARY COOPER’S SHERIFF IN “HIGH NOON.” ESPECIALLY
AFTER THURSDAY. ALTHOUGH THE CHARGES WERE DISMISSED AGAINST STANKUS, IT WAS
REVEALED THE SHERIFF WASN’T AWARE HE COULD DELAY FUTURE OUT-OF-COUNTY PRISON
TRANSPORTS, WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THE FEBRUARY SHOWDOWN. IF STANKUS IS WAITING
FOR OTHER SUGGESTIONS FOR PRIORITIZING, HE MIGHT CONSIDER RETIRING PROGRAMS
SUCH AS THE JUNIOR DEPUTY PROGRAM, ONES THAT DUPLICATE STATE POLICE EFFORTS ON
SEAT BELTS AND SIMILAR, WELL-INTENDED BUT NON-ESSENTIAL SERVICES. THESE ARE
AUSTERE TIMES. VOTERS SHOULD EXPECT STANKUS TO ACCOMPLISH THE TASK HE WAS
ELECTED TO DO. WE NEED A SHERIFF WHO CAN WEAR THE BADGE, MAKE DECISIONS AND
GET THE JOB DONE.