Our Jefferson County government and the Democratic Party are one and the same.

The Democrats have a monopoly on all local government.

Last week Democrat officials met at the courthouse and voted on a proclamation that they say is the first step toward making us a sanctuary county.

Democrat support for open borders and massive immigration is not irrational. Naturalized immigrants and some noncitizens are reliable Democrat voters.

Some of the Democrats who signed the proclamation have obligations beyond the party.

The sheriff is sworn to uphold the law, but his message was: “We are not federal employees.” He is saying he will not enforce federal law or cooperate with federal authorities.

Will the sheriff’s marine patrol cooperate with the Coast Guard, DEA or Border Patrol to stop drug smuggling?

In 2010 Border Patrol agents captured a drug smuggler after a high-speed marine chase. If Border Patrol asks for backup, will deputies respond?

Will the county continue to use federal crime-fighting tools, such as NCIC [National Crime Information Center]?

The Olympic Peninsula has a public health crisis – heroin. Heroin is not grown in gardens in Port Townsend. Almost all heroin in our county has passed through Mexico. This is a problem that is killing Jefferson County residents. Does the sheriff have a plan to interdict drugs at the border without the help of ICE [Immigration and Customs Enforcement]?

If a terror suspect is picked and held by the county, will the sheriff release that terrorist into our county? Perhaps some residents must die because our sheriff has traded criminal justice for social justice. The sheriff has some explaining to do.

STEVE CROSBY

Port Townsend

The Leader asked Sheriff Dave Stanko, who is the first declared Independent elected official in Jefferson County, to respond, and he wrote in an email: “I am not beholden to any political party. As sheriff, I protect, serve and enforce all laws equally and fairly for our whole community. We collaborate with all our federal partners.

“All available sheriffs and police chiefs just met with FBI director Comey in Seattle under the theme of cooperation. All our deputies have been trained to use naloxone to help combat heroin addiction. We work in partnership with other community stakeholders to combat this horrible addiction.

“As sheriff, I am apolitical. I serve the whole community equally and fairly. As sheriff, I am mandated to enforce equally federal and state laws and county ordinances.

“Public as well as deputy and officer safety is my top priority. I have never turned down, nor will I turn down, a call for assistance from another federal, state or local law enforcement institution.

“We will not help arbitrarily round up any person, but will always assist in any officer safety situation. And we would put someone in jail only with a federal warrant which is signed by a judge. We would hold a person the same as any other warrant for any court.

“Public law enforcement is a family. We take an oath to serve everyone, this with a passion and lifelong endeavor to protect our citizens, even at the cost of our own lives. This done without regard to political, cultural, religious or other differences.”