DISTRACTED HEGE MIND HIS OWN STORE

We have seen his menacing face on television and billboards across North
Carolina. Davidson County Sheriff Gerald Hege's striped jump suits for
prisoners and pink walls in jail houses have been topics of dinner
conversation in many homes.

Then came the shocking news that Hege's top officers have been accused of
trafficking narcotics. Is it possible that he has spent too much time
selling his barbecue sauce, cruising around in his Mustang and playing Mr.
Tough Guy? Has he overlooked his first priority, which is to ensure the
integrity of his officers?

It also appears that the "toughest sheriff in America" has forgotten the
basis of America's judicial system. He fired his officers and even made the
bold statement that, even if they are cleared of the charges, he would not
want them back.

Mr. Hege, here in America, we are innocent until proven guilty.

Rebecca Byerly, Pleasant Garden