(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of The Augusta Press.)
Richmond County Sheriff Richard Roundtree was quick to step into the spotlight to take partial credit for the recent “Operation Grace,” which netted a slew of illegal drugs and led to the arrest of more than 200 criminals.
However, other than making a joint announcement with the FBI, the sheriff has been almost as absent from the public as the now disgraced Augusta mayor.
We do not mean to downplay the significance of Operation Grace, which took more than half a pound of fentanyl, over 600 grams of cocaine, a pound and a half of meth, 45 grams of heroin, 33 pounds of marijuana and 483 pills total of oxycodone, hydrocodone and MDMA off the streets. It is significant. However, this was largely an FBI operation.
Meanwhile, gun violence all over the county has become an everyday occurrence. Long ago, people began fearing going downtown after dark, and now they are afraid of attending a high school football game and becoming the victim of random gunfire.
We know that the Sheriff’s Office is badly understaffed. We also know that Roundtree is not soft on crime.
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“Tree,” as he is known on the streets, cut his teeth working some of the most dangerous beats in Augusta. He was notable for his ability to get scared witnesses to talk and even to get criminals to rat out other criminals. And we commend him for his talents in these areas. He clearly knows how to do what a lawman is supposed to do.
Those experiences, combined with his vision of “community policing,” are what got him elected to office.
At first, Roundtree was actively promoting his community policing program. He even produced a series of internet videos showing him to be a “hands-on” sheriff. However, nowadays, Roundtree is nowhere to be found unless the FBI comes to town to make an announcement.
The job of sheriff is not an easy position, but Roundtree campaigned for the job, and now he needs to show the community that he is doing his job.
It is time for the sheriff to address the community and explain whatever steps his office is taking to curb the recent spate of violence and give the community some assurance that our law enforcement agency is proactive in keeping the community safe. Talk to your community, Sheriff Roundtree. We Augustans are strong supporters of law enforcement, but we need to hear from you about the serious issues that are confronting our community, and we need to hear it from you.
