Haley showed his character taking job
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To the editor:
Rob Haley is personally invested in the Ringgold County community. I cannot count the number of times over the years I have seen Rob at ball games, community events, community fundraisers, and fundraisers for community members who have been struck by personal tragedy. His highest priority has been and continues to be making Ringgold County the safest possible place for his family and rest of us who live here.
I have been fortunate to work with many good law enforcement officers over the years, and I count Rob Haley high on that list. He has earned the respect of the other sheriffs and officers in our part of the state. Rob has been actively involved with statewide and regional law enforcement organizations, enabling him to bring beneficial resources back to his office and networking to make valuable personal connections that are vital for a small sheriff’s office to keep up with changes in law enforcement practices and the evolving technology in the field.
When there was a vacancy in the office of Ringgold County Sheriff, Rob showed his character by stepping up to fill this position. At that time he made the decision that was best for the citizens of Ringgold County, and not the decision that was best for Rob Haley. As a deputy his position with the Sheriff’s Office was protected by the civil service law, but by taking the position of sheriff he risked losing his job of almost twenty years in a contested election. As a sheriff his income is limited to his annual salary, no matter how many hours he works. As a deputy he was entitled to overtime pay, which in some recent years resulted in the deputies’ annual salaries exceeding that of the sheriff. Further, Rob knew he was going to become the sheriff of a badly fractured office, which meant a dramatic increase in his workplace stress level. The best decision for Rob Haley would have been to stay in his position as Chief Deputy, keep his head down, bide his time, and ride along until he was eligible to retire. The best decision for Ringgold County was for Rob to step up to be our Ringgold County Sheriff, and I am grateful that he made that choice.
Clint Spurrier
Mount Ayr