The Grinch's Comments About the Sheriff's Dept

The Salisbury Grinch posted this article about our local law enforcement officers of the County Sheriff's Office...Here is our response. Johnathan is trying to back peddle and say that he is a "friend" to the Wicomico County Sheriff's Office personnel, he just doesn't like their administration. He goes on to say that he thinks there's a lot of great men and women within the sheriff's office, yet he never names any of them doing a good job, probably because he doesn't know anyone personally within the Sheriff's Dept. Then he goes on to list deputies that he feels have had problems within the office or have been charged with a criminal act. So, lets look at this objectively.

"Deputy Jason Chance arrested for DUI, DWI, failure to remain at the scene of an accident and negligent driving. "- Our response: Chance was well liked by administration and frankly a lot of citizens. A lot of people within the Sheriff's Dept thought he got stuff handed to him on a silver platter. No question he was wrong for leaving the scene of an accident however, he was never convicted for DUI/DWI. If you ever get the chance to go to district court and sit through Judge Davis's court... see how many people get jail time for a hit and run accident, or a DUI. While he was wrong, he committed a traffic violation. This does not mean he is a criminal and a smear on the face of the sheriff's dept.

"Deputy Joel Arnold arrested for Second Degree Assault, Reckless
endangerment, False Imprisonment and Malicious Destruction of Property" - He was definitely wrong in what he did. Very wrong. He also realized the error of his ways and resigned. He was well liked in the sheriff's office and was an excellent police officer. Police work is inherently dangerous and causing a great deal of stress on people. That's why most of the population does not choose to do police work. Some people would like total anarchy. Unfortunately the combined stress with his personal live, work live, and stress derived from the sheriffs department internally caused this to occur. He was not initially prosecuted because the witness, another sheriff's deputy who he is now engaged to, refused to testify against him in court. So, again, he is treated like any other suspect. You can't prosecute a case without a victim of a crime.

"Deputy Charles McMichael currently serving prison time for Sexually Molesting two 10 year old girls." - Granted this guy is a total piece of crap and we can only hope he is being bent over his bunk at this very moment by a guy named "Bruno" taking up the pooper or poop shoot. However, this is not the fault of the Sheriff. The Sheriff can not control actions of individuals in an off-duty capacity nor should he be held accountable for them. People unfortunately, if in police work, or a doctor, or a telephone repair man, do things randomly. The majority of all police officers are dedicated professionals. Sometimes one or two slip through the cracks of the employment process. But, McMichael was also a cop for the Ocean City Police Department so apparently he slipped through their crack also.

"Deputy Evan Avnet Twice has been at the center of accusations of Excessive Force. September 2007 involved in a fight with a mentally -challenged man at the Country Side Market and Deli on Nanticoke Road. Avnet claimed he thought the man was going to rob the store with a knife, however the cashier Brandy claimed she never saw a knife. December 2007 as was reported here and on the Daily Times a month ago the Surveillance Video of what appears to be excessive force in the arrest of Aaron Osterwalder, and Avnet's most recent running a red light and hitting 2 cars." - After doing some investigating and checking on a couple of facts and speaking with people AND watching videos we have come to this conclusion about Avnet. Avnet has a very dry personality at times. Some people take him the wrong way. However, the "mentally challenged man" in the store was mentally crazy apparently. "Mentally challenged" brings to mind a retarded person or someone that is in a wheelchair drooling. According to the facts and witness accounts, yes even the clerks accounts, Avnet identified himself as a police officer prior to the suspect attempting to obtain his firearm. There was a scuffle for his firearm at which time he eventually subdued the suspect. In all reality he could have and probably should have shot the suspect. He was cleared in the above incident. The second incident involving "Aaron Osterwalder" in "what appears to be excessive force" is a load of poop. We watched the video tape of him in the jail. Plainly that was not excessive force to detain a suspect. Osterwalder never filed a complaint. He was not injured in anyway or required medical attention so, thats a whole lot of poop. Avnet did what he should have done in that situation. Lastly, Avnet apparently ran a red light, hitting two vehicles. He seems at fault for that accident however given that police officers drive constantly, either 10 or 12 hours per day, accidents will happen. Avnet was one of five or six accidents that have occurred this year at the Sheriff's dept. In fact SPD has had numerous accidents last year as well so, it goes with the territory of being a cop. Our understanding is that this is his first "at fault" accident. As far as Avnet being the "center of accusations" that's also plainly a load of poop. The only reason this guy is the "center of accusations" is because people like to make a big deal of nothing. It's the same as the police officers who are involved with the $45 million dollar law suit at the city for assaulting that black suspect. Both Savage and Osterwalder are idiots and with Savage, it's a baseless lawsuit. Lets check the criminal system for Osterwalder and Cesar Savage, check the next article on that!

Lastly, who the Sheriff does or does not choose to keep company with is up to the Sheriff.

Heres what Grinchy a.k.a. Fatass piggy had to say... We took this candid picture of him sleeping below after a hard day of typing and eating a pallet of moon pies....

Yesterday was quite a day of about the Wicomico County Sheriff's Department and I wanted to make a post today to clarify the Salisbury Grinch's position on these stories. I have received numerous emails today questioning my motives and attacks on the Sheriff's Department along with the same number of emails thanking me for pointing out these issues. I think there are alot of great men and women that serve in the Sheriff's Department and these are the people that we all should be proud of, my complaints are with the leadership that I feel has not been doing a very good job in keeping track of obvious issues occurring inside the department.

Deputy Jason Chance arrested for DUI, DWI, failure to remain at the scene of an accident and negligent driving. Deputy Joel Arnold arrested for Second Degree Assault, Reckless endangerment, False Imprisonment and Malicious Destruction of Property Deputy Charles McMichael currently serving prison time for Sexually Molesting two 10 year old girls. Deputy Evan Avnet Twice has been at the center of accusations of Excessive Force. September 2007 involved in a fight with a mentally -challenged man at the Country Side Market and Deli on Nanticoke Road. Avnet claimed he thought the man was going to rob the store with a knife, however the cashier Brandy claimed she never saw a knife. December 2007 as was reported here and on the Daily Times a month ago the Surveillance Video of what appears to be excessive force in the arrest of Aaron Osterwalder, and Avnet's most recent running a red light and
hitting 2 cars.

Whether you want to admit it or not, this falls on Sheriff Lewis and his ability to handle his staff. I have covered 3 stories now that all charges have all been dropped against accused individuals which obviously means this involved poor police work or the Sheriff's Department wants us to think the judges are stupid..those are the only choices. I am waiting anxiously to see the discipline that Avnet receives for his running of the light, I understand that accidents happen but like it or not these deputies are held to a higher standard and I know if I was to have done what he did I would be expecting some serious repercussions. On the statements regarding my motives and issues with the Sheriff because of his close friendship with Joe Albero I will say this, I have to cover these stories because sbynews refuses to post anything that puts Mike Lewis in a bad light, and if you have any idea about Joey's issues you know he relentlessly bashes the Salisbury Police Department every chance he gets for the smallest little thing, including yesterday being his typical charming self regarding the Chief getting married. If the Sheriff's Department wanted to they could make it clear to Joe that they will not have anything to do with him if he continues to bash their fellow brothers with a badge, but for some reason they stay quiet and Mike Lewis has his photo taken with him it seems every week. I ask you who is at fault for this? You want to blame me for pointing out the same things that Joe does about the SPD, except the issues with the WCSO are much worst in my opinion. Joe whines because of a camera or because the Chief doesn't allow him in meetings and I am pointing out things that have cost people reputations and money in the cases where the charges were dropped. The ball is in Mike Lewis's court, he can continue to pal around with a man with a long criminal history and lose respect from more and more people as is happening everyday, or he can cut Joe off and do what he is supposed to be doing which is running the Sheriff's Department. He is well aware of the things that Joe puts up about the Chief on his blog and yet he will smile and have his picture taken with him the very next day, how is that going to help the relationship between the City and County when he is smiling and posing with one of the most hated men in this area?someone who goes out of his way to trash the Chief of The Salisbury Police Department on a daily basis..

I am not going after the department as a whole, as I am well aware that there are many Deputies that feel this same way and wish the Sheriff would quit what he is doing with Albero. I salute these men and women and want them to know they have a friend in the Salisbury
Grinch.