As you travel through life, if you are not conscious of your point of origin, how can you determine how far you have traveled? I came through the civil rights period when law enforcement was more favorable to some people than to others.

I am proud to say that Hall County law enforcement, guided by Sheriff Steve Cronic, has made a believer of me. This is true for the highest-ranking officer to the lowest.

I know that the law cannot control a person's heart, but it certainly can restrict the heartless.
I am delighted to see the structure that has been established in the jail for prisoners to be treated humanely while they are detained. The programs that help them cope with different situations not only while they are there, but also when they are released.

What a wonderful thought by Sheriff Cronic and his staff to institute the Sheriff's Citizen's Academy. This academy certainly educated the people about the high and low points about our law enforcement, to understand how it works from inside outward. We learned to appreciate the men and women and the danger that they face in order to keep our community safe. For we live in a litigious society, and for many people, the first thought is to hold someone financially responsible when things don't turn out well.

I was impressed with the fact that the department never loses touch with the religious part of life, concerning our first responsibility to God, then responsibility to our fellow man.

I am convinced that the sheriff and his staff has organized one of the best, if not the best law enforcement group in the state, or even throughout the country. Steve Cronic and his staff are not content with being just average. They know and understand that average is as close to the bottom as it is to the top.

I want to make an apology to Sheriff Cronic and his staff, as well as the assessment team, for not being there to speak Dec. 3. That particular day, I had back surgery and was unable to attend.

Mordecai Wilson
Lula City Councilman