Scissor Tales: Saturday May 17, 2008

OKLAHOMA County Sheriff John Whetsel's selection as head of a state law enforcement association couldn't come at a better time. Whetsel was sworn in last week as president of the Oklahoma Sheriff's Association. He pledged to focus on ethics and character during his one-year term.

That also couldn't come at a better time, as the state has been hit by sex scandals involving sheriffs and deputies. As a unit of county government, which has traditionally been the most scandal-plagued form of government in Oklahoma, sheriff's offices don't enjoy the best of reputations — especially now.

Whetsel, however, does enjoy a fine reputation, which makes him a wise choice for the association presidency at this time.

The lawman has served with distinction since being elected Oklahoma County sheriff in 1996; he won a third time in 2004 with 62 percent of the vote. Whetsel, a former police chief in Choctaw, also has been president of the International Association of Chiefs of Police.

While scandals involving a few men shouldn't lead to the conclusion that most sheriffs are corrupt, Whetsel knows that public perception can tarnish the badge of the innocent as well as the guilty. Citizens need to know, he said, that the majority of sheriffs "are men and women of character with high ethics."

Whetsel daily faces enormous challenges in running a overcrowded jail. He could be forgiven for passing on the association presidency. It's a badge of honor that he didn't.

No easy answer

Work has begun on a Del City retail development near Interstate 40 and Sooner Road. Its location near a Tinker Air Force Base runway has prompted concerns because the area is an "accident protection zone" as defined by a Defense Department study. A land-use plan based on that study recommends not placing shopping centers or other high-density developments in the zone. Keeping these areas uncluttered is important because it allows Tinker to position itself to withstand potential base closures. Yet like all Oklahoma municipalities, Del City relies on sales tax revenue to make ends meet, and retail business is vital to that effort. But the city is land-locked, which limits its growth opportunities. It's a difficult problem with no easy answer.

Youth trumps experience

Between the doom and gloom about education and violence among young people, it's easy to overlook the many talented Oklahoma kids doing good and even great things. There's such a story developing in Muskogee, where this week a 19-year-old University of Oklahoma student beat out a 70-year-old former mayor to become the city's mayor. John Tyler Hammons will be sworn in Tuesday. Voters clearly wanted change. An April general election included six contenders before voters easily picked Hammons and his youth over his more experienced challenger in the runoff. That climate of change may not bode well for the presidential candidate