Letter: Bluffton doesn't need own police department

The policing of the Bluffton area should be turned over to the Beaufort County Sheriff's Office as soon as possible.

Sheriff P.J. Tanner's department is one of the best-trained local law enforcement groups in the state, if not the best. Having trained under Sheriff Jennings Lucas, another exceptional individual in law enforcement, Tanner has proven time and again how fortunate we are to have him.

Another important factor is that the citizens of Bluffton really cannot afford to support their own police department. One writer stated that with the rapid growth of Bluffton, our own police department is truly needed. Does the writer mean our needs are greater than that of the Town of Hilton Head Island, which contracts its law enforcement to the Sheriff's Office? Of course not.

It has been stated that the loss of these dedicated Bluffton officers' jobs would be a travesty. Not so, as Sheriff Tanner would obviously need additional personnel to fill the new slots created. Where do you expect he would find these individuals? The obvious source would be from the men and women who already know the territory, the people and the landscape.

Why Bluffton ever developed its own police force is the real mystery. Let's wake up and do the right thing for all of us.

This story was originally published September 15, 2015 at 7:51 PM with the headline "Letter: Bluffton doesn't need own police department."