I have been keeping up with the actions going on at the Roland Board of Trustees meetings by your newspaper articles. It appears that numerous Roland citizens have recently taken an interest in their town government.
It seems that these concerned citizens are particularly interested in keeping the present Roland Police officers. I guess their interest is in keeping the same police conduct as in the past.
I wonder where the Roland Police officers and these concerned citizens were when the past town administration was embezzling approximately $300,000 from the town treasury?
It must be noted that while the $300,000 was being embezzled, Ronnie Webb was the town clerk and treasurer, the police department consisted of the same officers and Greg Wilson and J.R. Crowson were members of the Roland Board of Trustees. That approved all encumbrances and expenditures of the town. It would appear that someone would have noticed the disappearance of $300,000.
I wonder where these concerned citizens and two hold-over trustees were when the Roland Police Department had to be ordered by the state of Oklahoma to quit writing tickets on I-40. This happened twice and the order is still in effect.
Why didn't these concerned citizens bring up at the monthly meeting of the trustees the fact that a Roland police officer recently was caught stealing drugs from the police department's drug locker, and why did they not question the chief as to how this could happen.
Also, nothing was said by these good citizens about town employees allegedly having sex with a female prisoner in Roland Town Hall. This case has now been filed with the district attorney's office. If the allegations are true, there will be rape charges brought. I believe this would have been an important matter to air out with the town board, because the police department is in charge of the jail and prisoners.
Holdover trustees Greg Wilson and J.R. Crowson thanked the citizens for their support of the Roland Police force and themselves. Were they not aware of the above facts? Do they want more of the above conduct by the police department. If so, why?
Apparently, the police department wants to form a Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) and, as one officer stated at the meeting, "we don't have to answer to the board of trustees then." I guess they could do as they please if the FOP organizes and go unchecked by the elected officials.
It would seem that citizens who want good government should get involved. Not just the friends and relatives of police personnel.
N.W. BOWLING
ROLAND
