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Police chief switches to Democrat
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Police chief switches to Democrat
Police chief joins Democrats to 'clear my consience'
05/09/02
by michael cody
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Howard County's police chief has changed his party affiliation from Republican to Democrat in part, he says, because he and the GOP don't see eye to eye on gun control.
Chief Wayne Livesay also has switched parties in an effort to help County Executive Jim Robey, a Democrat, get re-elected in the fall, he said.
Livesay served under Robey when the latter was police chief. When Robey was elected county executive in 1996, he named Livesay to succeed him.
Livesay, a Republican since 1969, said the amount of gun-related crime in Howard County _ along with the dangers such crimes pose to his officers _ proves the need to take guns off the streeet.
Last year, county police investigated a fatal shooting at a hotel party attended by high school students. More recently, a robbery victim in Columbia was shot to death because, according to a police charging document, he didn't quickly follow an assailant's orders to drop to his knees.
"Every time an officer makes a traffic stop, one of the things that goes through his mind is, `Is the person armed?' " Livesay said.
As head of the legislative committee of Maryland police chiefs association, Livesay has testified in favor of gun-control laws, such as those requiring trigger locks on every handgun sold in the state. Many such laws have been opposed by Republican legislators and the National Rifle Association.
As a Sykesville resident, Livesay knows that the Carroll County Republican Party raffles handguns to raise money.
"Every time I see the Carroll County Republicans raffling a gun, I just cringe," said Livesay, who owns a handgun _ an old service weapon he calls "more of a memento" that he keeps with a trigger lock in a safe.
But the gun-control issue was not the only factor in his jump from the GOP, Livesay said.
With the county elections six months away, Robey is being challenged by Republican Steven Adler _ and Robey deserves re-election, Livesay said.
"I can support him and clear my conscience at the same time," Livesay said of his reason for switching parties.
Adler said the Republican Party's membership includes a range of views on gun control. For instance, he supports background checks on gun buyers and opposes private ownership of assault rifles.
Regardless, Livesay's support of Robey doesn't surprise him, Adler said.
"What's he going to say?" Adler asked. "His boss isn't doing a good job? I'm sure Wayne likes his job and wants to keep his job. Do I expect him to be critical of Jim? Absolutely not. He's there because Jim appointed him."
Livesay, who is approaching his 30-year anniversary with the police department, said he'd like to stay if Robey is elected, and probably would retire if Robey is defeated.
"Quite honestly, it's going to cost me money to come to work in two months," he said, explaining that his retirement benefits will exceed his regular pay. Livesay said he has no immediate plans himself to run for office.
"The county is safe," Livesay said. "The county is doing good economically, except for the slight downturn."
With his mother, grown sons and his grandchildren living in the county, Livesay feels an obligation to help continue such positive trends and to show his loyalty to Robey, who deserves some credit for such positives, he said.
Robey said Livesay came to him two months ago and said he was thinking of changing parties _ at which point the executive told the police chief his affiliation was nobody's business but his own.
"As a Republican, he could still vote for me, couldn't he?" Robey asked.
Robey said he appoints people without regard to their party affiliation, just as the previous executive, Charles Ecker, appointed him police chief without asking him whether he was a Republican or a Democrat.
Robey added that, for example, he named Republican Adler to the county Economic Development Authority.
Wendy Fiedler, chairwoman of the Howard County Democratic Central Committee, said Livesay's decision to switch to the Democratic Party makes sense.
"In his case, the party does better represent his views on gun control," she said. "We welcome him to the party with open arms."
E-mail Michael Cody at mpc@patuxent.com.
Jennifer Vick contributed to this story.
http://news.mywebpal.com/news_tool_v2.cfm?pnpID=658&NewsID=299354&CategoryID=1825&show=localnews
"If cowardly and dishonorable men sometimes shoot unarmed men with army pistols or guns, the evil must be prevented by the penitentiary and gallows, and not by a general deprivation of a constitutional privilege." - Arkansas Supreme Court, 1878
Police chief joins Democrats to 'clear my consience'
05/09/02
by michael cody
Email this story to a friend
Howard County's police chief has changed his party affiliation from Republican to Democrat in part, he says, because he and the GOP don't see eye to eye on gun control.
Chief Wayne Livesay also has switched parties in an effort to help County Executive Jim Robey, a Democrat, get re-elected in the fall, he said.
Livesay served under Robey when the latter was police chief. When Robey was elected county executive in 1996, he named Livesay to succeed him.
Livesay, a Republican since 1969, said the amount of gun-related crime in Howard County _ along with the dangers such crimes pose to his officers _ proves the need to take guns off the streeet.
Last year, county police investigated a fatal shooting at a hotel party attended by high school students. More recently, a robbery victim in Columbia was shot to death because, according to a police charging document, he didn't quickly follow an assailant's orders to drop to his knees.
"Every time an officer makes a traffic stop, one of the things that goes through his mind is, `Is the person armed?' " Livesay said.
As head of the legislative committee of Maryland police chiefs association, Livesay has testified in favor of gun-control laws, such as those requiring trigger locks on every handgun sold in the state. Many such laws have been opposed by Republican legislators and the National Rifle Association.
As a Sykesville resident, Livesay knows that the Carroll County Republican Party raffles handguns to raise money.
"Every time I see the Carroll County Republicans raffling a gun, I just cringe," said Livesay, who owns a handgun _ an old service weapon he calls "more of a memento" that he keeps with a trigger lock in a safe.
But the gun-control issue was not the only factor in his jump from the GOP, Livesay said.
With the county elections six months away, Robey is being challenged by Republican Steven Adler _ and Robey deserves re-election, Livesay said.
"I can support him and clear my conscience at the same time," Livesay said of his reason for switching parties.
Adler said the Republican Party's membership includes a range of views on gun control. For instance, he supports background checks on gun buyers and opposes private ownership of assault rifles.
Regardless, Livesay's support of Robey doesn't surprise him, Adler said.
"What's he going to say?" Adler asked. "His boss isn't doing a good job? I'm sure Wayne likes his job and wants to keep his job. Do I expect him to be critical of Jim? Absolutely not. He's there because Jim appointed him."
Livesay, who is approaching his 30-year anniversary with the police department, said he'd like to stay if Robey is elected, and probably would retire if Robey is defeated.
"Quite honestly, it's going to cost me money to come to work in two months," he said, explaining that his retirement benefits will exceed his regular pay. Livesay said he has no immediate plans himself to run for office.
"The county is safe," Livesay said. "The county is doing good economically, except for the slight downturn."
With his mother, grown sons and his grandchildren living in the county, Livesay feels an obligation to help continue such positive trends and to show his loyalty to Robey, who deserves some credit for such positives, he said.
Robey said Livesay came to him two months ago and said he was thinking of changing parties _ at which point the executive told the police chief his affiliation was nobody's business but his own.
"As a Republican, he could still vote for me, couldn't he?" Robey asked.
Robey said he appoints people without regard to their party affiliation, just as the previous executive, Charles Ecker, appointed him police chief without asking him whether he was a Republican or a Democrat.
Robey added that, for example, he named Republican Adler to the county Economic Development Authority.
Wendy Fiedler, chairwoman of the Howard County Democratic Central Committee, said Livesay's decision to switch to the Democratic Party makes sense.
"In his case, the party does better represent his views on gun control," she said. "We welcome him to the party with open arms."
E-mail Michael Cody at mpc@patuxent.com.
Jennifer Vick contributed to this story.
http://news.mywebpal.com/news_tool_v2.cfm?pnpID=658&NewsID=299354&CategoryID=1825&show=localnews
"If cowardly and dishonorable men sometimes shoot unarmed men with army pistols or guns, the evil must be prevented by the penitentiary and gallows, and not by a general deprivation of a constitutional privilege." - Arkansas Supreme Court, 1878
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