Kids less important than prisoners?

Kane County Sheriff Donald Kramer said he pulled school resource officers out of Kaneland and Burlington school districts because he does not have enough deputies policing the county. I was a Kane County Sheriff's Deputy for 28 years and the sheriff's office was never at full staff then.

Sheriff Perez, despite a prolonged economic downturn during his terms, found a way to keep the resource officers in the schools. Sheriff Ramsey before him also made the resource officers a priority despite constantly being short staffed.

I am particularly troubled by Kramer's statement that "we need to protect the inmates" as one of his justifications for this action. So he values the safety of the inmates in the jail over the safety of our kids in the schools?

Kramer states "I'm just going to continue to cut services until I get the resources that I need to do the job." If that doesn't work, I'm sure he will lay down on the floor and kick his legs and scream or maybe hold his breath until he gets what he wants.

Kramer wants $1.2 million in new spending for next year. Seems to me there are $2 million dollars in federal inmates sitting in the Kendall County jail since Kramer canceled his contract with the feds.

It's obvious the superintendents of both school districts value the relationships they have with the resource officers and see the need for officers in the schools during these troubled times. It's too bad that the sheriff plays a political game with the safety of our kids in the schools.

I hope Kane County voters remember this when Kramer is up for reelection. Maybe we can elect someone who is qualified to serve the people and lead the finest people this world will ever know, the sheriff's deputies.

John Grimes

Sugar Grove