TNT letters: Readers react to Pierce County Sheriff Ed Troyer’s trial and acquittal

Troyer trial was political

Pierce County Sheriff Ed Troyer was recently found not guilty of charges brought against him by the Democratic governor and attorney general — a trial during which the sheriff paid to defend himself. It is clear the Democratic political machine that rules our state is attacking our police.

Our sheriff questioned a young man on the street in the dark of night and ended up in court and perhaps jail for doing his duty. What police officer will now question a suspicious person on the street at night?

Donald Wilbur, University Place

Lights for newspaper carriers

I used to work various hours throughout the day and that meant that on many nights I would see paper delivery vehicles driving and acting strangely, or so it appeared at first glance. If I watched for a minute, it would become apparent pretty quickly that they were just delivering papers.

From The News Tribune articles regarding the trial of Pierce County Sheriff Ed Troyer, it is clear that this isn’t the first time that newspaper carrier Sedrick Altheimer found himself in such a position, let alone all the other paper carriers out there.

Mail carrier vehicles have markings in town or a flashing amber light in rural areas. Private delivery services typically have marked vehicles. Construction vehicles have flashing amber lights. A magnetic amber light that plugs into the cigarette lighter is $21 on Amazon. Why don’t we just avoid this situation altogether and have paper carriers use flashing lights?

Matthew Pavolka, Tacoma

Troyer guilty of bad judgment

Sheriff Ed Troyer may have been acquitted of false reporting, but he is sure as heck guilty of extremely bad judgment. The jury may have had reasonable doubt about whether Troyer really feared for his life when he made his call to the police dispatch, but he wasn’t boxed and trapped as he claimed.

It’s hard to know what is really in someone’s head. I get it. But a reasonable person would have called the police about a suspicious car in the neighborhood. Troyer didn’t need to get in his private car and follow the guy around the neighborhood. The newspaper carrier didn’t have a gun or any weapons in his car to attack the sheriff. He had a backseat full of newspapers.

Obviously, this “mere” paper delivery carrier did not show the respect that Troyer felt he deserved. Troyer’s life wasn’t in danger. His pride was.

OK, we are stuck with this guy, but only until the next election.

John Whitmore, Gig Harbor

Merry Christmas to shift workers

To all shift workers and their families over Christmas:

We’d like to wish a special merry Christmas to all the shift workers who keep the world rolling over the holidays. Police, nurses, doctors, ambulance drivers, mill workers and all the men and women that work some godawful hours, not to mention maintain a sleep schedule foreign to every mammal on earth.

While most of America enjoys the holidays with loved ones at home opening presents, enjoying the tree lights and gatherings with friends, shift workers are always reminding family and friends of the fact that they must work and may be unavailable for an invite or gathering. It’s a little difficult for those who have never worked a floating work schedule to understand.

Holidays celebrated out of whack, dinners held up, presents opened early or later than the designated calendar day: been there, done that. I worked shift work, my wife worked shift work and it worked its way into the family DNA — now our adult children and grandchildren work it.

So, a very special Christmas wish to all shift workers and their families from the Arndts.

Michael Arndt, Tacoma