By Darrin Wright, Guest Columnist
To Cherokee County Sheriff Dustin Smith and county commissioners:
On the evening of Dec. 12, 2022, you were in command of the “critical incident” where Cherokee Indian SWAT fired numerous rounds at an unarmed Jason Kloepfer and his female partner, striking Kloepfer multiple times, causing serious bodily injury. This is not about shooting Kloepfer, but about failures with transparency and accountability.
Facebook is never used for any official statement, which has gone viral and is being used against you and leaving Cherokee County facing yet another civil liability. Your official statement was to be planned, then given on the courthouse steps, showing the transparency and accountability you promised.
Your statement said you and Justin Jacobs were not on scene, but felt the need to send in the Cherokee Indian SWAT, who then shot an unarmed man. As sheriff, you cannot give authority granted only to you under the Constitution to another agency. CIPD had no jurisdiction without you being present and in command at the trailer, which you were not. As sheriff, you are culpable for your actions.
Your Facebook statement says you believe this would not have happened if you had your own SWAT. SWAT is not a few chosen deputies driving around with AR-15s in the trunk of their patrol vehicle. Cherokee County citizens do not want this burden of liability after watching this happen.
The office of sheriff is of utmost concern to the public safety and welfare of its citizens. Making less than truthful statements, along with remaining silent, has corroded community respect and trust.
With threats inundating the sheriff’s office, it’s past time to show accountability. So what I am asking from commissioners is please put your heads together and find a solution to restore the trust back into this community and the office of sheriff.
Threats have been inundating the sheriff’s office since the shooting of Kloepfer. I have since been contacted by staff, who will remain anonymous for fear of losing their jobs, about continued threats of violence against them and their families and whose concerns have gone ignored by the leadership and command staff within the sheriff’s office.
Smith and his command staff do not have the experience or knowledge to navigate this crisis created by untruths and a lack in accountability and leadership. If leadership in this community cannot agree to a resolution for this crisis, there is a North Carolina statute for removing an unfit sheriff.
The staff of the sheriff’s office and their families, along with the citizens in this community, should be a priority to commissioners. Citizens’ concerns should never fall on deaf ears.
Please expedite this process quickly, before violence comes to anyone in this community.
The writer is a resident of Murphy.