Monday, June 18, 2012

Ethics problem for Zinke?

Andy Zinke, Undersheriff of McHenry County Sheriff's Department and hand-picked successor-in-waiting for the big chair in the corner office, may be running afoul of the McHenry County Ethics Ordinance. Is he?

Courtesy: McHenry County Blog
Look at his postcard mailer for the June 30 fundraiser. (Click on the image to enlarge it.)

Does that look to you like the right side of a McHenry County Sheriff's Department marked squad car?

Should a person running for the office of Sheriff be allowed to use the image of a County squad car in political advertising?

Or, for that matter, to wear a Department uniform and gun to a political meeting where his candidacy is being pushed?

Or drive a Department take-home vehicle to a political meeting on unofficial (ex., campaign or other political) business? Does Zinke drive his personal car to campaign-related functions or does he drive his take-home car there and back?

Has anyone seen the sheriff or any deputy consume alcoholic beverages while armed?

Or drive a take-home squad car away from a party or restaurant or bar after consuming alcohol, whether impaired or drunk or not?

General Orders of MCSD should prohibit driving of a squad car (take-home or otherwise) after consumption of any alcohol within a certain number of hours. Pilots call it bottle-to-throttle. What do General Orders say?

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