Local criminal appointed to the Board of Fire and Police Commissioners…

PARIS, IL. – 

Leadership and good judgement play a key role in the future of any community and we don’t have to look very far to see why this county is in the mess it’s in. 

The history of corrupt cops and civil rights violations in this county is no secret to any of us.  Our law enforcement is the foundation of enforcing the laws on the books and doing so while not violating our Civil Rights, unlike what City Police Officer Terry Rogers and County Deputy Dee Burgin were found guilty of doing in Federal Court just recently.

Former Sheriff Tim Crippes is the one that hired Dee Burgin, a deputy who was found guilty of violating a persons  Civil Rights.  Many would argue it has happen many more times and he just got caught this time.  We believe that is at least the third federal ruling against either the county and/or its deputies.  Rest assured the insurance premiums for the county will go up, thus your tax dollars go to things that do nothing to improve your community, which is what they are designed for.

Mayor Craig Smith seems to be in the middle of about every wrong doing we expose, either in his capacity as an attorney or as a “citizen” – as we have been told with the Mass Transit corruption.  He was the attorney for 911 and we had to FORCE him out of that job because it was in violation of the law and even after being informed he ignored us, as did the States Attorney up to the point we presented an Attorney General opinion that we were right……..again.  

He is the attorney for the Paris Township, who just happens to be the point of a current investigation for the oil and chipping of private driveways with tax payer money.   Great legal respresentation to the Township?

He also sits on the board of the Mass Transit District, of which is the center piece of a federal investigation for what may well turn out to be the most amazing corruption case this county has ever seen when it comes to financial theft.  Not sure how he got on that board, as it’s the County Board that makes those appointments and we don’t see any records placing him there but rest assured, we have been told officially that he is on the board.  How can an attorney sit on a board not see the corruption that we laymen have been reporting on?  Boards are for oversite, and common sense would say an attorney would be a good person to have on most boards.  I guess common sense is not so common……………..at least in this county!

So what is he in the middle of now?  Yesterdays front page news from the “missing in action” Paris Beacon announced the following: 

“Mayor Craig Smith presents the resolution wich appointed and/or re-appointed Paris Residents to the following designated boards:”

Maybe it should have read:

“Mayor Smith appoints local criminal to the Board of Fire and Police Commissioners! “

Yes, Craig Smith and the City Council of Paris (one of which should have already spent time in jail) have appointed a convicted thief to the Board of Fire and Police Commissioners.  Is it any wonder we have what we have with this great leadership capability?

The Paris City Coucil appointed John Dorris.  Who is John Dorris?  According to all of our research, and to date it’s been spot on, John Dorris is John R. Dorris of Paris, former Wal-Mart employee, who just happened to be charged with Retail Theft/Price Switching in 2009, from his employer, Wal-Mart.  That’s right a man who plead guilty to, and was convicted of, Retail Theft was appointed as a sitting Board Member on the Fire and Police Commissioners Board.

Mr. Smith, you should resign, as should the rest of the board and anyone else who was stupid enough to appoint a convicted thief to oversee the very police who are supposed to enforce the law.  

Update:

In an effort to give them a chance to explain themselves on this amazingly stupid move we contacted the city and let them know we were going to run the story and asked if the Mayor would like to comment. 

The response to our request for comment from the Mayor took about 30 minutes from the time it was presented to them. 

“John Dorris has declined his appointment.”

“The Council will appoint a member at the next meeting.”

That’s a good thing, but we can only wonder if that’s what really happened or was the exposure of this story to the Mayor what lead to the realization they just crapped in their own bowl of wheaties and “suggested”  to Mr. Dorris he decline his appointment?  We will probably never know for sure but regardless, the Edgar County Watchdogs once again are on the forefront of real news and did so directly with the help of a concerned citizen who stood up and exposed this information for us to report on, and again the tip was right on the money!

How many other unchecked questionable things are going on under the watch of our public officials?  STAY TUNED! 

Citizens of this county, keep it coming as “We The People” are what makes this country great!