Pointing to peaceful summer protests, Middle GA sheriffs expect quiet election night
With concerns for some across the country about the prospect of post-election unrest or violence, Middle Georgia sheriffs say that at least around here they are not expecting trouble.
Monroe County Sheriff Brad Freeman said he foresees no problems in his county to the north of Macon.
“I’ve heard nothing, and members of my staff that I talk to every day haven’t heard anything good, bad or indifferent,” Freeman said.
Peaceful protests
He spoke of sporadic outbreaks of property destruction amid protests in early summer in other parts of the country, and how there were no violent outbursts in the midstate.
“Nothing happened here,” Freeman said. “In Macon, you had nothing. I mean, you had people go out and exercise their rights ... expressed themselves and they all went home.”
He said locals for the most part tend to respect one another.
“When you go to burn down somebody’s store, this is a guy that may be your neighbor,” Freeman said. “You’re not gonna burn down his store. You’re not gonna trash his property. You know, even if you disagree with them politically, you’re just not gonna do that. You may have some guy out there that isn’t wrapped too tight that might would do it, but I think you have that in any situation.”
Bibb County Sheriff’s deputies were at polling places in Macon, sitting in squad cars far away from polling location entrances.
On alert
Two counties to the east in Baldwin County, Sheriff Bill Massee said law enforcement officers will be on alert Tuesday and beyond, as they are every day.
“Everyone here,” he said, “I think they appreciate our community. ... We’re not looking for any problems.”
In Jones County, Sheriff Butch Reece said the same, and added that he wouldn’t expect any issues in the immediate region.
“I just would be surprised if we had problems here,” Reece said. “I just don’t see it, I really don’t.”
‘Everything’s gonna be fine’
Houston County Sheriff Cullen Talton echoed the sentiments of his fellow lawmen.
He mentioned the peaceful demonstrations here earlier this year.
“I think the largest cities are where you might have the biggest problems, like New York, Portland” and other places, Talton said. “But I think everything’s gonna be fine here.”