While driving into town recently, I witnessed a blue compact car with occupants that were obviously Native Americans that was pulled over by two sheriff’s deputies in two separate vehicles.
Locally I’ve never witnessed such ruthless behavior by our enforcement, who had a rifle pointing directly at the driver and passengers with children! Yet Montezuma County Sheriff Dennis Spruell downplayed it when questioned about the 42 percent of inmates that are Native American. He has intentionally overlooked racial profiling — I’m sure that is the reason why our jail continuously has such a high percentage.
I remember complaining to Spruell about the unprofessionalism and rudeness I encountered with his deputies, but he came to their defense without investigating or giving me the benefit of the doubt!
Also, I felt that he came off extremely self-righteous and arrogant by talking down at me even though this was over the phone. I was made to feel that his officers can do no wrong and I wondered why he has never tried to recruit Native Amercians, yet city of Cortez does have a few on their law enforcement team. Therefore, as a registered Republican I am looking forward to voting Steven Nowlin to be on the upcoming ballot so he can be elected to become our next Montezuma County Sheriff. Nowlin stated that one of his goals is to “recruit native Americans” to join his force.
At the time of the trigger-happy deputies aiming right at the Native Americans, I thought to myself we’re not the enemy, even though as a constitutionalist, Spruell should know that “Indians” were labelled in the Constitution as “savages.”
Kenneth Chester
Cortez