The nonstatement statment - Lexington County Sheriff's edition

With the indictment this week of longtime Lexington County (S.C.) Sheriff Jim Metts and then the upheaval in the department with the arrival of Acting Sheriff Lewis McCarthy (and his tossing out several top deputies), you'd imagine the media would like to chat with him and the public might like to hear a bit more about his philosophy, temperament, etc.

Hold that thought.

In our latest example of the nonstatement statement, I offer this that was sent out by the department this morning:

Ladies and gentlemen of the media:

I am deeply humbled and overwhelmed by the support and welcome I have received from the fine staff at the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department.  Their professionalism is beyond reproach.  Each and every one of them understand that we all have a job to do during this time, and completing our mission is priority one.

As you can imagine, a number of very important decisions need to be made, and a number of difficult tasks need to be completed in order to ensure that the excellent service that has become the hallmark of the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department goes uninterrupted.  At this time, my staff and I will need to focus on the most important mission we have which is providing a level of unparalleled law enforcement services that the citizens of Lexington County deserve.  I will be granting interviews with the media at a later time when our department has successfully weathered the winds of change.  Thank you all for your continued support and confidence in the fine men and women of the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department.

Sincerely,

Sheriff A. Lewis McCarty

Nice to see the new sheriff's getting off to a good start.