Our next meeting will be at the Pulaski Recreation Center on June 13th at 6:00PM.

Sheriff Kyle Helton was the guest speaker at the Giles Patriots' monthly meeting Thursday, February 14. The topics of the meeting included school violence, Second Amendment rights, and the drug and crime problems of Giles County.Helton went over proposals that he thought could enhance school safety. He is supporting and requesting funds for SRO officers at each school in the county. Helton explained that he was serving as the DARE officer for Richland School when a student killed two and wounded another with a gun. The veteran law officer shared his experience stressing that the November 15, 1995 event has played a major role in his life. When asked whether qualified, specially-trained teachers should be allowed to carry guns on school campuses as a defense against would-be shooters, Helton said it would be difficult to get it approved by the state legislature because of probable strong opposition by NEA and TEA  (teachers' unions).As to questions concerning what appears to be a federal push to control or take firearms from law abiding citizens, the Sheriff answered by saying that he took an oath as the chief law enforcement officer of Giles County to uphold the Constitution. Stating that he has received numerous phone calls on this topic, he affirmed that he would not take away guns from lawabiding citizens, even if directed to do so by federal agents. He added that 99.9% of his staff and deputies feel the same way.Helton clearly stated that drugs, particularly meth addiction and manufacturing is the underlying cause of a large percentage of crimes in the county. One action that would be very helpful in reducing crimes related to meth would be controlling the availability of pseudoephedrine. He concluded by stating that Oregon and Mississippi have seen significant drops in meth related crimes when legislation changed pseudoephedrine to a controlled substance. Abuse of prescription drugs (oxycodone, hydrocodone) is the number one drug problem for Tennesseans receiving state funded-treatment services. The number of drug overdose deaths increased from 422 in 2001 to 1059 in 2010.Helton told the group that he would like to hold a Citizens Academy that would give citizens the opportunity of learning about the work of the sheriff's department. Most of the attendees showed interest in such a program. Among comments from the audience, one suggested that taking God out of schools, can be blamed for school violence. Another offered information for an intercessory prayer group who will be praying for our country and for the safety of our law enforcement officers. The Giles Patriots meet at 6:00 P.M. on the 2nd Thursday of each month at the Recreation Center.

 "As nightfall does not come all at once, neither does oppression. In both instances, there is a twilight when everything remains seemingly unchanged. And, it is in such twilight that we all must be aware of change in the air, however slight, lest we become unwitting victims of the darkness."   Justice William O. Douglas, U.S. Supreme Court (1939-75)

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