Core Incompetency

In this space, I frequently advise liberals "never, ever try to write about defense, or anything military in nature. Your ignorance doesn't just harm your credibility; it makes you look like a laughingstock".

We need to add "Disaster preparedness" to the list.

Doug Grow writes about the Hennepin County Sheriff's department's "Homeland Security Unit". Grow snarks:

Hmmmm. The sheriff of Hennepin County with his own Homeland Security Unit. Is this necessary?

By way of proof, Grow cites Henco commissioner Mike Opat, (D - North Minneapolis)

Commissioner Mike Opat was the Hennepin County Board chairman in December and opposed McGowan's request. Opat, who has been replaced by Randy Johnson as board chairman, said he was surprised when he learned of the county's new role in the war on terror.

"I don't know the details of what he has in mind, but we have the FBI, the Secret Service, the Joint Terrorism Task Force and the National Guard already," Opat said. "I have to wonder where's the value added."

Now, Grow would seem to answer the question himself earlier in the piece, with the example of a similar unit in Ramsey County:

People in Ramsey County already are sleeping better because Sheriff Bob Fletcher has established a Weapons of Mass Destruction Unit. (Seriously, that's what it's called.) Among other things, Fletcher's 10-member unit kept an eye on the Ice Palace leading up to the recent NHL All-Star Game. (Really. This is true. Members of the unit were stationed in an undisclosed building near the Ice Palace.)

Grow notes:

He says his unit will be trained in dealing with nuclear, biological, chemical and explosive weapons. He also said his unit will play a key role in training and coordinating efforts with other law enforcement agencies in the county and state.

Note Grow's snide postironic snarking. Yeah, Doug, I guess I do feel a bit better knowing that if someone finds a dirty bomb in Saint Paul, my sheriff will be on the scene going all Buford Pusser on the perps, while across the river Mike Opat is still waiting for the FBI, the Secret Service and the National Guard to return his phone calls.

Grow notes:

Yes, all of this sounds like what the FBI's Terrorism Task Force already is supposed to do.

Classic Grow; ensure you're dependent on the highest possible level of government.

Note to Doug Grow; What should the people of Hennepin County do while waiting for the FBI to show up in the event of a problem? Wrap themselves in back issues of the Strib?

Posted by Mitch at February 17, 2004 05:06 AM