Nat’l Sheriffs’ Association meets with President Trump

The National Sheriffs’ Association White House delegation, from left: Sheriff Ira Edwards, Sheriff Vern Stanforth, Sheriff Rich Stanek, Sheriff Dave Mahoney, Sheriff Grady Judd, Sheriff Greg Champagne, Sheriff Bunny Welsh, Sheriff Harold Eavenson, and NSA Executive Director Jonathan Thompson. Photo courtesy of Chester County Sheriff’s Office of PA.

(ROCKWALL, TX — March 7, 2018) Rockwall County Sheriff Harold Eavenson and other representatives from the National Sheriffs’ Association (NSA) were invited to the White House on Feb. 13 to meet with President Donald Trump.

Eavenson, who currently serves as the President of NSA, commended Trump for his support of sheriffs across the country in his opening statement during the meeting.

“Mr. President, one year ago, February 7, 2017, we met with you to voice our concerns about the rise in violent crime and asked you for the tools needed to assist us in making our communities safe again,” Eavenson said. “We asked for your help for immigration and detainer solutions, and Immigration Customs Enforcement is getting the violent criminals out of our country – you delivered. We asked for assistance on getting excess military equipment for law enforcement – you delivered. We asked for help with Asset Forfeiture – you delivered. The National Sheriffs’ Association gives your first year an A+ for law enforcement issues. Sheriffs have had a good year thanks to you, Mr. President, and now there’s additional important work that needs to be done.”

After a short meeting during which the sheriffs touched on their concerns pertaining to law enforcement, Trump then invited the sheriffs into the Oval Office for pictures, where Eavenson presented a NSA challenge coin to the president.

The NSA representatives then met with Kellyanne Conway, Counselor to the President, and discussed their concerns regarding law enforcement in detail. Topics of discussion by other sheriffs during the visit included:
1033 Life-Saving Equipment and Bipartisanship – Sheriff John Layton
Immigration Detainers – Sheriff Greg Champagne
Opioids – Sheriff Rich Stanek
Mental Health Prisons – Sheriff Dave Mahoney
Improved Communications and Partnerships – Sheriff Carolyn Welsh
Sanctuary Cities – Sheriff Ira Edwards
Asset Forfeiture and Human Trafficking – Sheriff Vern Stanforth
Encryption and Sentencing Schemes – NSA Executive Director Jonathan Thompson

Eavenson said the organization had previously been invited to the White House a couple of times before during the Obama Administration, but never to his knowledge have they been able to meet directly with the president during a visit.

“It’s a once in a lifetime experience to be able to sit down with the President of the United States and talk to him about issues affecting law enforcement, and specifically sheriffs,” Eavenson said.

By Austin Wells, Blue Ribbon News. Photo from the National Sheriffs’ Association Facebook page.

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