During his tenure as sheriff, Mike Downey was renowned for being a do-nothing.
I always thought maybe that was a good thing, given the sheriff departments prior aggression towards tree huggers and pot growers. A passive sheriff is better than a thug for moneyed interests, as was the case when Irv Renner served as big timbers obedient lap dog.
I was nonetheless shocked to hear Mr. Downey explain to a camera that the reason for his departments glaring dereliction of duty in missing persons cases was pure and simple cowardice. According to him his deputies are scared of people with guns and doing nothing is better than asking for help or trying to establish detente with his own understandably cop-shy constituents, a number of whom voted for him and pay property taxes to secure his departments services. Its funny how Mr. Downey was a much braver officer when the feds were providing lots of money for CAMP. He showed little compunction over kicking in the doors of unarmed hippies when he was coming up through the ranks, but nowadays is more cautious.
If former sheriff Downeys determined inaction is not criminal, it should be, and I hope the Murder Mountain show prompts state prosecutors to look into the case. I also hope the families of the disappeared are organizing a class action against Humboldt County and its ever shifty, shady Sheriffs Office.
Re: “The Murder Mountain Docuseries is Upon Us”
During his tenure as sheriff, Mike Downey was renowned for being a do-nothing.
I always thought maybe that was a good thing, given the sheriff departments prior aggression towards tree huggers and pot growers. A passive sheriff is better than a thug for moneyed interests, as was the case when Irv Renner served as big timbers obedient lap dog.
I was nonetheless shocked to hear Mr. Downey explain to a camera that the reason for his departments glaring dereliction of duty in missing persons cases was pure and simple cowardice. According to him his deputies are scared of people with guns and doing nothing is better than asking for help or trying to establish detente with his own understandably cop-shy constituents, a number of whom voted for him and pay property taxes to secure his departments services. Its funny how Mr. Downey was a much braver officer when the feds were providing lots of money for CAMP. He showed little compunction over kicking in the doors of unarmed hippies when he was coming up through the ranks, but nowadays is more cautious.
If former sheriff Downeys determined inaction is not criminal, it should be, and I hope the Murder Mountain show prompts state prosecutors to look into the case. I also hope the families of the disappeared are organizing a class action against Humboldt County and its ever shifty, shady Sheriffs Office.