The legislature passed a bill that the governor signed into law which increases the penalties for those convicted of committing a burglary outside their home county. It was sponsored by our own Representative John Snyder in reaction to criminals coming to Martin County from down south. The famous “pillowcase” bandits.
I don’t know if it will stop the thefts, but if they are caught by Sheriff Snyder (John’s dad) and his deputies and convicted, then they will stay behind bars a little longer. It probably will be beneficial for us, so I am for it. And if there is one thing the sheriff has been, it is insistent that those coming from Miami/Dade or Broward pay the price of invading Martin County and committing mayhem even of the non-violent kind.
The sheriff even has what is known as the “Tact Team” to arrest those from other places accused of crimes here. Again, I believe a good use of taxpayer dollars to protect the citizens of Martin County. That is why we spend millions of dollars on law enforcement each year so that we can feel safe.
Now imagine out-of-county criminals breaking the law in another way. They come to Martin County every week from down south. Instead of breaking into someone’s home and burglarizing it, they threaten residents by indiscriminately shooting thousands of rounds which penetrate people’s fields, yards, barns, and homes. So far, no wounds or deaths but it is only a matter of time. This is what the homeowners of Trailside must deal with.
Trailside is an old equestrian community just north of Martin County’s very own “hole in the wall,” known as Pal-Mar. The original “hole in the wall” is in northern Johnson County in Wyoming. During the late 19th and early 20th century it was where Butch Cassidy and his gang and other criminals held up between hold ups. Lawmen seldom ventured through the pass much as Martin County deputies seldom venture to catch the lawbreakers of Pal-Mar.
The sheriff’s department response to the residents of Trailside is that they cannot do anything about this mayhem. They cite a lack of a statute to stop this craziness. Local governments have been pre-empted from any regulation of firearms.
Whoever thought that supposedly law-abiding Martin County would have its own lawless enclave filled with Dade and Broward residents able to do anything they want with impunity. The “bandits” destroy the homeowners of Trailside’s peace and their ability to be safe in their homes. Pal-Mar with thousand of acres of biological and ecological sensitive lands has become the home to destruction. Martin County supposedly the home of staunch environmentalist is ignoring the destruction of Florida wetlands.
The department has told the Trailside residents that they can’t know who is firing the indiscriminate shots. The perpetrators of this free-for-all are people that have decided not only to disregard common sense gun safety but also destroy the wetlands of Pal-Mar with their vehicles and four wheelers. They are building cabins on their ¼ acre tracts without permits (no permits are permitted under zoning) and moving dirt even though that isn’t allowed.
The sheriff is a very religious man. He often talks about his faith and even when he presented to the commission about allocating funds for body cameras, he spoke about how he prayed before making his decision. Perhaps he should pray about his decision to do nothing for his constituents at Trailside. If the indiscriminate shooting continues by those from out of county, Snyder may be praying at a resident’s funeral.