Old investigator Harry W. Patrick, in his letter to The Public Forum (“Shocking lack of consequences in Unified Fire Authority case,” Nov. 23), once again is right on, questioning the Unified Fire chief’s abuse of taxpayers’ money and the apparent lack of any responsibility from the fire authority and attorney general.
A 196-page scathing state investigation revealed the loss of $370,000 of taxpayer money. One of the responsible parties served as fire chief and county councilman at the same time, and still serves as county councilman. We are told that civil recovery would be too expensive and that an attorney general’s office full of prosecutors with law degrees don't think they can prevail, so they choose to do nothing.
As a old peace officer myself, I learned that anyone who unlawfully took money or property for themselves could be arrested based on probable cause, screening by a prosecutor to ensure probable cause then proper charges filed, then a plea, and then a trial by jury to determine guilt. Our jails and prison are full of people with much lesser crimes.
I certainly don't claim to be a legal expert beyond that of a lawyer, but I have a good sense of smell, and does this stink.
Pete Kutulas, Cottonwood Heights
