On Saturday, October 12th, over a hundred citizens, activists, Sheriffs, police chiefs, rank and file peace officers, retired officers, and other interested people convened in the auditorium of Heritage Academy in downtown Mesa, AZ, for the 2019 "Lawmen for Liberty" Conference. It was a thrilling and sobering success. Here are brief descriptions of some of the more than 10 speakers at the event. For a full professionally produced video of the conference, go to cspoa.org to pay a $20 fee and order the link to download the nearly three hours of speeches.
Some of the speakers for the event were:
Sheriff Bob Songer, Klickitat County, Washington
One of the first sheriffs to stand up and interpose on behalf of his constituents, Sheriff Songer has over 50 years of law enforcement service. Citizens passed an unconstitutional amendment to the Constitution, initiative. I 1639 made it illegal for anyone between 18 and 21 to buy a semi-automatic rifle. It also requires "applicants" to buy a firearm to sign a form allowing the fedgov to snoop into your medical records. Sheriff Songer opposed all of that. His message is inspiring and will make you grateful for his courage and dedication to liberty.
If confiscation happens, he declared that he will swear in 500 good citizens to stop that in its tracks.
Former Sheriff Brad Rogers, Elkhart County, Indiana
He has over 32 years of law enforcement service, and now runs the jail in his area. Sheriff Rogers told his story of running for sheriff after seeing Waco, Ruby Ridge, and the gun confiscation by government in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, which led to him being a true guardian of the Constitution, and interposing between his constituents and the FDA and DOJ. In doing so, he made the Fedgov back off and stop violating the rights of an Amish farmer who was simply selling raw milk to his neighbors. The whole story of how he risked his next election to follow his oath is captivating. And he actually won the next election with 75% of the vote! It's available on our video of the conference.
He was also called to come help keep the peace at the Bundy Ranch confrontation in Bunkerville, Nevada, where federal agents tried to confiscate some cattle with a SWAT Team. He said, "I don't like the government governing at the point of a gun."
Sheriff Dar Leaf, Barry County, Michigan
He said that the Social Democrats, Democratic socialists, Progressives, etc., are " just people who can't spell Communism".
Sheriff Leaf spoke of the historical duties, rights and powers of the Sheriff. and shared this US Supreme Court case on the power of the Sheriff:
The Sheriff represents the sovereignty of the State and he has no superiors in his county and in the execution of his law enforcement duties the Sheriff represents the state and a "county commission has no direct control over how the sheriff fulfills his law enforcement duty". McMillian v Monroe County, 520 US 781, 791, 792-94; 117 S Ct 1734 (1997).
Sheriff Mark Dannels, Cochise County, Arizona
Sheriff Dannels is a border expert, because his county borders Mexico. He serves as the Chairman of the National Sheriff's Association (NSA) Border Security Task Force, and he is the only sheriff on the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) advisory council. He knows the problems, the dangers, and the Constitutional remedies to this crisis. He began his remarks by stating, "What a special office it is to hold. I cherish that. I'm honored and I'm humbled to serve the people of Cochise County." He said that his Oath of Office is sacred to him.
Sheriff Dannels then shared his wealth of knowledge and experiences as a Constitutional border sheriff. He shared actual facts and figures to show the magnitude of the problem with the border, as well as the true story of how his son was involved in a shooting with cartel members, and how the cartel personally threatened to kill Sheriff Dannels and his son. The brave response to these threats will thrill you and inspire you to carry on in the face of trials as we fight for liberty. He told us of a virtual surveillance system, comprised of more than 700 cameras on the border, that was paid for with private funds, a concerted effort to stop many juveniles who were involved in smuggling drugs, and much more. And then Sheriff Dannels gave us the report card on their efforts to reduce the criminality and increase the security on the border. It's an A+! Get the video to hear the numbers.
Sheriff Tony Mace, Cibola County, New Mexico
Sheriff Mace is also the President of the New Mexico Sheriffs Association, and the President of the Western States Sheriffs Association. His remarks were centered around the defense of people's Right to Keep and Bear Arms (RTKBA). He told us that in the last legislative session, eight unconstitutional anti-gun bills were introduced in the New Mexico Legislature, and that the Sheriffs Association was able to defeat six of them, including a "red-flag" law, of the sort that violates due-process rights and other rights of the intended target.
One bill that was passed and signed by the governor, who Sheriff Mace calls "a tyrant", was a universal background check law. The Sheriff told us that it was unenforceable, with no way to track it. Thus, according to him, it was just "ink on paper". The other one that made it into law was a domestic violence law that has no due-process, and thus, he says it will probably be overturned and or repealed.
Of the thirty-three sheriffs in New Mexico, twenty-nine stood together and announced to the legislature and the governor that they would not enforce unconstitutional laws. And those same sheriffs, along with other elected officials, wrote a resolution which passed quickly, declaring the county to be a 2nd Amendment Sanctuary County! Sheriff Mace also talked about his involvement in a national sheriffs group in Washington DC. Get the video to find out his exploits in our nation's capitol.