Couch letter: Reader sings praises of Sheriff Barry Faile

I am a regular reader of The Lancaster News and, as I have been reading the Letters to the Editor over the last few months concerning the Lancaster County sheriff’s race, I felt compelled to write a letter that would give a somewhat different view from what I have been reading concerning the Faile family and the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office. 

I feel qualified to write this letter due to the fact that my daddy, James Couch, worked with former Sheriff Williford Faile for many years at the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office and I have known the Faile family for many years myself. I am aware of the leadership and professionalism that he (Williford Faile) possessed when he was sheriff. 

I and the residents of Lancaster County are now seeing those same qualities at a much higher level through his son, Sheriff Barry Faile. 

On Nov. 17, 2011, my family witnessed these qualities of leadership, compassion and professionalism on a professional, as well as a personal level. My son-in-law, Sgt. Brandon Rollins, is the sheriff’s deputy who was shot in the attempted armed robbery of the Shrimp Boat that day. The Lord, knowing what was to transpire that day, had already placed me in Charlotte on business. When I received word about the shooting and was told they were flying Brandon to Carolinas Medical Center, I made my way there. In phone conversation with my family, it was evident that Faile was in charge of this critical situation – from launching an all-out manhunt for the suspect to riding in the back of the ambulance with Brandon to the heliport, showing great concern for his well-being and also making sure that my daughter, Micah, was contacted and transported to the hospital. I was at CMC when Brandon arrived and very shortly thereafter, Faile arrived, and again, his professionalism, leadership and concern for our family were apparent. He met with the Charlotte Police who were coming in and briefed them on the situation and he also shared with our family what was going on in Lancaster. I personally could feel and see his concern for what this situation had caused.

Throughout the evening and during the  evaluation of Brandon’s wounds and ultimate surgery, Faile was with us as we met with the doctors. All along he was in constant contact with his team of deputies in Lancaster concerning the manhunt and providing leadership for the situation. In the early hours of the morning after Brandon’s surgeon said he was going to be OK, the sheriff received word that the suspect had been apprehended and we all breathed a sigh of relief. In the following weeks and months during Brandon’s recovery, Faile was in constant contact to ensure that their needs were being met. 

The point I am making about Faile is that he possesses the integrity, professionalism, leadership and compassion the residents of Lancaster County expect of their sheriff. I see others writing letters about negative things about the Faile family having control of the sheriff’s office and also about Faile not being qualified for the job. This shows me a weakness in their candidate that they have to try to tear down someone rather than promote their candidate’s qualities. If those writers can’t come up with the proven qualities I have listed and personally witnessed about Sheriff Barry Faile in their candidate, then I say they don’t have a formidable candidate to challenge our current sheriff. 

In closing, I challenge every voter who does not know Faile’s qualifications to weigh out what I have stated about his attributes and I am confident that, come Election Day, you will vote as I do and we will return the best qualified candidate, Sheriff Barry Faile, for another term as sheriff of Lancaster County. 

Mike Couch

Heath Springs