Police Department sign should stay

I disagree with both Mayor Steve Skadron and local nosey nose at-large Mike Maple about the Aspen Police Department sign. I think the sign is appropriate in terms of scale and size to the new APD headquarters and I think it professionally presents an image of a very highly trained and dedicated group of law enforcement officers. I also would support the same sort of sign for the Pitkin County Sheriff’s Department as I hold that organization in equally high regard. If there is a provision for waving the sign code, do it. I can only speculate that the mayor’s issue with visible law enforcement is the same as all liberal progressives’ — to law enforcement and uniformed services we will tell you were to be seen, when to be heard and what laws we wish you to selectively enforce. Otherwise be scarce. As to Maple’s issue — who knows? Maybe after he slayed the beeping for the sight-disabled crosswalks on Main Street he’s moved on to some bigger dragons/windmills. Regardless the sign should stay. In addition to professionally portraying law enforcement and visibly marking critical infrastructure/services, if it acts as a deterrent and causes just one drunk or high driver to park it after a night on the town and walk home, instead of potentially killing someone on Highway 82, I think it will have more than served its purpose and was taxpayer money well spent.

Jeremie Oates

Aspen