To the Editor:

All I can say is “unbelievable!”

What was the Boykins Town Council thinking in hiring Hank Fuller for town sergeant? A three-time convicted offender cannot even get a job at many restaurants, be a teacher, school bus driver or day-care provider, but he can make sure others uphold the laws? Laws he blatantly broke himself? What if Mr. Fuller has to give a 16-year-old girl a speeding ticket? Or arrest a 15-year old girl for fighting? Do these scenarios seem problematic?

What kind of message does his hiring send to everyone, especially minors, or even those who have similar charges? “Go ahead; once a police officer, always a police officer; whatever you do, it will be taken care of?” It’s a slap in the face to every law-abiding, honorable officer.

The article (“Boykins hires convicted cop,” Sunday, Sept. 7) states that the offense was “consensual sex with a minor.” I understand that that is the point of his charges: A minor cannot legally give consent to sex with an adult.

Boykins council members respond that there were no other qualified applicants. Oh, well. Then the council should have acted appropriately as the Town of Newsoms had done: Officials waited until they found a qualified, law-abiding officer.

If you are at the supermarket and it only has one package of hamburger left and it is rotten, you don’t take it home and eat it; you wait until the store puts out something good. You wouldn’t take it because that was all that was available.

These are serious convictions that Mr. Fuller received, along with a 12-month suspended jail sentence. I doubt inmates would have been so kind as the Town Council.

Boykins’ decision just seems desperate, inappropriate and irresponsible.

C. Michelle Steward

Newsoms