To the editor:

Barton County Sheriff Brian Bellendir should be commended for his stance on changing the problem of allowing probation violators to roam the streets, per his meeting with the County Commissioners on April 5. Those on probation violating the terms of that probation should have their probation revoked and returned to jail.

Sheriff Bellendir asked “Are we going to wait for an innocent civilian to get shot and killed?” Unfortunately, it is too late and that has already happened. Here is my experience:

My nephew was in the Rice County jail in May 2017. For some reason, his bail was reduced, posted, and he was released and allowed to roam the streets. In August, 2018 he was sentenced to 24 months, probation. In January, 2019, he failed his drug test and denied he was using. However, he was still allowed to roam the streets. In February, March and April he failed to appear for his probation meetings. Still he was allowed to roam the streets. Then, on April 29, 2019, he shot a Rice County undersheriff four times, nearly killing him, and wounded the Rice County Sheriff. Then, he shot and killed his father. He later took his own life.

My brother was a hard-working man of integrity, and never did drugs. He knew his son was trouble and should be in jail. He refused to post bail to allow him to roam the streets. The shooting of my brother was devastating to his siblings, children and grandchildren. His parents are currently 97 and 92 and they have lived with the anguish of losing their son every day since. If my nephew’s probation had been revoked and he had been returned to jail, my brother would still be alive.

My family is intimately aware of the pain of the Community Corrections’ practice of allowing probation violators to roam the streets. Please support Sheriff Bellendir, the County Commissioners and anyone else who might be involved in improving this situation.

Pam Hendricks

Great Bend