Riley County police director rebukes Wabaunsee sheriff over weekend speech
Sheriff Eric Kirsch criticized for equating law enforcement to Holocaust enforcers and advocating marijuana decriminalization while in uniform.
MANHATTAN, Kan. — A neighboring sheriff's weekend speech equating law enforcement to the "logistical backbone of both slavery and the Holocaust" drew a sharp public rebuke Wednesday from Riley County Police Department Director Brian Peete. Wabaunsee County Sheriff Eric Kirsch, a Republican, made the remarks while appearing as an invited guest speaker at a Riley County music event. According to Peete, Kirsch visibly wore his law enforcement badge, criticized elected officials and advocated for the decriminalization of marijuana in Kansas, at one point telling the crowd, "Don't get stoned until I leave." Peete warned that Kirsch's actions outside his jurisdiction threatened the impartiality of the Riley County Police Department, which serves roughly 74,000 residents with a force of 110 officers.
Peete emphasized that while the First Amendment protects the visiting sheriff's right to express his views, representing himself as an active law enforcement officer while making such statements creates a double standard. Had any Riley County employee made identical public statements, it would have triggered an internal affairs investigation and potential discipline, Peete said. The dispute began after Kirsch, a Marine Corps veteran who leads the Wabaunsee County Sheriff's Office, posted photos and excerpts of his speech to social media Monday, prompting the Riley County agency to publicly distance itself from his remarks to preserve public trust.
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