To the editor:

As someone who has sworn to uphold and preserve the Constitution and protect the citizens of Miami County, I take that duty seriously and work every day to make the lives of my fellow residents safer and more secure.

Unfortunately, exposure to crime increased with the recent Ohio Supreme Court decision DuBose v. McGuffey, where the Court decided that Ohio judges may not consider public safety in setting the amount for bail.

Without the consideration of public safety in setting bail, judges, law enforcement officials, first responders, parents, and many others are fearful that dangerous and violent criminals may be released back into Ohio communities and neighborhoods. I share that concern.

That’s why I am endorsing a Yes vote on Issue 1 on this November’s ballot and publicly encouraging Ohioans to support passage of Issue 1.

Issue 1 will enhance the safety of all Ohio communities by giving judges that we elect the clear and unambiguous right to apply public safety as one of the criteria for setting bail. It would not, as some critics have alleged, undercut the presumption of innocence that every citizen expects and deserves from our judicial system.

I ask that you join me in voting YES on Issue 1 to keep Miami County and Ohio safe.

Dave Duchak, Sheriff Miami County