On Sept. 3, 1992, our lives (retired Lt. John Briney and mine) changed forever.

Deputy Briney was on routine patrol conducting a traffic stop when two career criminals attacked him. Briney was shot, beaten and his eyes nearly gouged out of his head by the two felons. I responded as back-up and was ultimately shot at as well. John likely would not be alive today had he not been able to call for help.

In 1992 our attacker, Donald Bolton Jr., was sentenced to life in prison for the attempted murder of two police officers. Since the sentencing, John has had four surgeries to save his eyesight and both of us continue to deal with physical and emotional trauma from the attack.

Incredibly, our attacker who was sentenced to life in prison was paroled in September of 2017. He was no model prisoner, in fact he was caught smuggling drugs into prison while incarcerated. This parole for an attempted cop-killer sentenced to life would not have been possible but for a bill sponsored and pushed by State Rep Dave Pagel. Tragically, Pagel’s bill became law in 2016, removing the veto power of successor judges in life cases.

Therefore, even though the successor judge objected to Bolton being considered for parole, he was released at the ripe old age of 46! If not for Dave Pagel he would still be serving the life sentence he deserves while we (and our families) continue to deal with the aftermath of that attack on Sept. 3, 1992.

Unfortunately, Pagel didn’t stop there. He recently introduced another “criminal friendly” bill which would allow for the release of ill prisoners. Under his legislation, a criminal could rob a bank and be sentenced to 30 years in prison and if he had a stroke or heart attack on his way to prison he would be released, not serving a single day of his 30-year sentence. Does Mr. Pagel believe this is justice? Why does he consistently side with criminals over victims?

We know that Rep Kim LaSata has been endorsed by all three sheriffs in the 21st Senate District. I encourage every law enforcement officer, or citizen who “Supports the Blue” to vote for Kim LaSata as your next State Senator on Aug. 7th.

Chief Dan Unruh

Retired Lt. John Briney

St. Joseph