Soft-Spoken Coffey Battles Violence, Drugs
Editor’s note: As The Bay Net reports many crime stories, it is time to investigate the state of law enforcement from the point of view of the three county sheriffs in the area. This interview with Charles County Sheriff Rex Coffey is the second of these three interviews.
First-term Charles County Sheriff Rex Coffey knew he was in for a difficult task when he took office in 2006. He has since learned just how tough being the chief law enforcement officer in a widely diverse county such can be.
“We not only have home grown criminals, but the Waldorf area, being the largest population area in the county, is inundated with criminals from Prince Georges County.” Coffey went on to report a special task force has been created to step up patrols in high-crime areas to address the situation.
The soft-spoken law enforcement professional said he is a firm believer in the power of education to help turn the tide of rising crime. He is planning, with the cooperation of the Charles County Board of Education, to speak to every new ninth-grade student in Charles County at the beginning of the new school year in September.
“Education is the key to keeping good kids from bending under enormous peer pressure toward criminal activities and unacceptable behavior.” Coffey mentioned that for the most part, the school system in Charles is one of the best anywhere, but, because so many children are coming into the area who have not been given the basic moral values that most local children receive, he is seeing more tendencies toward gangs and gang-related activities in the county.
“We have not witnessed the more violent activities associated with gangs, but the incidents of gang graffiti are on the rise.” His deputies have undergone training to deal with gangs, and more training is planned for the future, so the department can better deal with the growing gang problem.
Coffey also stated that he feels the growing drug problem in the County is a large part of the rising violence. “Drugs are the root of all evil,” said the sheriff. He indicated that teaching children early and then reinforcing those lessons is the best way to stem the tide of increasing drug usage — usage that translates into rising crime rates such as theft and robbery in the county.
Coffey mentioned the economy is also causing a rise in theft, and many citizens are contributing to their own problems by facilitating thieves. “People leave valuables in unlocked cars, inviting thieves to steel their property.” The sheriff encourages everyone to lock their car and to not leave valuables inside for all to see. “Anyone can see a GPS sitting on the dash of a car. If it is unlocked, it just invites someone to steal it.”
The sheriff also stated that the correctional facilities of the county are being taxed. “We see a lot of older repeat criminals populating our jails in addition to new criminals.” Sometimes the jail has 400 prisoners, many with health problems which have to ultimately be paid for by taxpayers.
Coffey reported that he has increased the number of patrols in the evening, when most crimes take place, in order to help reduce crime in those areas identified as the most problematic. He realizes that Waldorf is, and will continue to be, his largest headache.
“They keep coming into the county to do their drug deals, and we keep catching them,” he said with animated passion. “They are stupid, these criminals because they keep coming back over and over again, and we keep putting them in jail.”
Coffey also is proud of the DUI/DWI deterent efforts in the county. “Thirty years ago, deputies would make two to three DUI arrests per week, but now, because of the increased education and