The past is always a potential menace to the present. Now that former Sheriff Chris Abril has confessed to soliciting indecent liberties with two children ‐ charges reduced from rape in a plea bargain ‐&bsp; the past of 20 years has caught up to him. That past has wrought a tragedy, for the victims who have suffered for decades, for Abril&squo;s family, for Abril, and for Polk County.

One can only guess at the roots of such outrageous arrogance that made Abril most definitely &squo;capable&squo; of putting his needs before the innocence of a child. It is the same arrogance that would put us all through a wrenching campaign for Sheriff two years ago, and then two years of turmoil and suspect administration of law enforcement, not to mention national embarrassment. Abril should have resigned the race, and his supporters should not have inserted politics and outlandish conspiracy theories into a straightforward situation. A man under indictment for raping children does not stand for sheriff. Shame on those of us who would not even consider the victims.

Even now, without doubt, a few will continue to say it was all a &dquo;set-up.&dquo; They are wrong, and always were. Others express &dquo;profound disappointment&dquo; in a man they considered a friend. Many feel terribly let down by a court system that would allow rape charges against children to be plea bargained for probation. If the victims were from prominent families, one can be sure all of this would have turned out differently long ago. But this is the court&squo;s decision. The furies must be appeased. We pray the tragedy, for all concerned, is now at a point to begin healing.

Polk County must put this controversy in its past. To those officers who survived the constant turnover and suspicion, who tried to protect and serve these past two years, we offer our gratitude. To Wendi, who persisted in pleading for justice from a girl of 11 years old to adulthood, we only hope you can accept this outcome as enough.‐ JB