Fields becoame sheriff in March after elected sheriff David L. Anthony was indicted on 42 charges including wanton endagerment and embezzling. Anthony later resigned. While other pasts sheriffs have not been indicted, many reidents say that there have been many corrupt sheriffs in the past.
Martha Wayne of Point Pleasant said, "I believe this town was the inspiration for Dukes of Hazards. When I was a little one, the sheriffs had run of the town. We'd have chickens running in our yard and every Sunday morning when we were getting ready for church, we could look out in our road and see the sheriff swipe one of our chickens for his Sunday dinner. What could we do? He had a badge and we didn't."
David Pickens of Point Plesant said, "We always thought that it was a perk of the sheriff to do purty much what he wanted in this town. We had a sheriff back in the day who if you didn't give him some money he said he was sending Moth Man to eat your cows."
Fred Hanson is very impressed with the new sheriff, "Mr. Fields hasn't even jaywalked. Townspeople are so impressed with his honesty that they are giving him things so he doesn't have to take them. Just last week, I walked by his office and there was a 52 inch tv set and a hog sitting in front of his office that someone dropped off in respect."
Not everyone is convinced that Point Pleasant's corrupt days are over. Mitch Boyd said, "I just got out of the pokey last week and I heard a couple of felons in jail planning their campaigns for the next election."
At any rate, the streets of Mason County are safe from the sheriff. Vandalism and theft are up but at least the citizens can be rest assured it is the bad guys doing the crime and not their elected officials... for now.
