Deputy gets partner; sheriff gets vacation

Milwaukee County's most famous deputy sheriff, Michael Schuh, has been assigned a partner and will no longer have to walk the beat alone in one of Milwaukee's most dangerous neighborhoods.

Sheriff David Clarke, who sent Schuh there because he couldn't think of any worse assignment to give him, insists it is all part of a plan. Right.

The sheriff, no doubt exhausted from walking the beat a few hours himself last week to try to save some face, has taken a week off, leaving someone else to answer the questions about his disastrous decision to retaliate against Schuh. Story.

Jessica McBride/Bucher writes as though this is Clarke's first offense of being an arrogant egomaniac, but he actually has a history of mistreating and retaliating against subordinates who dare to disagree or question him. McBride/Bucher makes it sound as though Clarke has seen the error of his ways, at least from a PR perspective, has fixed the problem, and has the conservative talkers back in his camp.

That's not the impression you get from WTMJ's Jeff Wagner's online piece, (written three days after Jessica's) which suggests several things Clarke should do, including ending his phony "program" and putting Schuh back in the courthouse where he belongs. Maybe Clarke will read it when he gets back to town.