El Paso County Sheriff Joseph Roybal is hitting back at narratives painting law enforcement as villains following a DEA bust at an illegal nightclub. In a statement on the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office website, Roybal expressed frustration with media portrayals and emphasized that the location of the operation was “created and known for the open use and sale of illicit drugs, gang activity, violence, and the sale of women (human trafficking) for sex.” The sheriff’s forceful rejection of the victimhood angle for those involved comes amid growing tensions on issues of law enforcement and community relations.
According to the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office, the sheriff questions why individuals would frequent such a place, suggesting that the patrons were not merely bystanders but contributors or at least aware of the illicit activities. He said, “Those present at the illegal nightclub contributed to, participated in, or, at the very least, were aware of the activities within the establishment.” With this perspective, Roybal is pushing against a tide of criticism and reframing the narrative around personal responsibility and the role of community in abetting criminal enterprises…