More than seven months after Cayuga County voters elected a new sheriff, a cloud of politics remains over the sheriff's office.

For the good of the county, the sheriff - and everyone who works for him - needs to settle their differences and move on.

David Gould ousted incumbent Rob Outhouse last year to become the county's top law enforcement officer.

During the election, there was an inordinate amount of politicking coming from within the sheriff's office on behalf of both men. Sheriff's office employees were not shy about showing their support, some supporting Outhouse and others campaigning for change.

But the politics that should have ended Nov. 8, 2006, continue to permeate the department.

The most public outcome of the ongoing tension has been the case of James Langler, a 15-year veteran in charge of the county's law enforcement

division.

Langler was suspended over allegations he pressured other employees to support Outhouse's re-election campaign.

Langler says the charges are retaliatory because of the way the election turned out.

We don't have enough information to pick a side in this dispute, but the continued legal wrangling is indicative of a larger problem: The Cayuga County Sheriff's Office has not yet put the 2006 election behind it.

The people of the county depend of the sheriff's office to help keep them safer and more secure.

An agency mired in political infighting is not doing the best job it can do.

We urge Gould, as the leader of the office, to do more to smooth things over.

And everyone involved - no matter how minor a player - needs to focus on the mission of the sheriff's office: doing the best job it can for the people it serves.