After the federal indictments were filed against Rutherford County Sheriff Robert Arnold and two others, several individuals and groups are seeking his resignation.

One is Tennesseans Against Public Corruption. In fact, according to Steve Lane that group has been working on filing an ouster suit for the past year.

It's not surprising that the Rutherford County Democratic Party also feels that Republican Sheriff Arnold should resign.

Jackie Pope issued this statement for the Democrats.

Rutherford County suffered a blow with the arrest and indictment of Sheriff Robert Arnold. In 2010, Arnold sought and gained one of the highest offices in our community. As the head of law enforcement, he was entrusted by the citizens of our great county to protect and uphold the law and to model behavior that was above the law. Instead, his tenure as the sheriff has continually been marred by controversy and scandal. As chair of the Rutherford County Democratic Party, I call on Mr. Arnold to tender his resignation. Our law enforcement officers put their lives on the line daily for each of us. They deserve to work with a leader who earns the respect and support of the community. The resignation of Mr. Arnold should be the first step in restoring honor to the office of Sheriff.

What was surprising is that two strong local Republicans have also called for Arnold's resignation. State Senators Bill Ketron and Jim Tracy have both released statements indicating that it would be best if the sheriff resigned.

Rutherford County Mayor Ernest Burgess also noted that he felt it would be in the best interest of the staff at the sheriff's office and area residents for Sheriff Arnold to step down.

According to guidelines, if Arnold resigns, the second in command would serve in the position until the County Commission appoints an interim sheriff to serve the remainder of the term. The second in command would be Chief Deputy Randy Garrett. Garrett joined the sheriff's office in 2010 after retiring from 34-years of service with the Murfreesboro Police Department.

If you are a community leader, share your ideas on whether you feel Sheriff Robert Arnold should resign or wait for the judicial process to deliver a verdict. E-mail your thoughts to news@wgnsradio.com.