Oct. 3--Sunrise Commissioner Sheila Alu is to be commended for working with the FBI for four years during its corruption investigation in Broward County.

The federal investigation has already resulted in the arrests of School Board member Beverly Gallagher, County Commissioner Josephus Eggelletion and former Miramar Commissioner Fitzroy Salesman, with more arrests anticipated.

Alu, who said she was approached by the FBI, said she secretly recorded conversations during the course of the investigation. She disclosed her cooperation after her involvement became Internet fodder. She wanted to make it clear she was not a target of the investigation, but did not reveal who she record or other details of investigation.

That's an understandable reason for making her involvement public.

On the surface, Alu's help in rooting out corruption is admirable. But it does raise an important caveat. Namely, whether public officials should be used in sensitive situations like the one Alu was involved in.

Going forward, you have to wonder if the trust level will still be there with Alu amongpeople she comes in contact with who might have business dealings with the city. Will other public officials she has contact with be wondering if they have to watch every word they say around her?

Alu, who is also a prosecutor in the Broward State Attorney's Office, has been a vocal public corruption fighter since being elected to the commission in 2001, and was a community activist before that. She is not someone who sits on the sidelines, and indeed, she is advocating the public get more involved in community affairs, and learn more about the people asking for their trust in elections.

Good messages, all. But public officials also need the trust of those they come into contact with each day, those they work with. Whether or not that trust has now been compromised remains to be seen.

BOTTOM LINE: Informant role raises sensitive questions.

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