Post by WaTcHeR on Apr 8, 2006 12:50:47 GMT -5
04/08/2006 - “We have a code of conduct we have to follow,” Smith said during a Wednesday morning press conference. “We depend on people to come to us and let us know. Anyone who allows this to happen becomes a party to it and will be terminated as quickly as I can terminate them.”
Four Washington County Sheriff’s deputies have resigned since the St. George and Hurricane police departments began investigating claims of misconduct at the jail and elsewhere on March 10. No charges have been filed.
Smith said at this point he is unaware of additional officer involvement. However, until the investigation is closed, he will not make any conclusions.
“I am cautiously optimistic,” Smith said. “But I, of course, cannot be positive until the files are on my desk.”
Smith said the behavior of the four deputies who resigned is a betrayal of the law enforcement community and their actions are indefensible and unworthy of law enforcement officers.
“I do not condone or excuse their misconduct in any way,” Smith said. “Their behavior tarnishes every one of us who wears the star of the Washington County Sheriff’s Office badge.”
He said he believes the behavior has been going on for several months, but he was unaware until Feb. 27 when he received a voice message from a local substance abuse counselor who contacted him regarding a former prison inmate who said she was having a sexual relationship with a deputy.
He added from all indications all relations were consensual. However, ac-cording to policy, they were still inappropriate.
Though Smith said he is unsure of the number of victims, he said “if it was one it was too many.”
“These deputies are out of our organization and with a little luck they are out of law enforcement,” he said.
Smith said two of the deputies have worked for the department since 1998, one has been employed since 2002 and the fourth deputy has been a member of the team since 2004. Smith added one of the deputies was ranked as a sergeant and has been in law enforcement for the last 20 years.
Smith presented a document stating on 22 separate occasions since 1999 the officers have been exposed to sexual harassment and staff inmate relations training. In addition, he said, the entire department will meet next week to take a look at training procedures.
“I am determined to get to the bottom of what happened,” Smith said. “I am acting immediately to ensure that an incident like this will not happen again. There is no way the officers involved could have mistakenly thought their conduct was appropriate.”
Jim Eardley, chairman of the Washington County Commission, said the commission supports Smith.
“He has done a good job dealing with these very unfortunate events that took place,” Eardley said. “He is working to get things back to the way they should be. We are all dismayed this happened, but none of us as much as the sheriff.”
Eardley said both the Hurricane and St. George police departments were contacted because an independent and impartial investigation was needed to sort out “the root of the problems and to find any bad apples.”
“We are trying to stay in touch with the employees and from all indications morale is good,” Eardley said. “This group was the minority and at this point we believe we have identified the individuals who were involved and we are taking care of it.”
Smith said though two additional law enforcement agencies are now handling the investigations, he is still “angered, disappointed and offended” by what has happened.
“This is my career and what I hold dear to my heart,” he said. “Our community deserves better. This is totally unacceptable and will not be tolerated.”
Four Washington County Sheriff’s deputies have resigned since the St. George and Hurricane police departments began investigating claims of misconduct at the jail and elsewhere on March 10. No charges have been filed.
Smith said at this point he is unaware of additional officer involvement. However, until the investigation is closed, he will not make any conclusions.
“I am cautiously optimistic,” Smith said. “But I, of course, cannot be positive until the files are on my desk.”
Smith said the behavior of the four deputies who resigned is a betrayal of the law enforcement community and their actions are indefensible and unworthy of law enforcement officers.
“I do not condone or excuse their misconduct in any way,” Smith said. “Their behavior tarnishes every one of us who wears the star of the Washington County Sheriff’s Office badge.”
He said he believes the behavior has been going on for several months, but he was unaware until Feb. 27 when he received a voice message from a local substance abuse counselor who contacted him regarding a former prison inmate who said she was having a sexual relationship with a deputy.
He added from all indications all relations were consensual. However, ac-cording to policy, they were still inappropriate.
Though Smith said he is unsure of the number of victims, he said “if it was one it was too many.”
“These deputies are out of our organization and with a little luck they are out of law enforcement,” he said.
Smith said two of the deputies have worked for the department since 1998, one has been employed since 2002 and the fourth deputy has been a member of the team since 2004. Smith added one of the deputies was ranked as a sergeant and has been in law enforcement for the last 20 years.
Smith presented a document stating on 22 separate occasions since 1999 the officers have been exposed to sexual harassment and staff inmate relations training. In addition, he said, the entire department will meet next week to take a look at training procedures.
“I am determined to get to the bottom of what happened,” Smith said. “I am acting immediately to ensure that an incident like this will not happen again. There is no way the officers involved could have mistakenly thought their conduct was appropriate.”
Jim Eardley, chairman of the Washington County Commission, said the commission supports Smith.
“He has done a good job dealing with these very unfortunate events that took place,” Eardley said. “He is working to get things back to the way they should be. We are all dismayed this happened, but none of us as much as the sheriff.”
Eardley said both the Hurricane and St. George police departments were contacted because an independent and impartial investigation was needed to sort out “the root of the problems and to find any bad apples.”
“We are trying to stay in touch with the employees and from all indications morale is good,” Eardley said. “This group was the minority and at this point we believe we have identified the individuals who were involved and we are taking care of it.”
Smith said though two additional law enforcement agencies are now handling the investigations, he is still “angered, disappointed and offended” by what has happened.
“This is my career and what I hold dear to my heart,” he said. “Our community deserves better. This is totally unacceptable and will not be tolerated.”