sheriff's office

this was recently posted on MCS....

By CCSOInfo - Fri, 03/07/2008 - 5:02pm

Periodically, members of the Clay County Sheriff's Office will provide information via the My Clay Sun blog in response to blogs related to the Sheriff's Office, public safety and crime in our area.  Our goal is to provide information to readers that corrects inaccuracies or expands further on posted information that is helpful to the community.  To that end, please note the following in response to a blog posted this afternoon that stated a person died from being tased by a deputy this weekend. There was no such incident.  The last CCSO taser-related incident that involved the death of a suspect was on 9-30-06 in the South Hampton neighborhood. 

Sheriff Rick Beseler leads the state in at least one thing!  Rick Beseler leads the state in the number of personal friends he has employed who are taking advantage of a loop hole in the law which allows double dipping in public funds.  Rick Beseler has 6 employees including himself who are collecting a full retirement check from the state of Florida and collecting a second full time employment check. 

Sen. Mike Fasano, R-Port Richey said, "This is absolutely not what the Legislature intended. "It's so sad when you have elected officials who want to take advantage of this."

Rick Beseler refunded a million dollars to the county stating that it was his sound fiscal policies, changing the prescription methods for inmates in the jail (a savings of $600K), no natural disasters and lower than expected fuel costs.  I would really like to know several things.  Number 1, the jail prescription method was changed a couple years ago.  But, they have switched back.  So is the savings he is referring to from last year and now we are paying $600K more?  Or, did his switch back to the previous provider result in a $600K a year savings, which would mean we overpaid as taxpayers due to his mistake for switching in the first place?  Number 2, Refunds from not experiencing natural disasters do not impress me.  That money should not be spend anyway.  It should go back to the county.  Number 3, lower than expected fuel costs?  Okay, I got it.  But, where is the magical feat here that shows me Sheriff Beseler has done a good job. 

I saw on the news tonight and later on the internet that Clay County Sheriff Rick Beseler (along with Sheriff Rutherford and Seagraves) endorsed Angela Corey for State Attorney.  While I have no problem with the endorsement, I do question his lack of integrity and consistency regarding political endorsements. 

Isn't this the man that recently told the Fraternal Order of Police and the public that he felt the FOP was being premature to endorse a candidate for Sheriff in his race?  I find it very suspect that he has concern over an endorsement in his race and cites it "premature", but has no problem endorsing Angela Corey whose race will run simultaneous to his own. 

Sources tell me the internal affairs investigation against Detective Annie Henderson has been completed finding her at fault on one violation dealing with the purchase of a horse she made by using a friend's name to purchase a horse that she confiscated under her authority as Sheriff Beseler's deputy.  I am told her punishment is a verbal reprimand.  Can you believe that a deputy sheriff can seize property from a citizen in this county, then assume ownership of that property under false pretenses and the only punishment is a verbal reprimand "you did something wrong, don't let it happen again?"

Members of the Clay County Sheriff's Office dealt a second blow the Sheriff Rick Beseler today.  The Correctional Deputies participated in a secret vote on whether or not to retain their Union representation through the Fraternal Order of Police.  Sixty -four percent of all eligible members voted and sixty percent of all voting members voted to retain their Union representation. 

As I have started keeping up with the internal issues in the Sheriff's Office, two Unions (1 for Sworn Deputy Sheriff's, 1 for Correctional Deputies) were retained by a commanding vote and the third Union (for Correctional Supervisors) did not pass, but support increased by 30% more than the previous year's vote. 

I know all readers had to see the Mike Taylor for Sheriff campaign signs throughout Clay County yesterday.  They were placed at all, or most, polling locations throughout Clay County on the Public Right-of-way.  This is in violation of Clay County's sign ordinance.

One would think that someone running for Sheriff would at-least be familiar with, and abide by, the laws of Clay County.  Notice you did not see any other Sheriff candidates' signs out; they must know and respect the laws of Clay County.  

Clay County Sheriff's Office dive teams are searching for a man who reportedly fell overboard this morning from a sailboat in the St. Johns River.

Divers are searching near the Williams Road Park boat ramp, County Road 209, south of Green Cove Springs.