County commissioner files police complaint against sheriff

County commissioner files police complaint against sheriff


By KEVIN J. SHUTT

kevin.shutt@newssun.com

SEBRING -- Following a Tuesday night confrontation between County Commissioner Barbara Stewart and Highlands County Sheriff Susan Benton, the former filed a complaint with Sebring Police Department.

Lt. Bruce Crumb, commander of SPD's investigations unit, confirmed Monday that the commissioner came to the station and filed a report.

The officer who took the report hasn't completed it, Crumb said. He expected the report by Wednesday.

Benton said she approached Stewart after the county's final budget hearing Sept. 16 to talk to her about the jail.

"Nothing even close to any criminal incident occurred," Benton said during a phone interview.

Sebring Chief of Police Tom Dettman notified the sheriff as a professional courtesy.

Stewart's complaint was an "information-only" report, Benton said, explaining Stewart spoke with Dettman at his office.

For a month and a half, Benton said she has been trying to sit down with Stewart to discuss the board of commissioners' responsibility regarding the jail.

Benton said Stewart needs to be "educated" about the jail, and that she believes Stewart is dispensing incorrect information.

"I pulled up on the curb," Benton said, explaining she was returning to her office when she tried talk to Stewart.

"Barbara, when are we going to have a chance to meet?" Benton said of how she approached the commissioner, who continued to get into her car.

Benton said she tapped on the window.

Stewart rolled it down and said she didn't want talk about it, Benton said.

She accused Stewart of belittling her staff from the commissioner's "bully pulpit" and of intimidating county staff to the point they dread coming before her during Tuesday's commission meetings.

"In my opinion, I didn't intimidate her in any way and no threats were made," Benton said, though that's what she's hearing Stewart allege.

Stewart didn't comment on the incident, except to confirm she spoke with Dettman and explain why.

"I did file an information statement with Sebring Police Department on Friday," she said. "I wanted to put it on the record in case there are future incidents and on Wednesday and Thursday I was hearing exaggerated reports of the incident."

Commissioner C. Guy Maxcy said he witnessed the event, but hadn't been questioned by SPD or any law enforcement agency by 2:30 p.m. Monday.

"She let the argument get away from her," Maxcy said of Benton, explaining he was leaving the budget hearing about 9:30 p.m. when he saw the women.

Maxcy said Benton's vehicle was curbside in the parking lot on the south side of the Government Center, where the commissioners park.

Stewart was still seated inside her car.

The driver-side window was down and Benton was standing at Stewart's door, he said.

Seeing what he described as a "heated argument," Maxcy was concerned enough to pull over and ask the women to calm down.

"It was just me breaking up an argument," Maxcy said. "Susan said, 'I'm pretty upset with Barbara because she puts out misinformation about the Sheriff's Office.'"

Considering that they were in a parking lot after a several-hours-long budget public hearing at night, Maxcy said he told them it wasn't the time or place for this.

"I didn't want to hear explanations," he said Monday. "I wanted to hear 'OK' and see them leaving."

It appeared they took his advice, Maxcy said.

Commission Chairman Edgar Stokes said that by the time he reached the parking lot, he saw Benton leaning into Maxcy's passenger side window.

He also saw a black car, which he presumed to be the sheriff's private vehicle, behind Stewart's car and blocking her from leaving.

Stokes had to back out at a sharp angle.

"I just got in my truck and left," Stokes said, explaining he saw nothing that concerned him.

Stokes hadn't been interviewed by law enforcement by 3:30 p.m. Monday.

Stewart said her information report, once released, will explain her version of the story.

"I apologize if she felt in any way intimidated or threatened," Benton said.

Benton said Stewart didn't raise her voice.

"If I did," the sheriff said. "That's just my personality. I'm very animated."

What a joke. Give me a break...It is seriously getting stupid around here.

County commissioner files police complaint against sheriff


Benton said Stewart didn't raise her voice.

"If I did," the sheriff said. "That's just my personality. I'm very animated."

....and foul mouthed. Ask SH over at the SAO what the Sheriff behaves like when she becomes "animated". Think her grip is slipping?

The sheriff sure could have handled that better. But unfortunately, it will probably slide and the p-nut gallery will offer severl excuses just like the sheriff herself did just so everything looks OK. After all, it is about appearances.

Our sheriff acts like a spoiled brat when she doesn't get her way or when someone challenges her. She has a bad temper. Don't ever cross her!

Like this is the first time. I remember an incident many years ago at a computer store in the Lakeshore Mall where she was trespassed (I Believe she was Lt. Benton at the time) from the store for raising hell in there. I'm sure there s a report and an internal on that one............some people never change. I think you Detective call it a pattern... us in the general public call it a character flaw.....I think more than an apology is in order.

Ha Ha Ha Ha. This is funny! What's wrong with Benton? I think she may need some Xanax.

Ha Ha Ha Ha. This is funny! What's wrong with Benton? I think she may need some Xanax!

Why is it that we as a society enjoy seeing articles on the front page proclaiming how bad someone is, but we don't focus on the good work that person has done. We are so quick to point a finger or Iay blame, I am talking about all the negative publicity surrounding Sherriff Susan Benton. It saddens me as a citizen of this community and as a previous HCSO employee to see how cut throat and malicious these accusations are against Susan Benton. I started working at the HCSO when Howard Godwin was still Sherriff, I was not lucky enough to become a close friend or close co-work of Susan Benton's as we both worked for different departments, but I can tell you things about this woman that you would never know unless you worked there. The things that I witnessed on a daily bases is exactly why I would later vote for her as Sherriff. Susan used to work in a small office on the first floor of the HCSO one of her many jobs was finding grant money for the HCSO. She made it her mission to get us updated 911/Dispatch equipment for our dispatchers and Deputies. This equipment allowed us to dispatch your emergencies faster, to provide Deputies with information which enabled them to save lives as well as protect our Deputies. Susan was always to be found in any department that needed her assist during any natural disater or any major search, even though she had what we called bankers hours at the time. That is another reason I voted for Susan because she was always there lending a hand and I knew she would be there for this community if she was Sheriff and I was right because she has been. I challenge the citizens of Highlands County to research the many benifical things Susan Benton has done for us. You would be surprised, I don't think all of her good deeds could be listed in this paper. Well maybe if you dedicated the Sunday issue just to her. I also have a question for this community. How many of you have worked for a large organization, with multiple departments, and hundreds of employees, that is open 24 hours a day 7 days a week? Now you are the boss of this organization, do you delagate and hope the people you trust to run these departments represent you and do what is right, or do you clock in at 8am on your first day as Sherriff and never clock out again until you are no longer Sherriff so you can make sure everyone is doing the job correctly and without mistakes. Nah sayers are always going to be around, the same people that didn't want her in office years ago are the same ones shouting at the roof tops today trying to make her look bad. We all know you can find fault with anyone if you look hard enough. Have you looked in the mirror lately? Tell me what you see.

Why is it that we as a society enjoy seeing articles on the front page proclaiming how bad someone is, but we don't focus on the good work that person has done. We are so quick to point a finger or Iay blame, I am talking about all the negative publicity surrounding Sherriff Susan Benton. It saddens me as a citizen of this community and as a previous HCSO employee to see how cut throat and malicious these accusations are against Susan Benton. I started working at the HCSO when Howard Godwin was still Sherriff, I was not lucky enough to become a close friend or close co-work of Susan Benton's as we both worked for different departments, but I can tell you things about this woman that you would never know unless you worked there. The things that I witnessed on a daily bases is exactly why I would later vote for her as Sherriff. Susan used to work in a small office on the first floor of the HCSO one of her many jobs was finding grant money for the HCSO. She made it her mission to get us updated 911/Dispatch equipment for our dispatchers and Deputies. This equipment allowed us to dispatch your emergencies faster, to provide Deputies with information which enabled them to save lives as well as protect our Deputies. Susan was always to be found in any department that needed her assist during any natural disater or any major search, even though she had what we called bankers hours at the time. That is another reason I voted for Susan because she was always there lending a hand and I knew she would be there for this community if she was Sheriff and I was right because she has been. I challenge the citizens of Highlands County to research the many benifical things Susan Benton has done for us. You would be surprised, I don't think all of her good deeds could be listed in this paper. Well maybe if you dedicated the Sunday issue just to her. I also have a question for this community. How many of you have worked for a large organization, with multiple departments, and hundreds of employees, that is open 24 hours a day 7 days a week? Now you are the boss of this organization, do you delagate and hope the people you trust to run these departments represent you and do what is right, or do you clock in at 8am on your first day as Sherriff and never clock out again until you are no longer Sherriff so you can make sure everyone is doing the job correctly and without mistakes. Nah sayers are always going to be around, the same people that didn't want her in office years ago are the same ones shouting at the roof tops today trying to make her look bad. We all know you can find fault with anyone if you look hard enough. Have you looked in the mirror lately? Tell me what you see.

I did not realize my name would not appear under the comment I posted on Why is it? First time on this site.
Melody Test