Hernando deputy gets two-week unpaid suspension

BROOKSVILLE — A Hernando County deputy has received an immediate two-week unpaid suspension for violating department policy.

An internal investigation determined that in December 2008, Deputy Jennifer Perez-Abney left her assigned zone for several hours to return to her home without notifying her superiors.

She also allowed a person not connected with the department to modify her service weapon, the report states. Perez-Abney told investigators that someone had adjusted the trigger mechanism of her weapon without her knowledge.

Investigators said the Perez-Abney also admitted to smoking a cigarette while off-duty. Department policy says that Sheriff's Office employees hired after Jan. 1, 2004 are required to remain smoke-free. Perez-Abney told investigators that she had been smoking because of stress caused by the death of her father.

Perez-Abney has worked as a deputy since August 2005. In December, she received verbal counseling after it was found that she had fallen asleep in her cruiser in the parking lot of a Hess gas station at Cortez Boulevard and Jefferson Street. She told investigators at the time that she was exhausted because she was caring for children and an ailing relative.

BROOKSVILLE - A sheriff's deputy was placed on 80 hours of unpaid leave after she spent a collective 11 on-duty hours at home over a four-month period.

Supervisors also determined Deputy Jennifer Perez-Abney used a vehicle and driver's license database for her own personal searches.

In her defense, Perez-Abney said the searches were to gain familiarity with the system and that the information gained was not distributed.

Perez-Abney added she went home after morning briefings to use the restroom and make sure her children got on the school bus. She claimed none of her stops were longer than 10 minutes, records show.

She was further reprimanded for taking a puff of a cigarette, which goes against the no-tobacco policy at the sheriff's office.

The investigation sustained policy violations of conduct unbecoming an officer, neglect of duty, leaving a duty post and use of tobacco products.

In assigning the time off, Sheriff Richard Nugent acknowledged the punishment exceeded the norm for bureau level investigations.

However, "actions contrary to policy and inappropriate behavior will not be tolerated," Nugent wrote.

Excuses, excuses, excuses!

I'm not saying it's all of them, but what's up with the stupid female deputies at the Sheriff's Office? It really isn't who you know, is it...it's uh...in what direction the wind blows. Grasso, Perez...girls gone wild!

It's not what they know it's who they blow. I'm not afraid to say it because it is the truth. Why would they keep this dimwit on? I'm disgusted with this place!
Where are the brown nosers who keep saying what a great place this is to work? It's an image thing and I know they're pissed that we are posting here. It's all about the accreditation and the wool Nuge has pulled over other LEO's eyes.
008-Present Commission for Florida Law Enforcement Accreditation, Inc.
If they only knew the truth about HSO.

I got a few things to say about this. First, If the dispather was fired why was perez not fired? which brings me to my second point. How lawful is the no smoking policy? I can see how they can tell us that we cannot smoke on duty, but off duty? It is not illegal, they do not own us, it is not the military. I have heard the policy was put in place to save money on insurance, but insurance is going up anyways, so now it doesn't make sense. I think they could say if you want to smoke pay for your own insurance. Watch soon it will be against policy to drink off duty. Third, if they are looking to punish people, go to jerseys and watch, or even the practically defunct F.O.P. meetings and watch people drink beer and then drive home. Then you got Nugent saying the punishment was excessive! If perez gets a lawyer that will come back to bite him. All the stuff going on in this agency, I wouldn't be suprised if F.D.L.E. has not already started an investigation, ime to take a closer look at some of the new hires!

Here is an article about smoking at HSO. Perez should have been fired!
http://www.sptimes.com/2007/09/24/Herna ... ngs_.shtml

"We are doing things at the Sheriff's Office to contain our health insurance," he told commissioners and hundreds of residents. "We are terminating an employee for smoking. We've decided to take a proactive approach to try to contain the health insurance costs."

The policy outlawing tobacco use took effect Jan. 1, 2004, but all deputies and employees who were hired before that date are exempt. It applies only to 127 of the agency's 385 employees. While Nugent grandfathered existing personnel, he put in place rules to prohibit all smoking in public or in patrol cars.

In more than three years, the agency has enforced the policy only one time, the case that Nugent cited at the Sept. 13 budget hearing.

It depends on who you are. They know MG smokes but they've done nothing to her. This part is true.

She said that she was under the impression from her coworkers that it was not strictly enforced.

Why have a policy if they don't enforce it?

Not only will they see drinking and smoking at Jerseys they need to check out Legends and Dees too. That's where they are smoking in public along with in their marked and unmarked cars.

Cut insurance cost? What a joke! My wife got better insurance for her and my kids for half the cost, of what I could get from the department for them.

We do the same thing. You think the insurance company knows that this policy isn't being enforced as it should be? I'd like to see the insurance company come to the department and test EVERYONE so that they know that we do have smokers and the policy was only put in place to get lower rates. Overweight people cause increased insurance rates and you notice that will not be mentioned. We have too many overweight guys and gals working with us.

I recall when Stegner was killed, Nugent said "what they do in their own time is their business". That only holds true when he is defending his good ole boys and girls. It's also sad that he went to Vernons defense when she was driving recklessly with her medical condition. This girl had "something going on" too, and what did he do? Set an example of her, although I do think she needs fired instead of reprimanded.

We do have a few girls that have gone wild, in more ways then one!

"Investigators said the Perez-Abney also admitted to smoking a cigarette while off-duty. Department policy says that Sheriff's Office employees hired after Jan. 1, 2004 are required to remain smoke-free. Perez-Abney told investigators that she had been smoking because of stress caused by the death of her father".

You've got to be kidding me...Is IA that stupid? She has been smoking since day 1. Long before her father was even diagnosed!! Go look at all the Cigarette Butts in her yard.

"In her defense, Perez-Abney said the searches were to gain familiarity with the system and that the information gained was not distributed". Yeah OK.... Check her Domestic history, and her computer more carefully.

"Perez-Abney added she went home after morning briefings to use the restroom and make sure her children got on the school bus. She claimed none of her stops were longer than 10 minutes, records show".

Aren't her kids like 6 and 8? So what she is saying she left them alone at her house to get on the bus by themselves? Hmmmmm. Wake up Sheriff........She's giving those of us that abide by the Law and Policies a bad name. :evil:

"Investigators said the Perez-Abney also admitted to smoking a cigarette while off-duty. Department policy says that Sheriff's Office employees hired after Jan. 1, 2004 are required to remain smoke-free. Perez-Abney told investigators that she had been smoking because of stress caused by the death of her father".

You've got to be kidding me...Is IA that stupid? She has been smoking since day 1. Long before her father was even diagnosed!! Go look at all the Cigarette Butts in her yard.

"In her defense, Perez-Abney said the searches were to gain familiarity with the system and that the information gained was not distributed". Yeah OK.... Check her Domestic history, and her computer more carefully.

"Perez-Abney added she went home after morning briefings to use the restroom and make sure her children got on the school bus. She claimed none of her stops were longer than 10 minutes, records show".

Aren't her kids like 6 and 8? So what she is saying she left them alone at her house to get on the bus by themselves? Hmmmmm. Wake up Sheriff........She's giving those of us that abide by the Law and Policies a bad name. :evil:

I think that the word to use for IA is incompetent. She does a good job at covering up for those who she needs to and from what I have seen, those who review them don't read the investigations either. It's not hard to read between the lines and see what she is doing.

Perez-Abteys computer needs thoroughly gone through, as well as others. DCF needs brought in if her kids are that young too. She made a bunch of stupid excuses and brass bought them!

Is her house in her assigned zone, or did she leave it to do what she's admitted to doing? She claimed? Come on now, she can claim all she wants but that does not mean it's factual. It was a way for her to cover her ass, which they keep permitting to be done.

She isn't the only one smoking either. There are lots of people who work here that have lied about it, and gotten away with it even when they do know this is going on.