Q&A With 124

[Unregistered]

Why did they have a night Lt. And then not fill the position after you were fired? Will they fill it again?

[Unregistered]

Well I am about to grab some popcorn. I myself have asked these questions too.

[Unregistered]

What is the story behind the girl who was let go that came from Dept. Of Children and Families ? By story, I mean how did she get her job, because she led on alot about knowing 102 from her previous job.

Boom! The Allison Bennet question. I’m sure sphincters are puckering around the main office waiting on this answer. So here it is…

I don’t want to get into the specifics of what precipitated all of that, as it involves the personal matters of people who are not involved with the HCSO. Basically Kevin threw his (professional) weight around with DCF trying to get a favorable outcome to the above mentioned personal matter. In doing so he got Bennett fired, and opened himself up to an ethics investigation and possibly some unfavorable civil penalties. The star witnesses in those issues where Bennett and Sgt. Woods (I’ll elaborate on that in my answer to another question). Out of guilt for her termination, and in attempt to keep her mouth under control, Kevin had to hire Bennett. I personally don’t believe that she went through an interview process, although it is possible that Kevin violated his own policy and created a “down low” interview process just for her. I believe that having spent some time around her, Kevin knew that she very likely would never pass a polygraph or psych evaluation, so she was hired without either being done. In the hall way outside of the Patsy’s office I asked Kevin about that. He looked me dead in the eyes and told me that “everyone takes a poly and psych”. I smiled and walked away, because Bennet had already told me that she didn’t have to take either of those because Kevin vouched for her.

It only got worse from there. Bennet was bombing field training because she was either a sprayed roach or passed out sleeping on duty. On the first day of her CID rotation, Bennet showed up wired and a mess. Her behavior was so erratic that morning that Morales sent her home. I believe that was a Thursday morning. The following Monday I found that she was shadowing Gaydash at Labelle Middle School. Kevin told me that she needed some time to get herself together and that that she was absolutely going to have to finish the FTO program. Two weeks later I found out that Gaydash was writing Daily Observation Reports on Bennett and that she was finishing her field training in the school, because she was hired as an SRO. So basically Kevin had again lied to me about Bennett. Shortly thereafter, even Gaydash could no longer deal with Bennett’s erratic behavior and she was finally terminated. Anyone who trained her has a horror story about her. Just ask around.

I personally handed Kevin the incomplete FTO file for Bennett when she was terminated. I understand that a couple months ago FLDE asked for that file, but no-one could find it. Coincidence? Nah!

124

[Unregistered]

What happened to Cpt. DW, it seemed his role was short lived ?

I’m so proud of y’all. These questions are absolutely on point.

Captain Williams was in a similar situation to mine. Being already retired from another agency gives you the ability to do the right thing, even when you know you’re gonna pay for it later. Captain Williams was doing just that. Fighting for his deputies and always doing the right thing for them. Unfortunately that got him sideways with Kevin pretty regularly. Shortly before he left, Kevin summoned Captain Williams, myself, and Shawn Reed to his office so he could write Shawn a reprimand for something that he had not done, and personally give it to him in front of us (I can assure you that was never going to happen). On that morning, only Capt. Williams and I showed up. When we explained to Kevin that Shawn had not done what he was accusing him of and that it was inappropriate and disrespectful for him to write my subordinate a reprimand, things got ugly. Capt. Williams told Kevin all about his a$$ in no uncertain terms. I probably should have excused myself at that point but, I was enjoying it way too much.

It took Kevin a couple months after that to convince Steve that Capt. Williams was a problem. Once he got Steve convinced, they tried to demote Capt. Williams to Lieutenant and move him back to the court house. Capt. Williams saw that for what it was and was not going to bend over and take it. Subsequently, he again retired and left on his own terms.

124

[Unregistered]

Why did they have a night Lt. And then not fill the position after you were fired? Will they fill it again?

In answering this one, I’ll refer you back the Bennett answer. Sgt. Woods was the other witness in that situation, and was in a position to cause Kevin a considerable amount of grief. If you recall, Sgt. Woods was about to be hired by the State Fire Marshal’s Office, and I believe was only waiting on a hire date. When Kevin and Steve became aware of that situation, Kevin needed to do something to keep control of Sgt. Woods’ mouth. So, he promoted him to Lieutenant and created a position for him. If the SOP still exists, you should look at it. The job description is basically “respond to priority calls and report to the chain of command”. In doing so, Kevin effectively maintained control over Josh’s mouth.

My favorite part of about the whole thing is this. Lt. Woods was promoted on a Friday morning, and was seen in supply being issued his Lieutenant’s bars and badge that morning. I received a phone call in reference to that promotion that same morning. Later that afternoon, Lt Angell and I had a meeting with Kevin at the Clewiston Sub-station. After a two hour meeting, and as I was preparing to walk out the door I stopped and asked Kevin if there was anything else we needed to know, as he had never mentioned the promotion. Kevin told that there was nothing else. Again, I smiled and walked away because I knew that I had just been lied to. By Sunday morning, the rumor of Josh’s promotion had spread around, and Lt. Angell straight up asked Kevin about it. That afternoon we all got an email about an emergency staff meeting the following morning. At that meeting Steve announced Josh’s promotion and gave us all the BS story about why it was done, and why it was kept quiet, blah blah blah!

As for filling that position again in the future, I heard that Shawn was being considered for the job because he had stumbled into a situation that could cause Steve some grief. According to Shawn, Steve actually came to his house and told him that he was going to find a way to promote him. Fortunately for them both, Lt. Angell left and facilitated that promotion. Despite the fact that Olvera had already been tagged as the next Lieutenant. So to answer the question, the night time lieutenant’s position will not be filled. Unless Steve or Kevin need to reward someone for their silence.

124

[Unregistered]

(I am now eating popcorn)

[Unregistered]

Had to pullover and read this. It was that good. WOW!

[Unregistered]

Speaking of ethics, it is rumored that Chad Pelham is returning to HCSO as a SGT? From what I remember he was forced to resign over some allegations years ago, but now he gets to come back with a clean slate? What are your thoughts 124 about someone like this returning to the agency?

[Unregistered]

I’m so proud of y’all. These questions are absolutely on point.

Captain Williams was in a similar situation to mine. Being already retired from another agency gives you the ability to do the right thing, even when you know you’re gonna pay for it later. Captain Williams was doing just that. Fighting for his deputies and always doing the right thing for them. Unfortunately that got him sideways with Kevin pretty regularly. Shortly before he left, Kevin summoned Captain Williams, myself, and Shawn Reed to his office so he could write Shawn a reprimand for something that he had not done, and personally give it to him in front of us (I can assure you that was never going to happen). On that morning, only Capt. Williams and I showed up. When we explained to Kevin that Shawn had not done what he was accusing him of and that it was inappropriate and disrespectful for him to write my subordinate a reprimand, things got ugly. Capt. Williams told Kevin all about his a$$ in no uncertain terms. I probably should have excused myself at that point but, I was enjoying it way too much.

It took Kevin a couple months after that to convince Steve that Capt. Williams was a problem. Once he got Steve convinced, they tried to demote Capt. Williams to Lieutenant and move him back to the court house. Capt. Williams saw that for what it was and was not going to bend over and take it. Subsequently, he again retired and left on his own terms.

124

Very believable. These two have a long history of kevin explaining to steve how to act and steve slowly falling in. Mostly. But what could anyone expect considering hes fairly short (no pun intended) on IQ points and kevin loves to pretend hes the mastermind genius making the magic happen. What would the little guy be without him, right. Both of them attempting to hide incompetence. Steve behind kevin and his own general buffoonery and kevin behind those heinous teeth and shady deeds.

What ever happened to slade?

[Unregistered]

In answering this one, I’ll refer you back the Bennett answer. Sgt. Woods was the other witness in that situation, and was in a position to cause Kevin a considerable amount of grief. If you recall, Sgt. Woods was about to be hired by the State Fire Marshal’s Office, and I believe was only waiting on a hire date. When Kevin and Steve became aware of that situation, Kevin needed to do something to keep control of Sgt. Woods’ mouth. So, he promoted him to Lieutenant and created a position for him. If the SOP still exists, you should look at it. The job description is basically “respond to priority calls and report to the chain of command”. In doing so, Kevin effectively maintained control over Josh’s mouth.

My favorite part of about the whole thing is this. Lt. Woods was promoted on a Friday morning, and was seen in supply being issued his Lieutenant’s bars and badge that morning. I received a phone call in reference to that promotion that same morning. Later that afternoon, Lt Angell and I had a meeting with Kevin at the Clewiston Sub-station. After a two hour meeting, and as I was preparing to walk out the door I stopped and asked Kevin if there was anything else we needed to know, as he had never mentioned the promotion. Kevin told that there was nothing else. Again, I smiled and walked away because I knew that I had just been lied to. By Sunday morning, the rumor of Josh’s promotion had spread around, and Lt. Angell straight up asked Kevin about it. That afternoon we all got an email about an emergency staff meeting the following morning. At that meeting Steve announced Josh’s promotion and gave us all the BS story about why it was done, and why it was kept quiet, blah blah blah!

As for filling that position again in the future, I heard that Shawn was being considered for the job because he had stumbled into a situation that could cause Steve some grief. According to Shawn, Steve actually came to his house and told him that he was going to find a way to promote him. Fortunately for them both, Lt. Angell left and facilitated that promotion. Despite the fact that Olvera had already been tagged as the next Lieutenant. So to answer the question, the night time lieutenant’s position will not be filled. Unless Steve or Kevin need to reward someone for their silence.

124

What was the "situation" that gave Shawn the edge?