Sheriff Knight Promoting Some Businesses but not all Businesses on Facebook Page

[Unregistered]

We are told at all times not to recommend tow trucks, funeral homes, bail bondsmen or to play favorites to any businesses yet almost everyday the Sheriff promotes any business on his facebook page that brings him a meal for free. He has 30,000 (tax payers) followers he can reach with out money. He is advertising and tagging a businessed just because they brought a free meal to the HQ seems unfair to the rest of the businesses in the county. What next Sheriff? Can we start recommending tow trucks to broken down motorist on facebook? I think that a tow truck company or a bail bond company just needs to bring some cookies and Voilà they are endorsed by you in front of 30,000 face book fans AKA taxpayers.

Need I remind you that the Sheriff's facebook page belongs to we the people, Sheriff? This is not your personal propaganda machine built to endorse whoever gives you a free cookie or pizza. Whoever is giving you social media advice is an idiot. You are not a business! You are the government and all that is government belongs to the people. Perhaps you will start endorsing churches next? Maybe you will charge for advertising Sheriff Knight! Shame on you, set an example and stop playing favorites. Some businesses can not afford to buy all your people pizza to get in front of 30,000 facebook fans. You know that this is not fair to the people.

[Unregistered]

Please provide a direct link to an SSO Facebook endorsement of a specific business. The SSO Facebook page is too big to try and scroll through 100,000 pics and posts.

[Unregistered]

Oak and Stone, Regions Bank, YMCA, Jimmy John's, Morgan and Morgan, 921. CTQ, Sarasota Vipers Sport Team,IPG Inter Tape Polymer Group,West field Mall, Suncoast Blood Bank,Greater Hurst Church,Lisa Clark Photography (that one got 447 likes on the taxpayer dime),Gulf Coast Community Organization, Grace on the Island of Venice Church,Sarasota Memorial Heath Care Systems,Florida Tracks And Trails,7-Eleven,Harbor Chase, Five O Donut CO.,Starbucks, and there are far more on our page.

I can't wait to see how many times we have to see the company logos that pay to compete in the "SWAT Challenge". Those logos will be plastered all over the people's facebook page. Sheriff you are tagging companies and highlighting those "for profit" businesses to 30,000 people. This makes your followers think that those are businesses you endorse. You are tagging them. Think about it. You are essentially using taxpayer money to advertise for private businesses, if they pay you or give you something. How is that right to the rest of the taxpaying businesses in Sarasota that can't afford to advertise with you? So if you get free coffee and donuts from Starbucks then I would assume they will expect special treatment as will those companies that pay to play with swat. Not right. Just give us the facts no more Propaganda.

[Unregistered]

In today's world tagging a business is or can be interpreted as an endorsement. It is done millions of times a day on all social media platforms. FDLE has clear cut rules for Ethical Conduct on their website refer to section 6. Just in my opinion the sheriff might have violated some of these clear cut rules.

Principle Six

Police officers shall not compromise their integrity, nor that of their Department or profession, by accepting, giving or soliciting any gratuity which could be reasonably interpreted as capable of influencing their official acts or judgments, or by using their status as a police officer for personal, commercial, or political gain.

Rationale

For a community to have faith in its police officers, officers must avoid conduct that does or could cast doubt upon the impartiality of the individual officer or the Department.

6.5 Police officers shall:

(a) not authorize the use of their names, photographs or titles in a manner that identifies the officer as an employee of their Department in connection with advertisements for any product, commodity or commercial enterprise;

Standing next to a business owner who just dropped off cookies in our uniform and tagging the business to 30,000 people is clearly an endorsement and an advertisement for that company on the taxpayer dime.

I personally feel that the Sheriff has cast doubt that he can be fair to all businesses in the county.

[Unregistered]

In today's world tagging a business is or can be interpreted as an endorsement. It is done millions of times a day on all social media platforms. FDLE has clear cut rules for Ethical Conduct on their website refer to section 6. Just in my opinion the sheriff might have violated some of these clear cut rules.

Principle Six

Police officers shall not compromise their integrity, nor that of their Department or profession, by accepting, giving or soliciting any gratuity which could be reasonably interpreted as capable of influencing their official acts or judgments, or by using their status as a police officer for personal, commercial, or political gain.

Rationale

For a community to have faith in its police officers, officers must avoid conduct that does or could cast doubt upon the impartiality of the individual officer or the Department.

6.5 Police officers shall:

(a) not authorize the use of their names, photographs or titles in a manner that identifies the officer as an employee of their Department in connection with advertisements for any product, commodity or commercial enterprise;

Standing next to a business owner who just dropped off cookies in our uniform and tagging the business to 30,000 people is clearly an endorsement and an advertisement for that company on the taxpayer dime.

I personally feel that the Sheriff has cast doubt that he can be fair to all businesses in the county.

Sheriff Thomas Knight is not an appointed police officer, but instead, he is an elected sheriff. Therefore, the rules that apply to appointed police officers and/or appointed deputies do not apply to him.

[Unregistered]

To try to differentiate that the rules for a sheriff are different from an appointed police officer is like saying a judge's authority stops at the four corners of his/her courtroom is totally ridiculous. This once proud agency has become a very sad good ol' boys club.

[Unregistered]

To try to differentiate that the rules for a sheriff are different from an appointed police officer is like saying a judge's authority stops at the four corners of his/her courtroom is totally ridiculous. This once proud agency has become a very sad good ol' boys club.

Even the judges are pulling their hair out over Knight's odd defiance of them. Why should you or business owners be any different?

[Unregistered]

Sheriff Thomas Knight is not an appointed police officer, but instead, he is an elected sheriff. Therefore, the rules that apply to appointed police officers and/or appointed deputies do not apply to him.

Absolutely false! The FDLE rules and code of ethics apply to all "sworn law enforcement officers" in the State of Florida read it in the forward. Try having sex on duty as a deputy and find out if FDLE does not investigate you. The ethics apply to all officers. A deputy can not take a bribe can he? You are wrong. This is nothing more than pay to play with tax payers being victim and most struggling businesses not being part of the Sheriff's favorites. I presume he gives those businesses that bring him lunch special treatment. Watch how many times the businesses who can afford to be part of the SWAT challenge get their business name and logo on the county owned facebook page. What about the other businesses Sheriff Knight? You going to list any and all of those too? You know this isn't fair to the people in the county. Most businesses pay large sums to advertise in order to reach 30,000 people. Now they can pay you and your new advertising agency. Maybe put business logos on squad cars next like Nascar? Sell fender space? Fair and impartial is what you were hired to be. Have some dam integrity!

[Unregistered]

Absolutely false! The FDLE rules and code of ethics apply to all "sworn law enforcement officers" in the State of Florida read it in the forward. Try having sex on duty as a deputy and find out if FDLE does not investigate you. The ethics apply to all officers. A deputy can not take a bribe can he? You are wrong. This is nothing more than pay to play with tax payers being victim and most struggling businesses not being part of the Sheriff's favorites. I presume he gives those businesses that bring him lunch special treatment. Watch how many times the businesses who can afford to be part of the SWAT challenge get their business name and logo on the county owned facebook page. What about the other businesses Sheriff Knight? You going to list any and all of those too? You know this isn't fair to the people in the county. Most businesses pay large sums to advertise in order to reach 30,000 people. Now they can pay you and your new advertising agency. Maybe put business logos on squad cars next like Nascar? Sell fender space? Fair and impartial is what you were hired to be. Have some dam integrity!

As you know, Sarasota GOP corporations are what wins elections. It would be interesting to see how many of the businesses that are sponsored (by Knight's facebook) are corporations that have paid-into his campaign -- or are under the umbrella of other corporations that have paid into his campaign. Either way, nobody cares and nobody will do the research to connect those dots. And even if you connect the dots, then you have to have a complainant to file a complaint with FDLE. And for what? All that work for something that FDLE will try to sweep under the carpet. And then the complainant is personally attacked by Knight's political hacks. Who wants to endure that kind of public ridicule?

The biggest fiasco (right now) is Knight's defiance of the chief judge. However, Knight is politically slimy (slippery) so it will be interesting to see how that strange court case plays out in public.

[Unregistered]

As you know, Sarasota GOP corporations are what wins elections. It would be interesting to see how many of the businesses that are sponsored (by Knight's facebook) are corporations that have paid-into his campaign -- or are under the umbrella of other corporations that have paid into his campaign. Either way, nobody cares and nobody will do the research to connect those dots. And even if you connect the dots, then you have to have a complainant to file a complaint with FDLE. And for what? All that work for something that FDLE will try to sweep under the carpet. And then the complainant is personally attacked by Knight's political hacks. Who wants to endure that kind of public ridicule?

The biggest fiasco (right now) is Knight's defiance of the chief judge. However, Knight is politically slimy (slippery) so it will be interesting to see how that strange court case plays out in public.

Both Knight and Hoffman are politically dirty. As long as they are in office, good people will be harmed and bad people will be rewarded. Their documented histories in the media speaks volumes. Grady Judd brings honor and respect to Polk County, while Tom Knight brings dishonor and disrespect to Sarasota County.