Questions for Sheriff

[OPIODS]

Why are opioids more important than employees?

Why do we have civilian chiefs that have NEVER worn a gun/badge and worked a day as a Law Enforcement Officer in their lives? Chiefs over LEO personnel should be sworn, the civilians can be over the non sworn personnel in the agency.

What changes are our leadership implementing? You asked the supervisors to ask their subordinates your 5 questions, what was done with the answers? What are you doing about all the employees that haven’t even been asked for their responses?

Why are chiefs still blocking memos that are addressed to you?

Why is the training division still shooting the same qualification courses for rifle, shotgun and the discretionary handgun? Aren’t we a progressive agency? The training staff that we used to have made training way more relevant and practical. Now we are lumping block 1 and block 2 together on the same day?!?

Why does our training division look like a complete joke and feels like a formality rather than professional development. Why do they spend more time being sarcastic and condescending rather than actually teaching something? How come when you ask a new deputy how to combat load a shotgun or tac load a rifle they look at you all crazy?!? Why is there a deputy (DL) who never spent any time on patrol, a full time trainer and is so ungodly fat he has to wear a drop holster which no one else is authorized to wear?

Why did we shorten up our field training program in order to push deputies out faster which compromises the new deputy’s safety along with everyone else’s safety that they work with? Why are we having deputies with little to no experience here in Seminole become FTD’s? I understand we need more but shouldn’t our FTD’s be of quality and not quantity? Seeing as how they are teaching/training new deputies, some with zero LEO experience. This concerns us all!

Why isn’t health and wellness, training, and employee retention/engagement at the forefront of what we do at the SO? Law enforcement seems to be the least of our worries and people pleasing is our overall objective/concern.

Why are SRD’s teaching school staff how to apply tourniquets to kids and other staff members but they aren’t actually having them use a training tourniquet to have a practical exercise? They watch a PowerPoint and are expected to be able to successfully apply a tourniquet? Sheriff are you ok with a teacher applying a tourniquet to one of your family members by just watching a PowerPoint? Maybe we can transition our firearms qualifications to a PowerPoint as well? Talk about a liability! If anything, shouldn’t it be some sort of medical personnel teaching something of this nature?

Why does the sheriff constantly refer to our K-9 unit, which is an essential function of law enforcement, as a “necessary evil”?

Why are supervisors more concerned with mustaches and hairstyles than “cancerous” employees that are ruining the workplace? If you’re going to worry about the looks of the deputies out here on the road, you might want to take a look at the corrections deputies that you have working here. We all have seen the pictures posted on social media with their hairstyles and body ornamentations at their swearing in.

We are continuing to lose people to other, more progressive agencies, what are we doing to retain our troops? The new tattoo policy is ridiculous, we live and work in Florida, nobody wants to wear another layer of clothing to cover a tattoo! All of the highly qualified potential employees are going to agencies that allow their tattoos to be visible. It’s 2020, tattoos along with facial hair are acceptable in law enforcement. Watch 5 minutes of Live PD and count how many agencies that you see from throughout the country and you’ll see for yourself that we are slacking with no Load Bearing Vests, tattoos and facial hair.

I’m willing to bet that a majority of our understaffing issue has to do with POOR leadership. Has anyone ever thought of that? We have supervisors with very little experience trying to supervise people in a job as stressful as ours. How crazy is that??

How about we dismantle our “top flight” IPCU along with our SCORE team and assign them back to us on patrol where we are so short??? You know, it’s a safety concern for us out here!!

Why are so many and I mean, SO MANY, investigators working details and forgetting that they have a job that you hired them to do? You said years ago that you would not tolerate paying an employee to take PTO or “adjust” their hours so that they could work a detail BUT here they are continuing to do so! Just take a look on any high paying SGL detail and you will see investigators working 8p-6a and violating policy? This continues to be ignored and this is another reason why we cannot retain good deputies. We’re tired of not being treated fairly!!! Policies should apply to everyone or no one, there cannot be an in between with this.

Why do we not have a night time shift differential like most other agencies?

Why are we such a booming/wealthy county yet our salaries cannot compete with Oviedo? We’re hearing that Oviedo will soon be making more than OPD and OCSO!

Why are we a Circuit City in a mall trying to compete with Amazon?

If we’re such a progressive agency why are our uniforms stuck in the Stone Age? If we have access to technology that makes the boots on the ground more comfortable and practical for daily use, why are we not taking advantage and supporting that?

Why did legal say we can’t have tattoos because we could be sued but we are sued all the time? What if I was offended by in God we trust or the rainbow sticker we had cause it’s against my religion?

Why are we promoting/praising/rewarding deputies that have done nothing but negative things throughout their careers but forgetting/ignoring the ones who show up and do their jobs without complaining?

Why has the off duty detail committee been struck down about raising the rate for THREE YEARS, yet the sheriff himself said he wants to raise it? Where is the damn accountability?!?

Why can’t off duty be included in retirement like other places?


At the end of the day, everything looks great up there at 30,000 feet in yours and the chiefs offices. Meanwhile, on the ground you have one heck of a disaster that nothing is being done to address.

[Unregistered]

I’ll start off by saying I do agree with your post. A lot of things need to change for me to stay. I’ve been at this agency nearly a decade, with that being said I’m also weighing my options of leaving. I haven’t seen enough changes to make me want to stay and I think many people are in the same boat. I feel this forum lost its momentum and people just got tired of posting and complaining, so instead they are just leaving in droves. Sometimes actions speak louder than words.

Half the investigators.... I mean detectives(waste of money for a measly attempt at a moral boost)or deputies I talk too are leaving or looking to leave. It’s really sad to see quality people just saying F*** it, I’ll start over. Let’s be real, going from investigator to 10-65 is a sh*tty gig, but hell the amount of money they will make I can’t blame them.

It doesn’t take a genius to see the “leaders” just cut insurance, benefits, and pto to give us a measly 5%raise. It’s like they just shake the magic 8 ball and see what decision they should make regarding our “compensation”. Oh ya I said it, compensation! Because Sheriff our compensation is currently Sh*t!Sheriff if you do read this 5% is not enough to keep me here. You preach that the employee is your greatest asset, well show us (I think I’ve read that before).

I can honestly care less about the community policing initiatives and hug a thuging we do at this agency because that’s the type of community we live in. But I will agree we are behind the times with uniforms and doing what’s best for the deputy, your greatest asset! I think we have beaten that dead horse enough in this forum, and I honestly think it’s not going to change. Deal with it or leave like the rest.

In regards to working details don’t be hating on a person just trying to provide for their family. I’m sure if we made better pay people wouldn’t work as much. Ask yourself why people are working details in the first place? I’m sure you will soon realize it’s because they are just trying to provide and give their family the best they can do. If we start fighting amongst each other the Ivory tower wins. It distracts us from there sh*t decisions. So let’s keep the hating towards the top of the 17 list. As the saying goes opinions are like ass holes everyone’s got one. I’ve got plenty regarding co workers but I’ll keep those to myself.

The real kicker for me was the pathetic attempt to give new hires with exp 10k over 4 years. Like really? WTF.... clearly we don’t care about keeping our current employees. Maybe the ivory tower decided it’s acceptable to have a high turnover rate, as long as we have the bodies on the road who cares. Problem now is they can’t even fill the road. The exodus is getting real peeps. Ivory tower take a learning point from the other agencies. Get your pay high and quick because then the employee can’t afford to leave, problem solved.

I will finish with this. I still like what I do but sh*t has got to change to keep this employee. Let’s also not talk crap about other employees because you feel the need to vent. Remember some departments have sh*tty leaders and they are forced to do the same old song and dance. Keep that sh*t to yourself and focus on the task at hand. Getting better “compensation” for the little guys or working to get a new leader. I hope I do not come off as a disgruntled employee, I rewrote this several times because of the anger I had in the first couple writings, I’m angry because I care. Enough rambling. To all my fellow employees, be safe out there.

[Unregistered]

I’ll start off by saying I do agree with your post. A lot of things need to change for me to stay. I’ve been at this agency nearly a decade, with that being said I’m also weighing my options of leaving. I haven’t seen enough changes to make me want to stay and I think many people are in the same boat. I feel this forum lost its momentum and people just got tired of posting and complaining, so instead they are just leaving in droves. Sometimes actions speak louder than words.

Half the investigators.... I mean detectives(waste of money for a measly attempt at a moral boost)or deputies I talk too are leaving or looking to leave. It’s really sad to see quality people just saying F*** it, I’ll start over. Let’s be real, going from investigator to 10-65 is a sh*tty gig, but hell the amount of money they will make I can’t blame them.

It doesn’t take a genius to see the “leaders” just cut insurance, benefits, and pto to give us a measly 5%raise. It’s like they just shake the magic 8 ball and see what decision they should make regarding our “compensation”. Oh ya I said it, compensation! Because Sheriff our compensation is currently Sh*t!Sheriff if you do read this 5% is not enough to keep me here. You preach that the employee is your greatest asset, well show us (I think I’ve read that before).

I can honestly care less about the community policing initiatives and hug a thuging we do at this agency because that’s the type of community we live in. But I will agree we are behind the times with uniforms and doing what’s best for the deputy, your greatest asset! I think we have beaten that dead horse enough in this forum, and I honestly think it’s not going to change. Deal with it or leave like the rest.

In regards to working details don’t be hating on a person just trying to provide for their family. I’m sure if we made better pay people wouldn’t work as much. Ask yourself why people are working details in the first place? I’m sure you will soon realize it’s because they are just trying to provide and give their family the best they can do. If we start fighting amongst each other the Ivory tower wins. It distracts us from there sh*t decisions. So let’s keep the hating towards the top of the 17 list. As the saying goes opinions are like ass holes everyone’s got one. I’ve got plenty regarding co workers but I’ll keep those to myself.

The real kicker for me was the pathetic attempt to give new hires with exp 10k over 4 years. Like really? WTF.... clearly we don’t care about keeping our current employees. Maybe the ivory tower decided it’s acceptable to have a high turnover rate, as long as we have the bodies on the road who cares. Problem now is they can’t even fill the road. The exodus is getting real peeps. Ivory tower take a learning point from the other agencies. Get your pay high and quick because then the employee can’t afford to leave, problem solved.

I will finish with this. I still like what I do but sh*t has got to change to keep this employee. Let’s also not talk crap about other employees because you feel the need to vent. Remember some departments have sh*tty leaders and they are forced to do the same old song and dance. Keep that sh*t to yourself and focus on the task at hand. Getting better “compensation” for the little guys or working to get a new leader. I hope I do not come off as a disgruntled employee, I rewrote this several times because of the anger I had in the first couple writings, I’m angry because I care. Enough rambling. To all my fellow employees, be safe out there.

[Unregistered]

If true about Oviedo, that is very unsettling that we are going to be paid so much less than another Seminole County agency. However, most of us that have been here a while received massive pay raises over the past few years. I’m sure if this is true about Oviedo, pay will continue to improve for us.

Other than that, take your negativity elsewhere. We have it pretty good here. If you’re that miserable then please do us all a favor and quit.

Our staffing is going to improve and is currently improving as these trainees get out more efficiently. We did not combine block 1 and block 2. They gave the option of doing block 1 and low light firearms on the same day to get both done. Neither of those courses were block 2. I’m looking forward to being able to do both on the same day.

People are overdosing and dying daily at an alarming rate. So you want to eliminate SCORE? Just want to let it keep happening? I bet if you had a loved one OD and die at a young age, you’d change your tone. IPCU probably has made more proactive arrests in the past six months than your entire career I’d wager. You want to eliminate two specialized units that are highly productive with a total of about 5 deputies combined to fill a few patrol vacancies...yet many deputies I know and am friends with just sit under a tree and hide for most of their 12.25 hours and do literally zero actual cop work on a daily basis. Great logic. And I am on patrol so I know this is a fact. If you’re also on the road you know this true, they are everywhere on every shift. I do firmly believe patrol is the back bone and the FTD is the most important role of the agency. We do need more elite FTDs.

And way to go though...attacking a coworker specifically by name based on his physical appearance. Whoever you are, you are a POS for doing that. Why don’t you identify yourself? We all know why you won’t.

I am so tired of the negative attitudes around this place. This has become such a tired broken record blog.

[Unregistered]

You have the gall to write, "Why are supervisors more concerned with mustaches and hairstyles than “cancerous” employees that are ruining the workplace?" Look in the mirror and you will see the cancer. Move on.

[Unregistered]

what you said about trainer DL is unnecessary and uncalled for. Totally not cool. Agreed this guy does need to look hard in the mirror.

[Unregistered]

Dennis’ boot kickers are in full force today... staffing has been f*cked for the entire time he’s been in office. You think that’s gonna magically change anytime soon? Nope. Hate on the OP all you want, he makes a bunch of valid points. The SO’s priority is Facebook and customer service. Not law enforcement. This place has been f*cked for years.

[Unregistered]

I’ll start off by saying I do agree with your post. A lot of things need to change for me to stay. I’ve been at this agency nearly a decade, with that being said I’m also weighing my options of leaving. I haven’t seen enough changes to make me want to stay and I think many people are in the same boat. I feel this forum lost its momentum and people just got tired of posting and complaining, so instead they are just leaving in droves. Sometimes actions speak louder than words.

Half the investigators.... I mean detectives(waste of money for a measly attempt at a moral boost)or deputies I talk too are leaving or looking to leave. It’s really sad to see quality people just saying F*** it, I’ll start over. Let’s be real, going from investigator to 10-65 is a sh*tty gig, but hell the amount of money they will make I can’t blame them.

It doesn’t take a genius to see the “leaders” just cut insurance, benefits, and pto to give us a measly 5%raise. Only 3% over last year budget was requested. It’s like they just shake the magic 8 ball and see what decision they should make regarding our “compensation”. Oh ya I said it, compensation! Because Sheriff our compensation is currently Sh*t! Sheriff if you do read this 5% is not enough to keep me here. It’s hard to see the struggles when the top of the 17 list isn’t hurting for money. You preach that the employee is your greatest asset, well show us (I think I’ve read that before).

I can honestly care less about the community policing initiatives and hug a thuging we do at this agency because that’s the type of community we live in. But I will agree we are behind the times with uniforms and doing what’s best for the deputy, your greatest asset! I think we have beaten that dead horse enough in this forum, and I honestly think it’s not going to change. Deal with it or leave like the rest.

In regards to working details don’t be hating on a person just trying to provide for their family. I’m sure if we made better pay people wouldn’t work as much. Ask yourself why people are working details in the first place? I’m sure you will soon realize it’s because they are just trying to provide and give their family the best they can do. If we start fighting amongst each other the Ivory tower wins. It distracts us from there sh*t decisions. So let’s keep the hating towards the top of the 17 list. As the saying goes opinions are like a$$ holes everyone’s got one. I’ve got plenty regarding co workers but I’ll keep those to myself.

The real kicker for me was the pathetic attempt to give new hires with exp 10k over 4 years. Like really? WTF.... clearly we don’t care about keeping our current employees. Maybe the ivory tower decided it’s acceptable to have a high turnover rate, as long as we have the bodies on the road who cares. Problem now is they can’t even fill the road. The exodus is getting real peeps. Ivory tower take a learning point from the other agencies. Get your pay high and quick because then the employee can’t afford to leave, problem solved.

I will finish with this. I still like what I do but sh*t has got to change to keep this employee. Let’s also not talk crap about other employees because you feel the need to vent. Remember some departments have sh*tty leaders and they are forced to do the same old song and dance. Keep that sh*t to yourself and focus on the task at hand. Getting better “compensation” for the little guys or working to get a new leader. I hope I do not come off as a disgruntled employee, I rewrote this several times because of the anger I had in the first couple writings, I’m angry because I care. Enough rambling. To all my fellow employees, be safe out there.

[Unregistered]

Although I’m not a fan of personal attacks and I think trying to address the opioid crisis from multiple angles is admirable, I don’t completely disagree with everything mentioned in the original post. I happen to believe staffing and recruiting have been especially challenging to an agency without the option of throwing more money at the solution. However the situation isn’t impossible. I’d be willing to wager that not everyone at OCSO or OPD is overflowing with a sense of job satisfaction even with extra money and details. If I were responsible for marketing SCSO to prospective deputies I’d find out why. Could it be that many in law enforcement don’t want to feel like just a number, just another cog in the machine so to speak? Does 1 deputy out of thousands really have a voice? Can he or she legitimately influence policy and procedures at an agency that large? Fortunately, that doesn’t have to be a reality here at SCSO. We aren’t so large that a disconnect between all levels in the hierarchy is inevitable. That’s what we do (or did according to some) best. We empower employees to solve problems and get the job done. If those of us that answer the calls for service and interact with the citizens/tax payers on a regular basis require a baseball hat or the ability to remove some weight off their waist and onto their vests to enhance their effectiveness then please give that to them. I hate to admit it, but we cannot compete with the influence of the internet or the media. Our “brand” is no longer the ubiquitous green sheriff uniform. No one around here is from Florida and no one either cares, remembers, or lived here when that uniform meant anything more than just another “cop.” What sets us apart should be our professionalism and innovation in how we deal with people and problems.

Receiving constructive criticism or suggestions from your subordinates is not a sign of weakness or lack of discipline on your part. It’s just the opposite. It shows that your people feel valued enough to provide an opinion and trust you enough to share it with you. Being smaller than those other agencies can be a strength not a weakness. We can be more open to CHANGE and faster to implement it. If it takes a few beards and non-offensive forearm tattoos to bring in and maintain the best and brightest employees looking for more out of this job than a few easy Disney details then so be it. We’ve been on the forefront of changing the way we address addiction, why not keep that same energy and redefine what SCSO is today and what it will be tomorrow. As opposed to what we and the county were yesterday.

Remember, we aren’t nearly as bad off as some say we are; but we damn sure aren’t as good as we CAN be.

[Unregistered]

I can't believe any one of us would go so low to crap on one of our brothers. He would be there to have your back in a second when you need help. You should be ashamed of yourself.