05-28-2009, 11:47 AM
A demoted Lee County sheriff’s major won’t be getting back his former rank and higher pay.
The sheriff’s Civil Service Board voted 4-1 Wednesday to let stand Scott Ciresi’s demotion from major to captain, resulting in a $21,000-a-year pay cut.
“There is just cause for the demotion to the rank of captain,” said sheriff’s Lt. Jim Brown, board chairman.
Only board member Chris Arey, a detective, dissented. “I don’t believe he was demoted correctly,” Arey said.
Ciresi was demoted in late March by Sheriff Mike Scott.
Scott testified that he demoted Ciresi because of poor leadership and communications skills, including repeatedly not returning phone calls.
The sheriff removed Ciresi from command of the Special Operations Bureau, which includes the SWAT team and the narcotics and vice, gang, intelligence and sexual predator units. He was made captain of Echo District, which includes parts of east and south Fort Myers.
Ciresi appealed to the Civil Service Board, claiming there was no legitimate reason for his demotion and that the reasons for his reduction in rank weren’t put in writing.
“Quite frankly, we don’t know why this happened. His personnel record shows no disciplinary action leading up to the demotion. This action was not supported by the rules and should be reversed,” Ciresi’s attorney, Doug Wilson, told the board.
However, Scott testified that Ciresi held a command level rank — the third highest in the agency — and answered to the sheriff.
“The sheriff has the ability to reorganize, conduct investigations and to demote. I don’t write reports to myself,” Scott said.
There were plenty of reasons to demote Ciresi, the sheriff said.
Scott said that over the past two years, Ciresi repeatedly didn’t return phone calls. “We live in a day and age where there is no excuse for not returning phone calls and e-mails,” the sheriff said.
During the time Ciresi oversaw Special Operations, seven SWAT team members resigned at the same time, Scott said. The sheriff said that since Ciresi’s demotion, most of those deputies have rejoined the SWAT team.
Scott said the end result was that he decided to remove Ciresi from Special Operations and give him a smaller command at a lower rank.
The sheriff’s Civil Service Board voted 4-1 Wednesday to let stand Scott Ciresi’s demotion from major to captain, resulting in a $21,000-a-year pay cut.
“There is just cause for the demotion to the rank of captain,” said sheriff’s Lt. Jim Brown, board chairman.
Only board member Chris Arey, a detective, dissented. “I don’t believe he was demoted correctly,” Arey said.
Ciresi was demoted in late March by Sheriff Mike Scott.
Scott testified that he demoted Ciresi because of poor leadership and communications skills, including repeatedly not returning phone calls.
The sheriff removed Ciresi from command of the Special Operations Bureau, which includes the SWAT team and the narcotics and vice, gang, intelligence and sexual predator units. He was made captain of Echo District, which includes parts of east and south Fort Myers.
Ciresi appealed to the Civil Service Board, claiming there was no legitimate reason for his demotion and that the reasons for his reduction in rank weren’t put in writing.
“Quite frankly, we don’t know why this happened. His personnel record shows no disciplinary action leading up to the demotion. This action was not supported by the rules and should be reversed,” Ciresi’s attorney, Doug Wilson, told the board.
However, Scott testified that Ciresi held a command level rank — the third highest in the agency — and answered to the sheriff.
“The sheriff has the ability to reorganize, conduct investigations and to demote. I don’t write reports to myself,” Scott said.
There were plenty of reasons to demote Ciresi, the sheriff said.
Scott said that over the past two years, Ciresi repeatedly didn’t return phone calls. “We live in a day and age where there is no excuse for not returning phone calls and e-mails,” the sheriff said.
During the time Ciresi oversaw Special Operations, seven SWAT team members resigned at the same time, Scott said. The sheriff said that since Ciresi’s demotion, most of those deputies have rejoined the SWAT team.
Scott said the end result was that he decided to remove Ciresi from Special Operations and give him a smaller command at a lower rank.