Morale 101

No matter what the powers to be claim, the morale at MCSO is the lowest it’s been in a long time. Many of the line officers and correctional officers are unhappy about their treatment and training. They are being kept in line by their administrative superiors by intimidation. I have talked to a number of corrections officers lately and they claim that only the officers who “kiss butt” get the training and raises are scarce. They will not speak out as they are in fear for their jobs. Anyone who speaks out is generally threatened with losing their job or placed under a trumped up investigation with a landslide of paperwork to answer again and again until they are either fired or quit. This is their mode of operation. The statement I heard at one of the public forums about a group of officers waiting until the November elections to decide whether to put in their resumes to other law enforcement agencies is in fact true. I spoke to some of this group. All are in fear of losing their job is they tell anyone. Two corrections officers informed me that they were presented a form by their immediate supervisor pledging to support Ramsay in the upcoming election. Those that refused were told that Col Ramsay, who is really out of touch with his troops, would be notified as to their refusal. No intimidation??
We have a great bunch of officers who try to do their job well and would jump at the opportunity to get additional training. Too bad they all have to be in fear of the flat topped axe man. We expect the command staff to argue this issue but why wouldn’t they? They all, for the most part, ride a desk at a salary of approximately 100K. Let’s not rock the boat. Eh guys?

If Colonel Ramsay's staff are going to officers on the job to request they support Ramsay then that is a violation of law. Ramsay should know better and so should they. However it appears he believes he is above the the law and he is "now ready to be sheriff".

I would suggest to all those who have been intimidated into signing for fear of losing your jobs to NOT vote for him. We in the county realize you must be under enormous pressure to act supportive of this domineering bully. I don't personally know the other man running for sheriff but I have viewed his website http://www.peteck4sheriff.com and his facebook page http://www.facebook.com/Peteck4Sheriff

I find his views refreshing and honest. Mr Ramsay has had 8 years to help get the sheriffs office right. I listened to the videos of the debates before and after the primary on Mr. Petecks website. Mr Ramsay has taken credit for all aspects of the sheriffs office operations and yet he seems out of touch with the public and the officers in the corrections dept and on the road. I do agree with the above writer. Its time to try something different. It can get worse than it is now and I believe that with a new leader at the helm that promotes open door policies we in the county will have better services over all. I also like that Mr Peteck wants to make the county a training facility and increase revenues. My taxes can use a break and this is something in 8 years Mr. Ramsay has not had the insight to develop as he appears he only knows how to spend sheriff dept money not make it.

I do agree it is time for a fresh perspective and not the same old thing. I strongly suggest to the officers that have been required to agree to support Mr.Ramsay to vote for a leader they would be proud to support and not one they are bullied by. Sound like Mr Peteck would promote based on merit and not based on what you know about who you Know, bubba system, now in place.

Sign me a very vocal to my friends, neighbors and my blog readers
a concerned person who is not intimidated. (don't you be either)

If Colonel Ramsay's staff are going to officers on the job to request they support Ramsay then that is a violation of law. Ramsay should know better and so should they. However it appears he believes he is above the the law and he is "now ready to be sheriff".


You are entirely right. It is a violation of the federal Hatch Act. And so is the colonel running for office while still employed at the MCSO.

See http://www.osc.gov/haStateLocalwhoiscovered.htm Remember the colonels own words...He is intimately involved in every aspect of the administration at the Sheriffs Office. He has made that claim at every public forum. He supervises everyone who is responsible for the money received from the federal government. Everything from body armor to the administration of the HIDTA program.

The primary purpose for the Hatch act was to prevent the type of behavior we are witnessing the Colonel and his admin staff participate in on a daily basis. Every day I am hearing about harrassment of deputies and citizens who support Tom Peteck. Think about it for a moment, if the colonel was no longer the colonel and running for sheriff, would anyone at the SO support him?

Now I have heard some complaints were made to the Fed Gov. and yes they can be made anonymously. More importantly why hasn't the local news organizations covered the topic? They certainly tried to gig Sheriff Bob when he was running for office 4 years ago.

No matter what the powers to be claim, the morale at MCSO is the lowest it’s been in a long time. Many of the line officers and correctional officers are unhappy about their treatment and training. They are being kept in line by their administrative superiors by intimidation. I have talked to a number of corrections officers lately and they claim that only the officers who “kiss butt” get the training and raises are scarce. They will not speak out as they are in fear for their jobs. Anyone who speaks out is generally threatened with losing their job or placed under a trumped up investigation with a landslide of paperwork to answer again and again until they are either fired or quit. This is their mode of operation. The statement I heard at one of the public forums about a group of officers waiting until the November elections to decide whether to put in their resumes to other law enforcement agencies is in fact true. I spoke to some of this group. All are in fear of losing their job is they tell anyone. Two corrections officers informed me that they were presented a form by their immediate supervisor pledging to support Ramsay in the upcoming election. Those that refused were told that Col Ramsay, who is really out of touch with his troops, would be notified as to their refusal. No intimidation??
We have a great bunch of officers who try to do their job well and would jump at the opportunity to get additional training. Too bad they all have to be in fear of the flat topped axe man. We expect the command staff to argue this issue but why wouldn’t they? They all, for the most part, ride a desk at a salary of approximately 100K. Let’s not rock the boat. Eh guys?

$100K seems to be a big, magic number for the malcontents. By statute, Peteck , if he were to get elected (LOL) would be making over $100K.

Would he then be one of the bad guys too? Just curious.

$100K seems to be a big, magic number for the malcontents. By statute, Peteck , if he were to get elected (LOL) would be making over $100K.

Would he then be one of the bad guys too? Just curious.

You are obfuscating the point. Go ahead I will give you some time to Google the definition.

(insert theme music from final jeopardy)

Tom Peteck and others including many taxpayers are concerned that there are so many administrators making over $100K. No one has questioned the salary for the head honcho, el numero uno, the big cheese in the head chair. After all as you state his salary is set by State Statute.

To put it in simplistic terms, no one should make over $100K to ride a desk at the MCSO no matter their sense of self importance. Answer me this....Why does Ramsay make more than the Sheriff?

Does anyone else think its amazing that from the time Ramsay was promoted to LT Detective in 2000 at a salary of 48,692.00 to his rank promotion as colonel in 2004 at 95,000.99 to his now colossal salary 135,774.78 that he has accumulated massive COLA and merit increases constantly?
Breakdown of increases are...

01/27/00 Promotion to Lieutenant $48,691.00
03/03/00 HIDTA $51,612.44
01/08/01 promotion $59,354.31
09/24/01 Salary Act $62,322.05
10/01/01 7% COLA/merit raise $66,684.59
10/01/02 4% COLA/merit raise $69,351.97
08/18/03 Promotion Lt Col $80,000.00
10/01/03 2.4% COLA $81,928.00
01/06/04 Promotion Colonel $95,000.00
10/01/04 10.25 COLA $104,737.50
06/13/05 5% salary adjustment $109,974.38
10/01/05 8.3% COLA/merit $119,102.25
10/01/06 3.4% COLA $123,151.73
11/04/06 5% merit increase $129,106.83
01/10/07 Corrected merit $129,309.31
01/06/09 title change from colonel
to under-sheriff chief deputy
10/01/11 5% COLA $135,774.78
10/24/11 Removal of 10% HIDTA Pay $135,774.78
(however no $ change)

Increase of salary over 12 years of $87,083.78
on average that works out to be a $7,256.98 yearly increase

How many of the officers have received 7% to 10% Cost Of Living (COLA) raises?
To go from 48,691,00k in 2000 to 95k in 2004 is a increase of $46,309.00 averages over 11k a year.
All I can say is WOW! not bad for a person who failed the Lieutenants exam twice...May 1994 & March 1996 no record of a exam retake after that or a passing grade...

and yes.... this is all public record.
I guess it pays to know what you know about who you know, If you know what I mean.
If not just ask Colonel McDonalds ex-wife... too bad we can't ask her sister anymore...

Does anyone else think its amazing that from the time Ramsay was promoted to LT Detective in 2000 at a salary of 48,692.00 to his rank promotion as colonel in 2004 at 95,000.99 to his now colossal salary 135,774.78 that he has accumulated massive COLA and merit increases constantly?
Breakdown of increases are...

01/27/00 Promotion to Lieutenant $48,691.00
03/03/00 HIDTA $51,612.44
01/08/01 promotion $59,354.31
09/24/01 Salary Act $62,322.05
10/01/01 7% COLA/merit raise $66,684.59
10/01/02 4% COLA/merit raise $69,351.97
08/18/03 Promotion Lt Col $80,000.00
10/01/03 2.4% COLA $81,928.00
01/06/04 Promotion Colonel $95,000.00
10/01/04 10.25 COLA $104,737.50
06/13/05 5% salary adjustment $109,974.38
10/01/05 8.3% COLA/merit $119,102.25
10/01/06 3.4% COLA $123,151.73
11/04/06 5% merit increase $129,106.83
01/10/07 Corrected merit $129,309.31
01/06/09 title change from colonel
to under-sheriff chief deputy
10/01/11 5% COLA $135,774.78
10/24/11 Removal of 10% HIDTA Pay $135,774.78
(however no $ change)

Increase of salary over 12 years of $87,083.78
on average that works out to be a $7,256.98 yearly increase

How many of the officers have received 7% to 10% Cost Of Living (COLA) raises?
To go from 48,691,00k in 2000 to 95k in 2004 is a increase of $46,309.00 averages over 11k a year.
All I can say is WOW! not bad for a person who failed the Lieutenants exam twice...May 1994 & March 1996 no record of a exam retake after that or a passing grade...

and yes.... this is all public record.
I guess it pays to know what you know about who you know, If you know what I mean.
If not just ask Colonel McDonalds ex-wife... too bad we can't ask her sister anymore...

Well researched, in an OCD sort of way.

The entire Peteck campaign is to run down Ramsay, as Peteck has no real resume. Not a bad guy, but here's a guy who has never seen a budget, made a managerial decision, or even took a sergeant's test.

Please research and post Peteck's work record so we can compare his resume and skills to Ramsay's. It won't take long.

$100K seems to be a big, magic number for the malcontents. By statute, Peteck , if he were to get elected (LOL) would be making over $100K.

Would he then be one of the bad guys too? Just curious.

You are obfuscating the point. Go ahead I will give you some time to Google the definition.

(insert theme music from final jeopardy)

Tom Peteck and others including many taxpayers are concerned that there are so many administrators making over $100K. No one has questioned the salary for the head honcho, el numero uno, the big cheese in the head chair. After all as you state his salary is set by State Statute.

To put it in simplistic terms, no one should make over $100K to ride a desk at the MCSO no matter their sense of self importance. Answer me this....Why does Ramsay make more than the Sheriff?

I see someone has a word of the day calendar. Nice. Maybe you'll do better on the next promotion exam.

Why not research what other agencies pay people to "ride a desk"? Peteck, nor you obviously, have ever been in management and have the patrolman's mentality on running an organization. Pay correlates to experience,responsibility, and the ability to lead. Peteck never chose that career path.

Peteck is not a bad guy, but he's never seen a budget or had to make managerial decisions. He brings no real ideas to the table, other that "Ramsay makes too much" and the deputies will get a raise. Talk about pandering.

There has been no viable challenger to Ramsay in the entire election. His Republican primary opponents, aka "the beer gut brigade", had negative track records in law enforcement besides not having any idea on how to run an agency.

Ramsay has the experience and leadership qualities to run the agency. Any rational person can see that.

If posting the truth about Ramsay is considered running Ramsay down, then wouldn't Ramsay be the problem to begin with... Granted he may have some experience but he also lied about his unblemished record. With at least 5 IA investigations in his file, I don't think one could forget that... I think I would rather vote quality not quantity. You can't learn people skills in a classroom that takes one to one on the job. Something that after observation of Ramsay, in my opinion he doesn't seem to posess. Education doesn't always equal leadership skills. Any successful employer can tell you that.

I see someone has a word of the day calendar. Nice. Maybe you'll do better on the next promotion exam.

Promotion exam ???? I am retired and have been for several years. In fact my first promotion process was under Sheriff Freeman. Back then it was done on merit using an assessment center. And Yes I was one of six who was promoted that year to sergeant. I left the SO shortly after Sheriff Freeman's passing.


Why not research what other agencies pay people to "ride a desk"? Peteck, nor you obviously, have ever been in management and have the patrolman's mentality on running an organization. Pay correlates to experience,responsibility, and the ability to lead. Peteck never chose that career path.

Research ,what research is necessary other than life experience and comparative work product analysis? I said earlier I left the SO, while I was working away from the SO, I still had friends and family in this county and have kept informed on what is happening.
Yes, I promoted several times during my career, but never lost my patrolman's perspective while in my administrative jobs. That perspective served me and those I led well. To answer your second point, Pay does not correlate to experience, responsibility and the ability to lead. A payroll schedule is what correlates to experience and responsibility. The ability to lead has nothing to do with either pay or a pay schedule you either have it or do not. Simply raising someone's pay does not bestow upon them any leadership ability. I can think of several people that illustrate that point.

Having said that there are no jobs in this SO that require a salary(other than the aforementioned sheriff's salary) in excess of 100K. You must remember it is the taxpayers who set our respective salaries, not the individual chosen to fill the job. There are many qualified individuals in the MCSO who would fill the admin ranks for a salary that is fair to the citizens while at the same time compensating them for the additional responsibilities.


Peteck is not a bad guy, but he's never seen a budget or had to make managerial decisions. He brings no real ideas to the table, other that "Ramsay makes too much" and the deputies will get a raise. Talk about pandering.

We will have to agree to disagree on this point. You call it pandering, I call it fiscal responsibility to lower admin salaries and call it the "right thing to do at the right time" to raise a deputies salary to be competitive with our immediate neighbors in our own county.


There has been no viable challenger to Ramsay in the entire election. His Republican primary opponents, aka "the beer gut brigade", had negative track records in law enforcement besides not having any idea on how to run an agency.

You'll get no arguments from me on that point, but Tom has never been a member of any "beer gut brigade".


Ramsay has the experience and leadership qualities to run the agency. Any rational person can see that.

So now, anyone with a differing point of view is irrational. That's about par for the view of the Ramsay campaign. Thank God, we have a choice in this election.