Sheriff Balkwill needs to read the rules

[News Flash]

Sheriff Balkwill needs to read the rules

Deputies working for Sarasota County Sheriff Bill Balkwill are bound by General Order 1.1, a list of ethics rules.

I wonder if the sheriff has read it lately.

His Rule No. 9 says that, because it it important for those representing government to guard against even the appearance of unfairness, law officers "shall be firm in refusing gifts, favors and gratuities which can, in the public mind, be interpreted as capable of influencing their judgment in the discharge of their duties."

Being firm that way is a good idea. You don't want a deputy deciding who is to be handcuffed after a scuffle if one party is buying the deputy a case of beer or, for that matter, dinner for two at the Cafe L'Europe.

But it seems the sheriff figures that, as the top cop, this order doesn't apply to him.

Or maybe he just figured no one would notice a few freebies. That was almost the case, given that he hasn't been reporting the biggest freebies, though state law requires he report all gifts.

He reported some. A leather jacket he got for free, for instance, but which he then donated to a charity.

But when he granted a $9 million contract for jail medical services to a company, he should have figured the word would eventually get out about his being wined and dined, first by that company's CEO.

You probably read the news story this week about the sheriff's fishing trip with guide, boat and bait provided on Lake Okeechobee two years ago -- when the lake still had enough water and hadn't caught fire -- with the cost covered by Armor Correctional Health Services.

The company CEO went along, as did two consultants for Armor, one of them a retired sheriff paid to tout its services.

Judging by email records of the palsey-walsey e-chat between Balkwill and the CEO before and after, a good ol' time was had by all. The next year, after some free dining at Cafe L'Europe, Balkwill ditched the bidding process that had resulted in another company's getting the recommendation to provide jail medical services. He went with Armor.

Was the sheriff improperly influenced by the fishing trip and other freebies?

No way, Balkwill told a Herald-Tribune reporter, and he added that it was all routine and that another company took him to dinner, too. So what could be wrong?

It's hard to judge the effect of being wined and dined and freebied, even when you are the giftee. But there is a reason that so many sales are made that way in the business world.

Balkwill, however, is no businessman. He's an elected public servant and not entitled to be greased when making purchase and contract decisions with taxpayer money.

Even if he doesn't think his department's rules apply to him, the sheriff is supposed to follow state laws. One requires that he not accept lobbyists' gifts worth more than $100. His share of the Lake Okeechobee trip alone was worth well over that limit.

Remember what happened to Jerry Regier a few years ago, after Gov. Jeb Bush hired him to fix the struggling Department of Children and Families?

Right when it seemed he was working out well, Regier's administration collapsed after a state auditor concluded that he and two of his top aides had accepted gifts from companies and programs holding lucrative contracts with the agency.

The aides resigned, and Regier soon followed.

Sheriff Balkwill is serving out his last term as planned. He doesn't see an issue.

It's all business as usual.

Source

Where is FDLE? Hello! Clear statute violations! Business as usual? This guy is going to walk away with one hell of a pension and away from a smoldering pile of burning chit which used to be a pretty damn good SO.
Tom Lyons is an ankle biter. If he had some stones, he'd run this one way up the flag pole.

The sheriff CAN VIOLATE ANY GENERAL ORDER HE WANTS. As long as he doesn't violate state statute he can do whatever/whenever he wants.
:lol:

LISTEN #1 MORON.....B.B. IS A VIOLATION......WHY DON;T YOU GO PACK YOUR BAGS AND HEAD TO MICHIGAN WITH HIM YOU IDIOT.....

I never said Balkwill is NOT a complete moron. I just pointed out that he is allowed to violate general orders.

LISTEN #1 MORON.....B.B. IS A VIOLATION......WHY DON;T YOU GO PACK YOUR BAGS AND HEAD TO MICHIGAN WITH HIM YOU IDIOT.....

Bill Balkwill is fiersely loyal to his cronies, even when they are destroying his credability with the public, but he's the one who has to suffer for that intelligence defect.

MY APOLOGIES MORON #1 I MISUNDERSTOOD YA BRO....I'M WITH YA WHEN YOU SAY B.B. CAN VIOLATE ANY ORDER...MY BAD...BUT YOU AND I STILL KNOW HE IS JUST AN IDIOT...

He need to loss to GOD comlex. I've got more patrol and investighative time then that bozo. Hell I have more than the staff. At the end of the day, I can sleep like a baby, Can they?

:evil:
Eaves-droping from Hills. Co.
Ya'll may want to pass that last post on to the group over there seems not to many over there will listen to me... Armor has even gone as far as bringing in new execs in to CLEAN house to get new staff for less $$$$, less skills, more agency; one in particular- Correctional Nurse Staffing- they co-own it!!! Can we say conflict of interest?!?
What about the CEO who wined & dined your sheriff? He's been CONVICTED & LIED about FELONY tax evaision!!!! Need proof look up- Lancaster, Pa/Doyle H. Moore.
There is an administrator for medical @Hills Co. that flies to/from Michigan every wkend on the company dime-who pays the company???
No wonder why their contracts are so much more than everyone elses.

:evil:
Eaves-droping from Hills. Co.
Ya'll may want to pass that last post on to the group over there seems not to many over there will listen to me... Armor has even gone as far as bringing in new execs in to CLEAN house to get new staff for less $$$$, less skills, more agency; one in particular- Correctional Nurse Staffing- they co-own it!!! Can we say conflict of interest?!?
What about the CEO who wined & dined your sheriff? He's been CONVICTED & LIED about FELONY tax evaision!!!! Need proof look up- Lancaster, Pa/Doyle H. Moore.
There is an administrator for medical @Hills Co. that flies to/from Michigan every wkend on the company dime-who pays the company???
No wonder why their contracts are so much more than everyone elses.

WHO CARES ITS freaking Inmate medical. Does it really matter. NO. They should pay their own. If it isnt life threatning then why should we even care....Geez people ..Lets just get Balkwill retired so we can focus on fixing this agency. Maybe they will build a tent city for the prisoners. I could really care less what they do with them. Get the freaking jail to the board of county commisioners. Its more trouble than its worth.