Sheriff candidates Knight & Lavarello have arrest record

[News Flash]

Sheriff candidates Knight & Lavarello have arrest records

Tom Knight and Curt Lavarello have both been arrested and both are candidates in this year's sheriff campaign.

Tom Knight got into a bar fight when he was 22. Curt Lavarello got picked up for DUI in 2005. Both charges were eventually dismissed.

And both candidates say they have nothing to hide.

Lavarello mentions his DUI arrest at candidate forums. Knight has discussed details of his 1984 arrest both with his supporters. Police reports about Knight's arrest are not available.

Knight was on summer break from college. He went out drinking at a bar near the Venice bypass and got into an argument with some men known from high school.

Then they got into a fight. When Venice police arrived, Knight and another man were arrested and charged with disorderly conduct. Prosecutors eventually dropped the charge.

Knight said he included his criminal arrest record in applications to the Sarasota Police Department and Florida Highway Patrol.

"I learned my lesson," he said. "I used poor judgment -- but I was a 22-year-old kid. I had a lot of growing up to do."

Lavarello's case was written about in newspapers.

He was stopped and arrested at a DUI checkpoint in March 2005 at 2 a.m. At the time, he was an auxiliary deputy. He was charged with DUI and fired.

Lavarello initially refused a breath test at the checkpoint.

But records show that he was ordered by a supervisor to take a test. Lavarello registered 0.14 percent; Florida drivers are considered intoxicated at 0.08 percent.

Lavarello pleaded no contest to reckless driving and received probation.

Lavarello said, "I have gone out, had drinks and gotten behind the wheel. I don't duck it"

At the Florida Sheriffs Association, the head of law enforcement services said that the situation in Sarasota County is rare because two candidates for the office of sheriff have criminal arrest histories.

But Roy Hudson, a 35-year law enforcement officer, said that voters often look critically at the candidates and their arrest records.

Hudson said, "I'd like to think the average voter can get past an arrest record of somone who is running for the office of sheriff."

Source

Tom Knight and Curt Lavarello have both been arrested and both are candidates in this year's sheriff campaign.

Tom Knight got into a bar fight when he was 22.

Knight has discussed details of his 1984 arrest both with his supporters.

Knight was on summer break from college. He went out drinking at a bar near the Venice bypass and got into an argument with some men known from high school.

Then they got into a fight. When Venice police arrived, Knight and another man were arrested and charged with disorderly conduct.

"I learned my lesson," he said.

Soooo Tom Knight says he learned his lesson? :?:

Soooooo if Tom Knight got into ANOTHER fight after the first arrest... and if the second fight hasn't been reported to the media (yet), then did Tom Knight REALLY learn his lesson and is he really being honest and open? :roll:

We shall see!!!! :!:

Am I right, Tom Knight, or do you honestly not remember the next incident? :roll: Do you think people won't talk and won't come forward? Think again! :snicker:

[quote=thug tendancies]

Tom Knight and Curt Lavarello have both been arrested and both are candidates in this year's sheriff campaign.

Tom Knight got into a bar fight when he was 22.

Knight has discussed details of his 1984 arrest both with his supporters.

Knight was on summer break from college. He went out drinking at a bar near the Venice bypass and got into an argument with some men known from high school.

Then they got into a fight. When Venice police arrived, Knight and another man were arrested and charged with disorderly conduct.

"I learned my lesson," he said.

Soooo Tom Knight says he learned his lesson? :?:

Soooooo if Tom Knight got into ANOTHER fight after the first arrest... and if the second fight hasn't been reported to the media (yet), then did Tom Knight REALLY learn his lesson and is he really being honest and open? :roll:

We shall see!!!! :!:

Am I right, Tom Knight, or do you honestly not remember the next incident? :roll: Do you think people won't talk and won't come forward? Think again! :snicker:[/quote:1bn6bwgr]

Sounds like he kicked your AS* you sound a bit hurt.

Dunklee = Touches himself, Sexual Harrassment and MUCH more

Lavarello = Mr. DUI

Knight = Arrested for fighting

Gustafson = NOTHING
_________________________________

Sheriff Gustafson, we look forward to you taking over!

I was at the Cona Debate and at least Dunklee mentioned his sexual harrassments, and Lavarello mentioned his DUI, but why did Knight LIE and not mention he was arrested????

KNIGHT IS A LIAR

Soooo Tom Knight says he learned his lesson? :?:

Soooooo if Tom Knight got into ANOTHER fight after the first arrest... and if the second fight hasn't been reported to the media (yet), then did Tom Knight REALLY learn his lesson and is he really being honest and open? :roll:

We shall see!!!! :!:

Am I right, Tom Knight, or do you honestly not remember the next incident? :roll: Do you think people won't talk and won't come forward? Think again! :snicker:

Question: If someone is running for the office of sheriff, then should we expect him to have an arrest-free record?

I'm still not sure who I'll vote for but this Tom Knight sounds better and better. He sounds like a man that will not be bullied and will stand up for himself. I'll bet as a cop his partners could count on him cause he would not back down from a fight. Sounds like a guy that would stand up for his troops. Surely not a whimp. At least he does not pick on women.
I wish you guys the best and I hope you get a Sheriff that takes good care of you and your department, you deserve it.

Notice whoever from the Dunklee Camp changed the original article that ran in the Herald Tribune to their own version which is total BS... If you are going to copy an article, copy the real article don't change the headline and the opening paragraph scumbag.

This is what the newpaper reported.

Candidates know both sides of law

By Anthony Cormier
Published Sunday, June 22, 2008 at 4:30 a.m.
Last updated Sunday, June 22, 2008 at 3:25 a.m.

Two candidates in this year's sheriff campaign have seen both sides of Sarasota County's criminal justice system.

Tom Knight got into a bar fight when he was 22. Curt Lavarello got picked up for DUI in 2005. Both charges were eventually dismissed.

And both candidates say they have nothing to hide.

Lavarello mentions his DUI arrest at candidate forums. Knight has discussed details of his 1984 arrest both with his supporters and the media. Police reports about Knight's arrest are not available because it happened so long ago, and prosecutors did not press charges.

Knight was on summer break from Florida State University. He laid concrete block with his father's business in Venice and went out one night in August.

He and friends went to a bar near the Venice bypass, where the Harmony House is now, had some drinks and then had words with some men they knew from high school.

They fought. No one was hurt. When Venice police arrived, most of the men ran off. Two people were arrested, including Knight, who was charged with disorderly conduct. Two months later, prosecutors dropped the charge.

Knight said he has never lied about his arrest and that he included his criminal record in applications to the Sarasota Police Department and Florida Highway Patrol.

Both agencies hired him.

He admits to being "young and stupid" at the time, trying to be a bit too macho.

"I learned my lesson, I'll tell you that," he said. "I made a mistake. I used poor judgment -- but I was a 22-year-old kid. I had a lot of growing up to do."

Lavarello's case was written about in newspapers.

He was stopped at a DUI checkpoint in March 2005 at 2 a.m. At the time, he was an auxiliary deputy. He was charged with DUI and fired the same day.

Lavarello initially refused a breath test at the checkpoint.

But records show that he was ordered by a supervisor to take a test in order to keep his job. He agreed, as long as the results would not be part of a criminal case. Lavarello registered 0.14 percent; Florida drivers are considered intoxicated at 0.08 percent.

Lavarello pleaded no contest to reckless driving and received probation. He has spoken publicly about the case in the past, and admits that he made a mistake.

"I don't duck it," he said. "I have gone out, had drinks and gotten behind the wheel. It is something you should not do, and it's something I'm willing to be open and honest about. I made a mistake."

At the Florida Sheriffs Association, the head of law enforcement services said that the situation in Sarasota County is rare.

But Roy Hudson, a 35-year law enforcement officer, said that voters are often savvy enough to look critically at the candidates, regardless of mistakes candidates have made in their personal lives.

"John Q. Public sees that the candidate works hard, has good ideas and they had one bad night?" Hudson said. "I'd like to think the average voter can get past that.

"Especially if they open up about it and let people know they made a mistake."

Sounds like he kicked your AS* you sound a bit hurt.

You sound like a bully, just like Tom Knight. Are you going to kick my arse just because I disagree with your opinion? :? If those are the kinds of people following Tom Knight, then we need to distance ourselves from that kind of mentality. Thugs aren't needed in law enforcement.

Unbelievable. Every time I think "it's almost over," then something else weird creeps up. What are the chances of having two (2) candidates with arrest records who are running for the office of sheriff? Sarasota County is really making a name for itself in the State of Florida. :roll: