After all the recent news on corruption taking place in various law enforcement agencies, someone actually thinks its OK... Why has no local (Sun or Herald) made mention of this news story?
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Ex-city marshal hopes to return (with DOCUMENT)
Comments 16 | Recommend 3
Ray Burgess, who left office in 2005, is 1 of 3 candidates in April 14 election
March 15, 2009 - 10:03 PM
Andrew Gant
Daily News
DeFUNIAK SPRINGS - Ray "Buddy" Burgess, a former city marshal who retired under ethics complaints and criminal charges for falsifying documents, is trying to reclaim the office that has been vacant since Mike Adkinson became Walton County sheriff in January.
If he wins the April 14 marshal's election, Burgess would return to law enforcement more than three years after he lost his police certification, paid thousands of dollars in fines and faced censure and reprimand from the state Commission on Ethics.
"People are going to make their choices," he said Saturday. "Most people know me ... The circumstances, they're not just plain black and white."
Burgess faces two opponents: Police Capt. Mark A. Weeks, the acting supervisor at the DeFuniak Springs Police Department, and Walton County Sheriff's Deputy Jimmy Macon, who ran for sheriff last year.
Burgess pleaded no contest in 2005 to charges that, as city marshal, he falsified documents to help a Walton sheriff's deputy avoid re-certification testing. One of Burgess' employees quit under pressure to help him.
He retired after the first-degree misdemeanor plea. Gov. Charlie Crist last year ordered Burgess to pay $3,500 in civil penalties.
The ethics commission also found probable cause to believe Burgess enlisted a police officer to report fraudulent overtime hours so the officer could receive more pay and kick back the money to Burgess.
Burgess still denies those allegations. They were dropped from his civil punishment, according to ethics commission spokeswoman Kerrie Stillman.
On Saturday, Burgess said he invites residents to call him if they have questions about his past.
"I'll give them my side of the story and they can make their own conclusions," he said, adding that he's taken responsibility for the falsifications "to help a fellow law officer."
Weeks and Macon did not immediately return phone calls seeking comment.
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Ex-city marshal hopes to return (with DOCUMENT)
Comments 16 | Recommend 3
Ray Burgess, who left office in 2005, is 1 of 3 candidates in April 14 election
March 15, 2009 - 10:03 PM
Andrew Gant
Daily News
DeFUNIAK SPRINGS - Ray "Buddy" Burgess, a former city marshal who retired under ethics complaints and criminal charges for falsifying documents, is trying to reclaim the office that has been vacant since Mike Adkinson became Walton County sheriff in January.
If he wins the April 14 marshal's election, Burgess would return to law enforcement more than three years after he lost his police certification, paid thousands of dollars in fines and faced censure and reprimand from the state Commission on Ethics.
"People are going to make their choices," he said Saturday. "Most people know me ... The circumstances, they're not just plain black and white."
Burgess faces two opponents: Police Capt. Mark A. Weeks, the acting supervisor at the DeFuniak Springs Police Department, and Walton County Sheriff's Deputy Jimmy Macon, who ran for sheriff last year.
Burgess pleaded no contest in 2005 to charges that, as city marshal, he falsified documents to help a Walton sheriff's deputy avoid re-certification testing. One of Burgess' employees quit under pressure to help him.
He retired after the first-degree misdemeanor plea. Gov. Charlie Crist last year ordered Burgess to pay $3,500 in civil penalties.
The ethics commission also found probable cause to believe Burgess enlisted a police officer to report fraudulent overtime hours so the officer could receive more pay and kick back the money to Burgess.
Burgess still denies those allegations. They were dropped from his civil punishment, according to ethics commission spokeswoman Kerrie Stillman.
On Saturday, Burgess said he invites residents to call him if they have questions about his past.
"I'll give them my side of the story and they can make their own conclusions," he said, adding that he's taken responsibility for the falsifications "to help a fellow law officer."
Weeks and Macon did not immediately return phone calls seeking comment.
