Do you really want a City Marshall for Sheriff?

[spoiler]

I see where Mr. Adkinson has piled in the money to his campaign. I hope you good folks down south really know what you are in for. Looks like much of his money is from family. Those roots sure run deep. Are you guys down there awear of exactely how deep they run? If you guys wish to go back to the old way of having deputies get ready. Do you remember the years of the pre Johnson sheriff? Does anyone know the realtionship between the city marshall, the city attorney, and the former sheriff? They are all related! Aside from that, take a look at Adkinsons experience. He has not led anything before he was "chosen" remeber who the city attorney is, as the citys top cop, so he has 3 years on the job, not really proven if you ask me. Look what we got with Johnson and he had 25 years on the job. We have some pretty cars and the officers make better money than ever before in Defuniak, but that is no sign of a true leader. Look at the big picture Walton County! On second thought, maybe we should elect him and get us a new police chief
Alton Whitaker

 

[wrobert]

I see where Mr. Adkinson has piled in the money to his campaign. I hope you good folks down south really know what you are in for. Looks like much of his money is from family. Those roots sure run deep. Are you guys down there awear of exactely how deep they run? If you guys wish to go back to the old way of having deputies get ready. Do you remember the years of the pre Johnson sheriff? Does anyone know the realtionship between the city marshall, the city attorney, and the former sheriff? They are all related! Aside from that, take a look at Adkinsons experience. He has not led anything before he was "chosen" remeber who the city attorney is, as the citys top cop, so he has 3 years on the job, not really proven if you ask me. Look what we got with Johnson and he had 25 years on the job. We have some pretty cars and the officers make better money than ever before in Defuniak, but that is no sign of a true leader. Look at the big picture Walton County! On second thought, maybe we should elect him and get us a new police chief
Alton Whitaker

Certainly not endorsing a specific candidate but if you are going to take shots at someone, facts would be more apt change a person's mind.

I emailed Adkinson and asked him for his experience. This was his response to me:

Thank you for inquiring with me directly. I will be a as succinct as possible. I have held various supervisory or management position during my career, each with varying duties and levels of responsibility. In total this about 7 years prior to my current position, of which I am now in my 3rd year. First, I would like to provide a brief explanation of the hierarchy of the law enforcement agencies that I previously worked. Both of these agencies like most law enforcement agencies are set up on a paramilitary model, with each level subordinate to the next. For instance, a special agent would work for a special agent supervisor or trooper would report to a corporal. Different agencies have different identifiers for their supervisors that can be somewhat confusing. I was promoted to from an officer to a senior officer position in 1997.

In 1998, I was selected to oversee the Global-Positioning project for the 2nd Judicial circuit (Leon, Wakulla, Gadsden, Jefferson and Liberty counties). I was the first officer in the state of Florida to hold that position. In that position, I reviewed budgetary considerations and inventory for the project. Additionally I handled the scheduling for officers that were added to participate as the program advanced. I provided evaluation and review about the program to my superior Assistant Secretary R. Nimmer. At that time, the State of Florida mandated that I attend line supervision school. While in that capacity I was selected the lead field contact for auditors from O.P.P.G.A (The Office of Policy Program Analysis and Governmental Accountability). I provided explanations and reports as needed to satisfy their inquiries. I represented the Department in providing presentations to the Senate and House committees that where evaluating this program. In 1999, I was assigned to oversee the field office located in Jefferson County. To my knowledge, I was one of the youngest officers to achieve that rank in the 25,000-member department. I oversaw all operations of said office (Law enforcement and general administrative duties). I reported to the Deputy Circuit Administrator located in Tallahassee.

While working on the GPS Project for the State I had the opportunity to present a case study before the FDLE Commissioner Tim Moore and various other law enforcement chief executives from throughout the state. At that time Commissioner Moore inquired if I had ever considered working for FDLE, Then Tallahassee Police Chief Walter McNeil (Now Secretary of the Department of Corrections) was also, privy to this conversation and knowing that I had won a completive paid internship there (while in college) made reference to the possibility of my coming to the Tallahassee Police Department. At that time, I was awaiting finalization of a new position that had been created at Headquarters. This was to be a purely administrative position and I was reticent at that point of my career to give up law enforcement fieldwork for it. I was in an interview with Chief McNeil about a month later discussing my working for them on a part time basis. Chief McNeil asked if I would consider leaving the state and I made a decision to accept. I was hired two days later. That processes typically takes a year. After accelerating me through their Field training Program, I was asked to go back into that program as a first line supervisor/FTO. There was a five-year minimum at the Tallahassee Police Department before being considered for that position. The Program at the Tallahassee Police Dept. is a full time assignment, which is different from most agencies. This is due to the agency?s size (3rd largest in Florida). This requirement was waived by the Deputy Chief of Police at the recommendation of the division Captain. I immediately began to supervise, train, and evaluate new officers. This included written evaluations that were used to determine whether said officers was to be retained or dismissed. I recommended disciplinary actions to the Program Administrator. An interesting sidebar to this job assignment is that a squad with recruits is larger than the patrol division of DeFuniak Springs Police Department at the time I arrived. As point of interest I was assigned to the Criminal investigations Division on a continual basis in 2001 (Burglary and then later Homicide/Assault). The cases were assigned were assigned to only a handful of officers outside their prospective divisions.
During that time I was selected to be part of the Department?s Strategic planning team to assign budgetary and departmental priorities for their 42 million dollar budget. Additionally I am an adjunct instructor (primarily teaching use of force and ethical issues) at the Pat Thomas Law Enforcement Academy. This is one of the finest law enforcement academies in the country. It is the current home to all state law enforcement agencies?s training academy as well as that of the Tallahassee Police Department.

 

[booya]

And now the rest of the story?Since Mr. Adkinson has been appointed the City Marshall at the end of 2005 his budget has continued to climb at an astronomical rate. I guess that comes from his experience in Tallahassee. The fact is that in a time when most governmental agencies have had to figure out ways to cut back the DeFuniak Springs Police Department budget has continued to increase at an enormous rate. In 2005 when Adkinson took over the police department the budget was $916,941.00 and in 2008 it is $1,746,480.00. For those that don?t have a calculator handy that is an $829,539.00 or 90% increase in just a few short years. This information is not an opinion but it is fact and also public record. You can take a look at this yourself by visiting http://www.defuniaksprings.net/budgetexpenditures07-08.pdf (page 5).

 

[wrobert]

And now the rest of the story?Since Mr. Adkinson has been appointed the City Marshall at the end of 2005 his budget has continued to climb at an astronomical rate. I guess that comes from his experience in Tallahassee. The fact is that in a time when most governmental agencies have had to figure out ways to cut back the DeFuniak Springs Police Department budget has continued to increase at an enormous rate. In 2005 when Adkinson took over the police department the budget was $916,941.00 and in 2008 it is $1,746,480.00. For those that don?t have a calculator handy that is an $829,539.00 or 90% increase in just a few short years. This information is not an opinion but it is fact and also public record. You can take a look at this yourself by visiting http://www.defuniaksprings.net/budgetexpenditures07-08.pdf (page 5).

And you emailed Marshal Adkinson and asked him why this occurred? Or are you just drive by posting trying to disparage a candidate.

 

[dawg1029]

Yes his budget has increased! but he is striving to pay his people a decent or comparible salary, which includes over time, and holiday pay, Maybe if he is elected the Sheriff's Department will become more active, than worrying about wearing their hats, Which can you tell us, does Walton County Sheriff's Office, pay over time or Holiday pay?

 

[ShallowsNole]

Comp time....

As spouse pointed out on the other thread, it's not that alarming to those who are long-term familiar with the DFSPD that the budget went up. Heck, it just about had to. Salaries alone...law enforcement officers don't choose their careers based on pay, but for all they have to put up with and worry about, I think we could agree that $20K a year is a bit sad.

This is not a political endorsement. But, if we're going to have mud fights, we need to look for things that are really wrong.

 

[idlewind]

Comp time....

As spouse pointed out on the other thread, it's not that alarming to those who are long-term familiar with the DFSPD that the budget went up. Heck, it just about had to. Salaries alone...law enforcement officers don't choose their careers based on pay, but for all they have to put up with and worry about, I think we could agree that $20K a year is a bit sad.

This is not a political endorsement. But, if we're going to have mud fights, we need to look for things that are really wrong.

Why is it a "mud fight" to question a budget that goes up 90% in a short time? Wasting money that belongs to us all is one of my major beefs with ralphie. I certainly don't want to trade one wasteful spender for another. The candidates record of fiscal restraint is germane to the discussion and not mud slinging IMHO.

 

[wrobert]

Why is it a "mud fight" to question a budget that goes up 90% in a short time? Wasting money that belongs to us all is one of my major beefs with ralphie. I certainly don't want to trade one wasteful spender for another. The candidates record of fiscal restraint is germane to the discussion and not mud slinging IMHO.

True. But just like the school budget or the county budget which has seen double digit increases, one year the BCC budget went up 57%, a look into just what was purchased may be in order.

The statement was not made to illicit a thoughtful discussion. A drive by poster dropped a link and disappeared so that those that choose not to research or ask would get a negative impression. Not much different than a push poll. But that is the way politricks are done.

 

[ShallowsNole]

And my point was that it took a lot of money to bring the DFSPD up to speed. Once upon a time, the WCSO was widely known as the training ground for FHP, other state agencies, other counties - because most of the folks who started their careers with WCSO and didn't get tied down to the area, left. Back it up one step further, the DFSPD was pretty much the training ground for the WCSO. Or, sometimes, the place for displaced WCSO employees, which is why I became extremely familiar with it. :roll:

Many folks don't realize that historically, Walton County (ALL branches of government, and municipality too) was the laughingstock of Northwest Florida. We are still infamous, for different reasons. But don't sling us back to the days where the politicians smiled for the cameras while turning half their budgets back to the BCC at the end of the fiscal year, while the employees had antiquated equipment, meager pay, and low morale.

Should the budgets continue to grow? Not astronomically, but you have to finish what you start.

 

[Teresa]

I see where Mr. Adkinson has piled in the money to his campaign. I hope you good folks down south really know what you are in for. Looks like much of his money is from family. Those roots sure run deep. Are you guys down there awear of exactely how deep they run? If you guys wish to go back to the old way of having deputies get ready. Do you remember the years of the pre Johnson sheriff? Does anyone know the realtionship between the city marshall, the city attorney, and the former sheriff? They are all related! Aside from that, take a look at Adkinsons experience. He has not led anything before he was "chosen" remeber who the city attorney is, as the citys top cop, so he has 3 years on the job, not really proven if you ask me. Look what we got with Johnson and he had 25 years on the job. We have some pretty cars and the officers make better money than ever before in Defuniak, but that is no sign of a true leader. Look at the big picture Walton County! On second thought, maybe we should elect him and get us a new police chief
Alton Whitaker

a professional police chief selected based on experience and performance, working through the ranks, etc, sounds like the kind of person I would love to have in charge of law enforcement around here. but no, we have to elect a sheriff based on who has the money and manly friends. talk about an antiquated system. :roll:

also, I like a professional cop with a big budget. it takes a lot of work to create and implement programs, bringing a department up to speed as it should have been long before. if you have a department head with a budget that barely changes, you typically have a static department with little or no real leadership or progress. at least that is my experience in city govt.