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scooterbug44

SoWal Expert
May 8, 2007
16,732
3,330
Sowal
Question - does a new Sheriff have the power to fire staff w/o giving any reason? :dunno:

Instead of a union (I certainly haven't been impressed or won over by any of the pro-union postings BTW), I would much rather see more transparency or better employment rules that protect the employees from politics, but still give the Sheriff leeway to work with the budget (which is only going to get smaller) and deal w/ personnel issues.
 

Bob Wells

Beach Fanatic
Jul 25, 2008
3,380
2,857
Well scooter, I was not attempting to impress you with my PRO-UNION stance, transparency or better employment rules would be a great idea, BUUUUTTT, these are POLITICS, and in this case you do what you have to do. In an IDEAL SOCIETY, where fairness and truth rule supreme and you live in a Utopia, but obviously that ain't here. Sorry. I think most of the post have been an atempt to educate and rebut out right falsehoods. In the end scooterbug this will not be decided by me, nor will it be decided by you unless you are a Deputy.

Bob
 

eagle11rb

Beach Comber
Jul 18, 2008
25
8
The figure I heard was 150 deputies, but for the sake of argument lets say 120. 120 divided by 4 shifts is 30 deputies. Allowing for 25% on some sort of leave, that would be 22 deputies. I would think that 22 people could more than cover Walton County. Let's let the new Sheriff look things over before we do anything.

Keep doing your math.........out of the 120, you then take out the deputy investigators, the deputy SRO's, the deputies serving civil papers, the deputies that work the court houses, the K-9 deputies, etc.... does not leave much on patrol........... it would be very nice if there was 22 deputies working a shift!
 
Last edited:

lets go fishin

Beach Crab
Sep 24, 2008
4
3
Meet the Walton County Sheriff Candidates Save Email Print
Posted: 10:16 AM Oct 23, 2008
Last Updated: 10:59 AM Oct 23, 2008
Reporter: Alex Denis
0 comments

A | A | A
The race for Walton County Sheriff has been heated from the beginning.
During the primaries six Republican candidates challenged incumbent Sheriff Ralph Johnson for his spot. DeFuniak Springs town marshal, Michael Adkinson, walked away with the nomination.
Democrat candidate and state trooper Danny Griffith ran unopposed.
Both Walton County sheriff candidates were born and raised in DeFuniak Springs. They say their hometown roots help them understand what the community needs from its sheriff.
Both agree that the new sheriff will be responsible for rebuilding relationships with the residents of Walton County, but they have different plans for the future of the department.
For 31 years Democrat candidate Danny Griffith has proudly called himself a Florida Highway Patrol trooper. He says his commitment to law enforcement and to Walton County inspired him to run for sheriff.
Danny Griffith said, "I'm very dedicated to law enforcement and very dedicated to this community. I've been that way all my life here."
A family man, Griffith married his Walton High School sweetheart 34 years ago. They have two daughters and three grandchildren.
Griffith says if he becomes sheriff, the first thing on his agenda will be the budget.
"I would want to look at the finical department. What I would like to have is someone with at least an accounting degree or either a certified accountant to take care of the financial matters. I think we need to do that to restore the public's trust."
Griffith's campaign revolves around the idea of creating what he calls a transparent sheriff's department. He wants every resident in Walton County to know, as sheriff, their opinions matter to him.
"I would really like to see input from the citizens on other county agencies as well as employees at the department. Once we do that I think it will probably make for a very smooth department, a very good transition."
Griffith says the lessons he's learned throughout his long career set him apart from his opponent.
"It's what I call 31 years of life experience, dealing with people on a day to day basis. And that can be in good times and it's been in distressing times also. That's an invaluable experience that no one can get at any type of learning institution."
Republican candidate Michael Adkinson says the first love of his life is his wife and two daughters, but law enforcement is a close second.
Michael Adkinson said, "I'm a law man. That's what I do. I don't have another job. I've never had another job. This is all I've ever wanted to do."
Adkinson has a combined 10 years of management experience. Since 2005 he's served as the city marshal for the DeFuniak Springs Police Department.
"My staff and I have done a good job at the DeFuniak Springs PD of modernizing and bringing stuff up to speed. We've started the accreditation process. We've tried to look at the best practices to serve the citizens of the community to make sure they?re getting the level of service they deserve. That's the same approach we'll take at the sheriff's office."
Adkinson is confident in his plan for the sheriff's department. He says his agenda would start with the deputies, which would not including firing the entire staff.
"It is unheard of for a sheriff to come in and dismiss everyone in the agency, and we've certainly heard these types of rumors before. The deputies on the ground, the staff need to understand what's expected of them, so my first priority will be to restructure and reorganize and go in front of the deputies and say here is the way we want to do business."
Adkinson says as sheriff his first commitment would be to the people of Walton County.
"You should feel like you can walk in the front door of the sheriff's office and be able to see the sheriff. We've gotten to the point in this county that that's something special. Somehow, doing your job and being accountable of the people has become some tremendous attribute when really that's just the way you should do business."
To learn more about Michael Adkinson, log onto his website at
www.mikeadkinsonjr.com.
To learn more about Danny Griffith, e-mail him at griffithforsheriff@gdsys.net.

wjhg.com


well someone has thought about letting people go!!!!!!
 

Bob Wells

Beach Fanatic
Jul 25, 2008
3,380
2,857
LGF
Are you suggesting by MA comment, he is intent on terminating some employees:shock:. Might be what has been the concern from the get go, DG kind of indicates a change in the finacial department.:yikes: Can't see why the Deputies would want to protect their jobs with a UNION.:D

Bob
 

lets go fishin

Beach Crab
Sep 24, 2008
4
3
That's what I am trying to say. I can see moving your top around. But as I read it the deputies are the 1st thing on his list. NOONE SHOULD LOSE THEIR JOB!!!!!!
 

Bob Wells

Beach Fanatic
Jul 25, 2008
3,380
2,857
That's what I thought, I suppose all those other folks will be here shortly to explain how that is alright and needs to be done to trust the new Sheriff and allow him to do whatever they want to do, blah blah blah

See you at the polls, stop by and say hi. I will be at Good News UMC.

Bob
 
Tell me Idlewind, where do the standards for Law Enforcement staffing come from, seeing how you are so informed.:dunno: Surely there is a deputy to population ratio out there. Please inform me and tell me where I can find it seeing as I am seeking your knowledge.:roll: Tell me why those deputies might take 2 hours to ensure that their case is well documented as a start to prosecution, and please tell me how long a deputy must secure the scene before and after a robbery, because unlike you I don't know.:dunno: Share facts instead of just throwing an idlewind :blush:at us because it sounds as though you are concerned. Facts are what I need, not conjecture.:bang:

Bob


In order to be a good neighbor I decided to find the answer to your inquiry above. 15 minutes and a computer yielded the following information:

Deputy Ratio per 1000

Bay...............2.46
Escambia......1.34
Holmes.........0.54
Jackson........0.96
Okaloosa......1.74
Santa Rosa...1.22
Washington..1.35
Walton.........2.72

State Average.1.70

So, by FDLE's figures Walton Sheriff's Dept. has one more deputy per thousand than the state average. Their ratio is the highest in the area and in fact has the 3rd highest ratio in the state. The Dept. would need to eliminate 51 positions to get down to the state average. Considering the DeFuniak Police ratio is 3.4, the argument could certainly be made that Walton County is the most well protected county in the area.:yikes:

I also found salaries on the FDLE website:

Bay.................$32,000
Escambia........$32,895
Holmes...........$22,500
Jackson..........$28,000
Okaloosa........$32,656
Santa Rosa.....$29,670
Washington....$27,700
DeFuniak PD...$29,700
Walton DOC....$34,500
Walton SD......$32,887

So, the Sheriff's Dept. has the 2nd highest salary for officers of the area Sheriffs and the 3rd highest overall behind Escambia SD and Walton DOC.:blush:

Are officers unhappy? Attrition rates for the three departments in Walton County:

DeFuniak PD........27.8%
Walton DOC........ 8.1%
Walton SD...........14.8%

So there is no great exodus from the Sheriff's Dept as opposed to others.:shock:

Hope these are the answers you wanted. If you want more FDLE and myflorida.com has a wealth of information. Hope I am no longer "ignorant" as regards the arcane business of how many officers we have.:D
 

Bob Wells

Beach Fanatic
Jul 25, 2008
3,380
2,857
Idlewind, although you appear to have found all this wonderful information, I would have appreciated more had you gave me the websites.

This makes me ask more questions. I wonder how each department decides how many deputies they need, Deputy/ Population ratio?

I wonder if the Deputy/ Population ratio is based on all employees or just sworn LEO's?

If the wages as listed above is the Departments averages or if that is the starting pay for a brand new, I just started my job Deputy?

That you don't think a 14.8% exodus is not high and DFS PD is 27.8% and the MA is running the department?

That you have indicate where you found this information but did not leave the website to peruse? Idlewind I appreciate the effort and this as it seems has prompted more questions than answers for me. Alas, it won't make a difference in the end because your support for MA appears well entrenched and I SUPPORT THE DEPUTIES AND THERE RIGHTS TO FAIR AND EQUITABLE TREATMENT NO MATTER WHO HIRED THEM.
 

WhoDat1

Beach Lover
Oct 23, 2008
154
56
Santa Rosa Beach
In order to be a good neighbor I decided to find the answer to your inquiry above. 15 minutes and a computer yielded the following information:

Deputy Ratio per 1000

Bay...............2.46
Escambia......1.34
Holmes.........0.54
Jackson........0.96
Okaloosa......1.74
Santa Rosa...1.22
Washington..1.35
Walton.........2.72

State Average.1.70

So, by FDLE's figures Walton Sheriff's Dept. has one more deputy per thousand than the state average. Their ratio is the highest in the area and in fact has the 3rd highest ratio in the state. The Dept. would need to eliminate 51 positions to get down to the state average. Considering the DeFuniak Police ratio is 3.4, the argument could certainly be made that Walton County is the most well protected county in the area.:yikes:

I also found salaries on the FDLE website:

Bay.................$32,000
Escambia........$32,895
Holmes...........$22,500
Jackson..........$28,000
Okaloosa........$32,656
Santa Rosa.....$29,670
Washington....$27,700
DeFuniak PD...$29,700
Walton DOC....$34,500
Walton SD......$32,887

So, the Sheriff's Dept. has the 2nd highest salary for officers of the area Sheriffs and the 3rd highest overall behind Escambia SD and Walton DOC.:blush:

Are officers unhappy? Attrition rates for the three departments in Walton County:

DeFuniak PD........27.8%
Walton DOC........ 8.1%
Walton SD...........14.8%

So there is no great exodus from the Sheriff's Dept as opposed to others.:shock:

Hope these are the answers you wanted. If you want more FDLE and myflorida.com has a wealth of information. Hope I am no longer "ignorant" as regards the arcane business of how many officers we have.:D

We are in the midst of a know it all people.....:D

Thats starting pay sir, it does'nt change the fact that a rookie makes just as much as I do, as ther are NO step increases. Not to mention all those other agencies get paid to go to court, dl hearings, depositions and paid for hours worked over. WE DON'T.:dunno:

Also, you fail to take into consideration deputies assigned to baliff duties, investigations, school resource officer, civil process, transportation, training....etc...etc...Your research does'nt change the fact that we are still short handed in patrol(especially now that we have been ordered to take all of our comp time on the books).:bang:

Again, your love for information should compel you to schedule a series of ride alongs.....so how about it idle?
 
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