The link above may seem like week old news and Ella Mae Walters arrest is week old news BUT that link is a NATIONAL registry of folks arrested or convicted of insurance fraud.
So Walton Counties claim to fame is that we made it into the big league of crimes and are now on a NATIONAL registry for insurance fraud. We should be so proud.
That's bad enough...but we also hire convicted felons because we don't do background checks on prospective employees. Let that sink in a minute...
Now imagine a road crew working in front of your house (with the convicted felon on the crew) who is checking out your house and keeping track of your comings and goings. One night you come home after a long day at work only to find you've been ROBBED.
Prior to the Sheriff taking over WCFR they didn't even do Level 2 background checks on firefighters or EMT'S. Your child, elderly parent or yourself are suddenly taken ill and you need an ambulance and the convicted felon shows up and you let him in your house. While you or your loved one is hospitalized your home is broken into by the convicted felon who you let in the door trusting that they were there to help....not to help themselves to everything you have worked for all your life.
I often hear people complain that the Sheriff has to many irons in the fire...from WCFR, the jail, a current movement to take over Child Protective Services (not a bad thing) but the irony is, the current BCC can't be bothered to even do minimal background checks on new hires! I'll take the Sheriff!
Just for informational purposes;
A Level 2 background check in Florida will pull up any offense, whether in Florida or elsewhere in the United States. A Level 2 FBI Background Check is provided for in Section 435.04 of the Florida Statutes. If you have ever been arrested for any of the crimes below in Florida or anywhere in the U.S., you may have issues getting your license or being employed, even if later the case was expunged.
(a) Section 393.135, relating to sexual misconduct with certain developmentally disabled clients and reporting of such sexual misconduct.
(b) Section(NNN) NNN-NNNN relating to sexual misconduct with certain mental health patients and reporting of such sexual misconduct.
(c) Section 415.111, relating to adult abuse, neglect, or exploitation of aged persons or disabled adults.
(d) Section 782.04, relating to murder.
(e) Section 782.07, relating to manslaughter, aggravated manslaughter of an elderly person or disabled adult, or aggravated manslaughter of a child.
(f) Section 782.071, relating to vehicular homicide.
(g) Section 782.09, relating to killing of an unborn quick child by injury to the mother.
(h) Chapter 784, relating to assault, battery, and culpable negligence, if the offense was a felony.
(i) Section 784.011, relating to assault, if the victim of the offense was a minor.
(j Section 784.03, relating to battery, if the victim of the offense was a minor.
(k) Section 787.01, relating to kidnapping.
(l) Section 787.02, relating to false imprisonment.
(m) Section 787.025, relating to luring or enticing a child.