Supervisor Derry,
The POST issue aside, which we know will never be prosecuted like it should, have you been reading any of our posts regarding the issues with deputies and much higher ups within the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department committing crimes? The story below is a perfect example of why we have such an issue with your response that you support Sheriff Hoops.
You speak of the culture of corruption in San Bernardino County. I have worked for the county of San Bernardino for 30 years, including a number of years in the upper echelons of county government. The Board of Supervisors and County Administrative Office I worked for did not come close to being anywhere near as corrupt as the current BOS/CAO and two of those I worked for were charged with federal crimes, with one going to federal prison. I can only hope that the FBI does as thorough an investigation as it did the last time. I’ve seen enough to believe our current CAO and at least one board member belongs in federal prison as well.
But, that is not the point. The one department in this county that has been corrupt for decades is the Sheriff’s Department. There are some things that could be said about Frank Bland, but mostly he ran a very tight ship. That all changed when Floyd Tidwell became sheriff. Tidwell was the Mike Ramos of his time.
If you don’t believe me, ask anyone who has been around the Sheriff’s Department for a couple of decades or more, and they can tell you about Tidwell’s little black book, the prostitutes, Jean the BJ expert, and lots and lots more. Both Gary Penrod and Rod Hoops came up through the ranks under Tidwell and Williams.
Dick Williams did seem to try to restore some professionalism to the Sheriff’s Department, but that all went down the toilet as soon as Penrod became sheriff. Hoops has followed Penrod’s lead.
You don’t have to take a word I’m writing for truth. Ask Jim about what I’m telling you. He will be straight with you. Ask him about Rod’s “Captain’s Private Stock” or about the Explorer Scouts in Rancho and the panties that were left behind in a command post after a Hoops’ “visit.” Bill Abernathie was arrested and tried for having sex with an Explorer Scout. Hoops was given a free pass.
When we write about cops driving drunk, it is bad enough. But recently we have written about at least three deputies who have been involved in hit-and-run. You don’t see a problem with the fact they are all still on the job? Or how about the two deputies we know of where they drove drunk and got into accidents where people were injured. In each case they were part of the “chosen few.”
The issues that deputies are writing about on this blog regarding Sergeant Gina Perez are serious issues. Her decisions are putting taxpayers and citizens in harm’s way.
You don’t see an issue with a SED deputy with an obvious severe drinking and anger problem? Or with an Internal Affairs sergeant who lies in writing on behalf of guilty subordinates? Or a lieutenant at a jail who literally almost beat an inmate to death and the county had to pay a claim?
These issues are not simply personnel issues as you claim. They are serious criminal offenses that have many ramifications. First, there are Brady issues. What if one of these deputies investigated the murder of your mother, your wife, or child only to find out when it comes time for the defendant to be tried that the investigating officer has Brady issues that were covered up because he was a favorite son of Hoops?
Some of these drunk deputies have committed offenses near your home. What if next time it is your wife or son who is run over by one of them? Think of your young son, who is about the age of my nephew when a drunk driver hit him and the wheel of her car came to rest on top of him with him pinned under the vehicle? Will it then become an issue for you? Or will you be okay that it is handled as a “personnel matter” and never prosecuted? After all, it takes a long time to turn a ship around, right?
Think of the spectacle of an off-duty sheriff’s employee driving drunk on the freeway, getting involved in an accident, fleeing the scene and a CHP officer having to chase her down to a Denny’s restaurant where she hides in the women’s restroom and won’t come out. That’s okay? It’s nothing more than a personnel issue?
Ninety percent of the members of the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department are fine, outstanding employees who only want to serve the public, take bad guys off the streets, and go home in one piece to their families each day. Those are not the deputies we write about on this blog.
It is that other ten percent, many of whom are in management or the Executive Office. They are the chosen few who are protected by Hoops because of his own skeletons, lack of integrity and misdeeds. And yes, we have an issue with you and any other member of the Board of Supervisors who supports his behavior. There are things you can do about it and you know it. To say otherwise is a cop out.
Brad Mitzelfelt has never claimed to be ethical or honorable. Paul Biane is nothing but a crook and everyone knows it. Gary Ovitt also makes no claims about being ethical. Josie claims to be transparent. She is simply stupid. Neil, you are the one that chose to run on a platform of ethics. You are the one that chose to put yourself out there as the moral compass of the Board of Supervisors. Now you need to live up to your claims and promises. We understand you are only one vote. But there is still much you can do. It seems you choose to be all talk and no action when it comes to ethics and integrity in this county.
Wow Sharon you seem to have had a reckoning, I am late for a board meeting and I am planning on going to Bell and trying to launch recalls of Maywood and Huntington park and then hopefully LA County BOS and then are state and then Federal politicians. WE are truly in are last days and we all have a moral and ethical responsibility to fight bribers and corruption in our government.
On a quick note I spent nearly two years getting SB County to implement new forms and procedures in dealing with property bonds. That is where you post your property to the courts and do not need a expensive bail bond. I worked diligently with Pratt and Sgt Kopsas whom I found to be both good people. The SB County sheriff’s web site has know information on it about posting your property to the court. I was told that like the bail bond agents my flyer would also be in all 6 booking stations yet I have never received one call. It has been three years since starting on my trek but I have never been allowed access to the jails thru letters, advertising. They seemingly keep the bail bonds industry very well protected my site is http://www.diybb.com. You also never mentioned Kamansky can you please tell us how you feel about him and how it has effected your nervous system and stomach.
You are not there yet but this article seems that you are at least trying to come into the light. Keep up the direction you are going in it’s a long dangerous path but when you have God watching your back nothing is impossible. If it wasn’t for people like you, Barb, Bob Nelson, Al Vogler, Bosacki, Margie Mikels. league of women voters,Tony Orlik, Mr sellers and myself goverment would have a complete lock.on corruption and bribes. We need to understand the word Bribes and corruption better before we can understand how are goverment rapes us and are liberties on a baily basis. Politicians have and always well be corrupt. That is why we need simple polygraphs and until there is a outcry by voters will things change.
God Bless and have a wonderful day
ET Snell
Clown Community Activist
http://www.justice4jason.com
http://www.recallscalifornia.com
http://www.recallriley.com
http://www.diybb.com
http://www.calpra.com
http://www.justiceforallnewspapers.com
http://www.sheeppeople.com coming soon
http://www.zebradonkey.com coming soon
Sharon, you still have not answered the original allegation that brought me onto your original site. “The fact that Devereaux, Blough and Ovitt gave you what you wanted doesn’t make it okay.”
You have not answered my questions? What did I want and what did I get. You have refused to answer.
I am not going to debate you on goings on in any given department. If you have names, dates, times, and allegations, please forward them to me…not rumor, innuendo, and claims that have no backup but look really good in the enquirer.
I invite the FBI to San Bernardino County as well as any agency that wishes to look at problems here. I’ve has always stated that. We have problems here that the Board of Supervisors is incapable of handling by the nature of our powers.
But, I am not going to debate allegations with you. It isn’t useful, and it isn’t legal. Feel free to email me your concerns, I have no problem having a discussion, but these constant attacks on people are not going to solve these matters or advance dialogue.
Whether you like it or not, I cannot publish every activity I am involved in, nor can you and you know it. I am not Don Quixote, nor will I take up his mantle. I have a job to do, and believe me, it takes up most of my time and staff’s time.
“It seems you choose to be all talk and no action when it comes to ethics and integrity in this county.”
Sharon you know better than this….
When Averbeck was running for Sheriff he demanded that a grand jury investigate the POST issue but I guess that went by the way side as not being important.
There are several Deputies, a couple of DUI’s involving un-becoming behavior by a deputy and one where a domestic violence was involved, where these people remain in there current positions. I do understand innocent until proven guilty. But this has never stopped the department in the past by conducting an investigation into an allegation and transferring the deputy out of the division to another division while the investigation is being conducted.
No body should remain in an elite detail when they do what these people have done. Only time will tell.
You go, girl.
Supervisor Derry,
It appears to me that the reason you are pushing the “ethics office” proposal is to give you and the other sups an easy way out whenever another part of the culture of corruption becomes public knowledge. “My peers and I did everything possible to prevent this sort of problem by establishing and funding the Ethics Commission. The Commission obviously failed in this instance and the BOS will take a long look at revamping and fine tuning both the mission and the appointees of the Commission. You can be assured that your BOS takes this failure very seriously and will do everything possible to prevent any future ethical failures by any San Bernardino County employee or Department, according to David Wert in a press release”.
Mr. Derry, as a Semper Fi survivor, SCE (real world) employee, and more than 30 years old, do you see the same problem I do with your “ethics commission” proposal? The problem I have with your proposal is why on earth do you need to tell adults right from wrong? I really believe Jerry Eaves knew he should not let Shep pay for his ‘Vegas trip. I really believe Harry Mays knew he should not take that 4 million dollar kick back. And I really believe that every sitting member of this BOS knows right from wrong. Establishing another layer of “accountability” really will not prevent future misdeeds by individuals when they will profit from that misdeed. Perhaps you and your peers should concentrate on doing what is best for your constituents. Such as doing everything possible to improve the county’s economy and doing everything in your power to attract jobs to this county.
Supervisor Derry,
I guess we are at an impasse. I send you emails. I’ve been sending you emails since before you were a supervisor. And since you became a supervisor and since Devereaux became CAO, more often than not I send those emails to you, Brad and Greg. They are for the most part ignored. By putting the information on the blog at least I know it is being read and not round-filed without even being opened.
Brad is Brad and there is not a thing I can do to get in to his good graces. He will hate me forever. Greg had his mind made up about me before he ever became CAO. But I used to think I had at least had a fair shot with you. I don’t feel that way any more.
I really don’t get your attitude about the SBSD. I’ve defended you repeatedly over the SEBA donations, but I really am beginning to think you really are bought and paid for by the Sheriff’s Department. I can’t think of another reason for your support of someone who is just as corrupt as Mike Ramos. You are not even willing to look at the facts surrounding Hoops and what he is doing to the department and your constituents.
Anyway, it is what it is.
At $400,000.00 bucks Mr. Derry would need to get on the polygraph to convince most, he is not bought and paid for. Just another politician who graduated the Cal Worthington school of salesmanship.
Sorry Mr.Derry some of your comments about SBSD send up some red flags. I would not have said anything if, you would have at least contacted and spoke with say Mark Averbeck and see what evidence he might of had when he went public and took a different approach on the POST issue.
Guess your not familiar with the County Charter Amendmant that allows the BOS to remove public officials for cause with a majority vote?You all used that when the Postmus issue came up. Remember the one Ruthie advised you on, that it would take a long time to get Postmus out and over $1m to do it?
If your going to tell us that ONLY Postmus met that criteria to date, save your breath.
It’s the same one that Sheriff Penrod and Controller Larry Walker challenged, and the BOS at the time gave them $100,000.00 for legal expenses, they lost in Superior Court and wanted more money to appeal it?
Now I am not suggesting that action be taken against Hoops, but there is another elected official that is pretty close to the issue.
My point is, don’t tell us there is nothing you can do except control other elected officials budgets.
I do understand it is difficult for you to sway some votes when at least 2 of your fellow BOS members have demonstrated some serious issues of honesty in the obtaining free medical care.
It is what it is.
To Neil Derry
I’m pretty sure you don’t write your blogs. I say this based on my phone calls to you but only get as far as George Watson. Here is an idea on my newest blog to help security and get jobs here.
http://www.free-electric4u.blogspot.com
Up coming related info:
Subject: SD-342
Wednesday, Sep. 15, 2010
2:30 pm
Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs: Subcommittee on Oversight of Government Management, the Federal Workforce, and the District of Columbia
Hearings to examine implementation, improvement, and sustainability, focusing on management matters at the Department of Homeland Security.
This information was put together after seeing on TV,
Mike Mc Connell, former Director of National Intelligence (2007-2009)
Aspen Institute July 7, 2010
Titled: Cyber Security
Cyber war / conflict against Electric grids was a major topic.
http://www.c-span.org Aug. 9, 2010.
I tried adding a little thought full humor on my blog. Please don’t feel offended.
Details
SD-342 Homeland Security:
http://www.free-electric4u.blogspot.com
Mr.Derry:
You and the rest of the Board of Supervisors have also had problems that you could take care of that you have kicked the curb with out as much as a second thought. This whole we don’t have any power song and dance is getting very, very, old! It’s time that the public takes back power from undeserving politicians that aren’t doing their jobs! That are dealing in corruption,pay off’s and just braking what ever laws they want to. While others are just as guilty in the Board there of just sitting back and watching from the side lines. You took an oath that said you would serve the people and to protect the people and that means all the people not just the ones you like. And it even means going against other board of Supervisors when they are not doing what they are suppose to be doing. In the County there’s a thing called chain of command! If the chain is broken the buck stops with you, and the rest of the board. “So has there been any more Small Businesses Ruined at the hands of the County and the Board of Supervisors?”