Three deputies and a sergeant accused of "extreme loafing and idling" have been fired by the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office.
In announcing the terminations Tuesday, Sheriff Bob Gualtieri said the deputies "essentially cheated taxpayers out of well over $24,000" for failure to work during their assigned shifts during the second half of last year.
Two more deputies were suspended on charges of idling and "lack of self-initiated activity." One of those also failed to have a GPS unit repaired.
"We believe our findings are a snapshot of what was going on for a longer period of time. This is behavior that will not be tolerated, and they are being held accountable," Sheriff Gualtieri said. "They weren't doing their jobs, they don't deserve to work here anymore. I think it's an embarrassment to the agency, an affront to who we are."
Gualtieri, who was appointed sheriff by Gov. Rick Scott last year, is running for re-election this year against former Sheriff Everett Rice. Rice has criticized Gualtieri for, among other things, alleged abuse of power by the agency's narcotics officers.
Guatieri said the deputies intentionally concealed their cruisers, disconnected their agency required GPS devices, and left their assigned areas in order to go home, visit family, or idle in other locations. They responded to calls if dispatched but did not initiate any law enforcement action for hours at a time. One, according to Gualtieri, even watched a movie while working.
The alleged excessive inactivity by the deputies was documented when it occurred for more than one hour, the sheriff said.
A seventh deputy was named in an original investigation, but the charges against him were unsubstantiated.
"I want to see us do 100 percent, 100 percent of the time," Gualtieri continued. "We want to make sure we are providing what people are paying for."
Here are the officers fired and a summary of the accusations against them:
- Deputy Kenneth L. Burroughs
Hired: Oct. 1, 1996
Age: 42
Idling and loafing during July 1-Dec. 31 amounted to 172 instances, for a total of 285 hours, or 35 eight-hour work days of inactivity. At his base pay rate of $27.3934 per hour, that amounted to $7,807.11 in salary paid for duties allegedly not performed. - Deputy Robert G. Harmer
Hired: June 10, 1990
Age: 42
Accused of idling and loafing time totaled 180 instances, amounting to over 251 hours, or 31 eight-hour work days of inactivity on the job. At his base pay rate of 31.2888 per hour, that amounted to $7,853.48 in salary paid for duties allegedly not performed
- Deputy Samuel Mitchem
Hired: May 2, 1994
Age: 42
Accused of idling and loafing time totaled 212 instances, amounting to over 314 hours, or 39 eight-hour work days. Based on his pa rate of $28.6699 per hour, that amounted to 39 eight-hour work $9,002.34 in salary paid for duties allegedly not performed. - Sgt. Christopher W. Metro
Hired: Jan 13. 1991
Age: 43
Accused of failure to supervise squad members (including Burroughs and Mitchem), neglecting supervisory responsibilities, failure to use available technology and other tools to monitor staff activities, leaving his area of assignment and idling, going to personal residence. Ten instances in all of idling of at least one hour each, having knowledge of the deputies' idling and failure to act. Admitted to watching a movie while on duty.
The following deputies were suspended:
- Deputy Brian T. Clark
Hired: April 27, 1998
Age: 40
Suspended for one day, accused of lack of self initiated activity, about four instances of idling. - Robert J. Wojciechowski
Hired: 12/1/86
Age: 46
Suspended for two days, accused of lack of self-initiated activity, failure to have a GPS unit repaired, and about 4 instances of idling.