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STEVE THOMPSONDarlene Greene criticizes Bob White's leadership in a debate, while he praises his work and that of his deputies.
NEW PORT RICHEY - In her signature, kelly-green jacket, Darlene Greene tried to chip away at Bob White's record as Pasco County sheriff Thursday evening.
The sheriff hopeful spent much of an hour-long debate criticizing White's leadership and his agency's performance during the past four years. "I just don't feel Bob White is as experienced as I am to be in the office of sheriff," said Greene, 57, who spent 31 years at the agency before resigning in 2000 when White took office.
In a business suit, White, 54, defended his own performance as well as that of his deputies, several dozen of whom attended the debate and applauded many of his comments.
White, who has spent his law enforcement career in several different agencies, touted his successes in four years as sheriff as evidence he deserves four more.
"I think the jury is still out on whether or not I can lead the Sheriff's Office," he told the audience at Pasco-Hernando Community College. "And I believe that will be determined on Nov. 2."
Greene took issue with White's 2001 disbanding of the agency's Domestic Violence Unit.
White said additional domestic violence training for all deputies has resulted in significantly more domestic violence arrests.
Greene complained that White has not equipped his deputies adequately, saying the agency does not have enough cameras to go around for photographing crime scenes.
White listed new Tasers, new laptop computers in patrol cars, new radios and an upcoming new report-writing system as evidence that Pasco deputies are better equipped than ever.
A moderator asked Greene to expand on her Web site's assertion that the agency suffers from "unpublicized outrageous mismanagement and confusion."
Greene said she was referring to a poor flow of communication between the ranks. She said deputies should have more input in the budgeting process.
"There's very little communication up and down," she said. "That's the mismanagement as far as I'm concerned."
Moderators also gave Greene a chance to explain her point of view that the agency under White has performed poorly in the battle against drugs.
She conceded that the narcotics unit under White has made some big drug buys, but said people she has talked with complain it takes days to get a response when they call about neighborhood drug problems.
"I know that it's time we take a look at some new techniques," she said. "There's nothing wrong with that."
White countered by saying that drug arrests have increased about 60 percent while he has been in office. He also pointed to 2003's Operation Bahama Breeze, which took down an organization dealing 30 kilos of cocaine a month.
"It doesn't matter what agency you're with, the techniques are basically the same," he said. " ... I would have to say that my vice and narcotics people are doing an excellent job. I'm proud of them, and I'll stand by them."
During the closing statements, the candidates summed up their arguments in metaphor.
"The proof is in the pudding," White said. "And in the last four years, your Sheriff's Office has delivered a superior product."
Greene countered: "If there are any cooks in the audience, you know that sometimes the pudding can get pretty watered down, and I think it's important to keep our spoon in the pudding to make sure that we know the right consistency."