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Error-prone deputy quits

The eight-year Pinellas sheriff's veteran admits to the blunders that prompted a four-month inquiry.

By CHRIS TISCH
Published August 24, 2005

LARGO - It took Pinellas sheriff's Deputy David Dane only about a half-hour to realize something was wrong with his training officer.

"Things are different on midnights," field training Officer John Henry told him on his first night of training this spring, Dane recalled. "There are no constitutional rights."

Over the next 13 nights, Dane took notes after a series of blunders by Henry. He documented 51 incidents in which Henry stopped people for no legal reason, let people drive away with suspended licenses or failed to tell dispatchers his location.

In addition, authorities say, Henry booked a man into jail who had a knife in his pocket. Henry's badge and wallet also were stolen by a prisoner after he forgot the items in his back seat at the beginning of his shift.

Henry, 45, resigned last week after a four-month investigation into his behavior. The eight-year sheriff's veteran would have been fired had he not stepped down, sheriff's officials said.

In an interview with investigators, Henry admitted he made a series of mistakes but said he was a good deputy. He had trained only one other deputy before Dane.

Dane had 16 years of law enforcement under his belt, but had quit the Sheriff's Office several years ago to go into business. When he returned earlier this year, the agency required retraining and Dane was paired with Henry, sheriff's officials said.

Dane reported his concerns to sheriff's officials after his stint with Henry.

What investigators found, according to Sheriff's Office records:

Henry failed to alert dispatchers to 25 instances in which he pulled someone over or made contact with a citizen. It's agency policy that deputies tell dispatch of their activities.

Out of 50 traffic tickets he wrote, Henry improperly directed 32 of them to St. Petersburg traffic court, which is near his home, rather than traffic court in north Pinellas County.

Forced Dane to drive up to 95 mph on Interstate 275 with no lights and sirens; and to drive up to 90 mph on 66th Street N with intermittent lights and sirens.

Pulled a 16-year-old and her teenage friends over around 3 a.m., then allowed the girl to drive home even though her license didn't allow her to drive at night unless she was accompanied by someone 21 or older.

Allowed numerous people to drive with suspended licenses after pulling them over, telling them that what they did after the traffic stop was none of his business.

Pulled over two black men without cause and told them they had just left a known drug area. He let the men go. Another man told investigators that Henry told him it was dangerous to be a "white man" walking in a certain neighborhood at night, records state.

Virtually ignored an assault complaint by talking to the victim from the driver's seat of his squad car. Henry didn't get out of the car to investigate and didn't write a report on the incident.

Ran a red light and sped to a call that was not an emergency.

Dane told investigators that Henry also told him he was a "lone wolf" and that on the midnight shift, "everybody gets stopped."

Sheriff's officials said Henry's actions were isolated.

Didn't properly search a prisoner who had a knife in his pocket. Jail deputies later found the knife.

Forgot his badge and wallet in his back seat, then arrested a woman and drove her to the jail. The woman stole his badge and wallet.

Allowed several people to drive away even though their licenses were suspended.

Forced a deputy he was training to speed.

Source: Pinellas County Sheriff's Office

[Last modified August 24, 2005, 01:14:20]