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Dispute at home costly to deputy

By SHEELA RAMAN
Published January 15, 2007

The Pinellas County Sheriff's Office has demoted and suspended a lieutenant for interfering with Largo police when they responded to a Nov. 29 call at her residence.

Sheriff's Lt. Kimberly Klein blocked officers who tried to restrain her out-of-control daughter, and then failed to tell officers there was crack cocaine in her daughter's car, according to the sheriff's internal affairs report.

"It's not something we frequently have to do," Chief Deputy Dennis Fowler said of Klein's demotion.

Klein was at home with her three children on Nov. 29, when Largo police were dispatched to investigate a report of domestic battery. It was approximately their 38th visit to the residence in the past five years, Largo police Sgt. Mark Young reported in an e-mail.

They found Klein's 18-year-old daughter, Stephanie, to be hostile and violent, scratching and biting her brother Kris, 21, to get her car keys from him, Young said.

Klein was dressed in full uniform because she had returned from her duty on the midnight shift to address the situation at her home.

She physically blocked officers who attempted to restrain Stephanie, saying, "Get your hands off my daughter," according to police. She then went outside with her son to search Stephanie's car.

When she returned from the search, she failed to tell police officers that she had recovered crumbs of crack cocaine. The officers had to find this out for themselves, police said. When asked why she did not tell officers right away, she allegedly responded: "No one asked."

Stephanie Klein was booked on charges of domestic battery, resisting with violence, criminal mischief and assault on a police officer.

The Sheriff's Office conducted an internal investigation, and determined that Klein deserved a 15-day suspension and a demotion to deputy status, which would decrease her salary from $84,621.68 a year to $65,901.26, sheriff's spokesman Sgt. Jim Bordner said.

The consequences of Klein's actions were especially harsh because she already had disciplinary points against her from three months ago, during her time as boot camp commander, Fowler said.

"Her interactions with staff were adversely affecting the boot camp," he said.

Klein, who will complete her 15-day suspension on Jan. 28, has been employed by the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office since 1983.

[Last modified January 14, 2007, 21:41:59]