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Sheriff demotes accused lieutenant
Lt. Craig Baxley offered to step down after he was accused of harassing a female deputy.
By AUSTIN BOGUES
Published July 7, 2007
BROOKSVILLE - With the Hernando County Sheriff's Office investigating allegations that he harassed a female colleague, an officer in the agency offered to be demoted, according to a report released Friday.
Sheriff Richard Nugent took him up on the suggestion.
Nugent sustained the allegation against Lt. Craig Baxley but did not further punish him. Baxley, who was supervisor of the special operations division and supervised school resource officers, is now a road sergeant.
Documents show that on May 23, Baxley asked a female deputy questions deemed inappropriate while interviewing her for a position as a resource officer at the STAR alternative school in Brooksville. Baxley was accompanied by a sergeant during the interview.
The report states Baxley asked Deputy Deena Groves how she would react to sexual advances from students, questions he did not ask the three other job applicants, all of whom are male.
Baxley also reportedly told a sergeant that he had reservations about putting a female deputy into the position.
According to the investigation, Baxley told Groves that he could lose his job for asking the questions, but he went ahead. Using graphic terms, he asked her what she would do if one of the students told her that she had a nice body.
Groves began to cry during the interview, the report notes, but later she said that she did not believe Baxley's comments were a personal attack.
Instead, she said, they indicated to her his reluctance about putting a woman in the position. Groves stated she believes that she has been passed over before because she is a woman.
Baxley told investigators that the questions and remarks to Groves were based on his belief that she would be chosen for the job and that he wanted to know if she really wanted the position.
He added that the issue to him is not that Groves is a woman but that he knew her to be emotional.
It was unclear Friday whether Groves ever got the job.
Baxley volunteered to take the demotion during the investigation. The demotion involves a cut in salary and benefits, but a Sheriff's Office spokeswoman was unable to give specifics Friday.
Austin Bogues can be reached at abogues@sptimes.com or 352 754-6117.
[Last modified July 7, 2007, 14:03:46]
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Comments on this article
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by Scott
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07/14/07 01:03 AM
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Baxley was always a good cop! A asset to any agency. I worked with him many years ago. Questions like he asked are not out of the norm. All kinds of things happen in schools now adays re: school employees, SRO'S.they are all human. Retired LEO/ SRO
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by John M
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07/09/07 08:30 PM
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I agree with Sally! I have seen the HCSO in full action and they all have little man syndrome! They all feel they can get away with it all, but then again Nugent lets them!!!
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by SALLY
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07/08/07 09:03 PM
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IT IS ABOUT TIME! THESE COPS IN HERNANDO STILL THINK THEY ARE ABOVE THE LAW! WAKE UP SPRING HILL STOP BY NOT ELECTING NUGENT AGAIN!!!
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by DAVE
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07/08/07 08:04 PM
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Shame on everybody who thinks Baxley did no wrong. You have been mislead and should spend a buck or two to get a copy of the I.A. which is public record. If you know Dep. Groves you know she is a great Deputy.
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by tim
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07/08/07 07:58 PM
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In case you never noticed the paper dosent tell the whole story and the story from the Sheriff's Office is often watered down. Believe me if your the right person you are well protected if not you'll be on the front page filled with lies.
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by S.O. emp
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07/08/07 05:45 PM
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Yet another ignorant, uninformed opinion. She did not cry over an inappropriate question. DR, please come to the S.O. and review the IA investigation before you run your gator for the world to see.
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by Mike
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07/08/07 02:38 PM
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It's a shame that the Sheriff's Office didn't prepare a statement before releasing this to the press. The majority of the investigation has been left out, making Groves look like emotional person which is not the case. What was the Sheriff's view?
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by Friend of Deputy
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07/08/07 02:26 PM
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The press didn't paint the whole picture as usual.Baxley made several statements in the interview indicating that he didnt want her to have the job because she was female and that was what upset her.
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by GET A CLUE
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07/08/07 02:17 PM
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Hey Travis- he ruined his own career. By the way from what I have heard her superiors reported the incident. Whatever happened to being professional? Other deputies have been disgruntled with his interview tactics.
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by Gimme a Break !
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07/08/07 02:03 PM
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The news papers pick and choose what they want from the documents and print it (that's what sells papers!) So I suggeast before making uneducated comments, know all the facts! The investigation is public record, go read it!!
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by Gimme a break !
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07/08/07 02:00 PM
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There are many issues regarding this matter that were not published for instance she did not make the complaint against Baxley another supervisor did and good for him for doing what was right !
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by DR
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07/07/07 10:39 PM
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His questions should have been reviewed by human resources before the interview. She cried over an inapporiate question, deputy if your going to last, you better get tough and have a command stance.
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by RICHARD K
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07/07/07 09:50 PM
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The HCSO should take a deep look at how all of their employees are treated. from what i hear its not a great place to work.
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by kuda krese
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07/07/07 09:41 PM
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MAY I SAY ,THAT DEPUY GROVES IS AN OUTSTANDING DEPUTY. SHE WAS CALLED TO MY HOUSE ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. SHE HELD HER GROUND AND WAS EXCALTY WHAT MY 15 YR OLD SON NEEDED. WE NEED MORE WOMEN IN THE HCSO. SHERIFF NUGENT SHOULD GIVE HER AN AWARD
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by VINNIE
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07/07/07 09:26 PM
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SHERIFF NUGENT IS COVERING THIS MESS UP. SHERIFF NUGENT SHOULD OF FIRED BAXLEY. DEPUTY DEENA GROVES IS TRUSTWORTHY. SHE NEEDS TO SUE THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE FOR SEXUAL HARRASEMENT AND ETC... WE NEED A NEW SHERIFF, NOT NUGENT,ELECTION TIME IS NOT FAR!
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by LOUISE
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07/07/07 09:20 PM
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SHERIFF NUGENT SHOULD BE FIRED ALONG WITH BAXLEY. DEPUTY DEENA GROVES IS A EXCELLENT DEPUTY AND WILL BE GOOD FOR THE STAR SCHOOL. DEPUTY DEENA IS VERY CARING AND CONSERNED FOR THE STUDENTS, PARENTS AND STAFF AT THE SCHOOL. YOU WILL SEE A DIFFERENC
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by SUSAN
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07/07/07 08:17 PM
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ALL YOU FEMALE DEPUTY'S NEED TO SPEAK UP AND SUPPORT DEPUTY DEENA GROVES FROM ALL OVER FLORIDA AND THE U.S.
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by Mark
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07/07/07 07:02 PM
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Im not affiliated with any police dept. I feel the questions were appropriate. Being a female in power enforcement type job requires extra emotional skills. Nothing sexist about asking the everyday street questions. Demotion not right.
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by Deputy
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07/07/07 06:02 PM
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I have worked with Deputy Groves and Lt Baxley for several years. Deputy Groves is much tougher than many of our male deputies here. So why don't u anonymous big-mouths keep your rude uninformed opinons to yourselves
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by Bill
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07/07/07 03:01 PM
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Considering how verbally cruel children can be to each other, I'd imagine that the Lt. was making statements that the female deputy is very likely to hear in the school. Questions a male deputy wouldn't get asked. She's a crybaby.
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by John
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07/07/07 03:00 PM
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If you have worked with Groves for years how do you justify that she cried during a job interview? The paper stated there was another officer in during the interview, so she shouldn't have felt harrassed. Boo Hoo kids aren't intrested in deputies.
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by jack s
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07/07/07 02:35 PM
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cant anybody read. Officer Baxley was not accused of "sexual" harrasment. This was about gender bias not sex. The issue was whether or not His ?'s in the interview were appropriate or harrassing. It was deemed inappropriate. End of story
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by justthinking
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07/07/07 02:29 PM
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THe office is SEXIST! He ONLY asked the woman officer about how she would respond to sexual advances he DID NOT ask the male applicants!! We weren't there to see the WAY the officer asked the questions either! Was the implication that HE wanted SEX??
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by justthinking
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07/07/07 02:28 PM
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THe office is SEXIST! He ONLY asked the woman officer about how she would respond to sexual advances he DID NOT ask the male applicants!! We weren't there to see the WAY the officer asked the questions either! Was the implication that HE wanted SEX??
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by Robert
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07/07/07 01:44 PM
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This is crazy, doesn't seem like he did anything wrong. I agree that Deena must think she is "HOT", to have been sexually harrassed. Sounds like she has issues of her own. She couldn't get the job without the complaint. Why was she given the job?
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by Concerned parent
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07/07/07 01:36 PM
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Why wasn't there an investigation into the sexually harrassing teacher, or the deputy that let it happen? Seems like there is more issues the Sheriff dept is covering up. Sounds like the prior deputy should be demoted (or canned)with Baxley.
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by probation officer
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07/07/07 01:30 PM
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Tribune reports prior deputy Dean was "burned out", what a joke. I was at that school often and I never saw him move from his computer. He even said he does his homework all day, and was tutored by the perverted teacher Lisa mentioned earlier.
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by Tom
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07/07/07 01:15 PM
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She probably cried because she realized that the GOOD OL BOY NETWORK was rearing its ugly head.
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by Travis
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07/07/07 01:09 PM
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Looks like STAR will have a field day with her. She is a whistle blower and cannot be trusted. She did the unthinkable to go against a co-worker. What ever happened to sticking together and talking things out? She ruined his career to benefit herself
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by 2324
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07/07/07 01:07 PM
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I have worked with Deputy Groves for many years,so unlike many of the posters on here, i have a clue what i'm talking about. She is hardworking, and TOUGH! Being called names by a student will NOT be an issue with her. She can back me up ANYTIME!
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by John
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07/07/07 01:05 PM
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This is crazy, she should have been fired, not given the job. This is a gender issue and she was only given the job because she complained. It seems like she must think she is something to look at, for him to come on to her. FIRE HER not promote her.
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by TOM
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07/07/07 11:34 AM
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I COMMEND LT BAXLEY FOR HIS COURAGE TO ASK THE TOUGH NECESSARY QUESTIONS FOR THE JOB. THE DEPUTY SHERIFF BROKE DOWN PROVING SHE IS NOT CAPABLE TO HANDLE THE JOB. THIS WAS JUST AN INTERVIEW FOR GOD SAKE. MAKE NO MISTAKE THATS WEAKNESS IN LAW ENFORCEM
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by Pete
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07/07/07 11:17 AM
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Once again on this article: I don't recall this much response, pro or con in a long time. It deserves further investigation !
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by Ken
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07/07/07 09:59 AM
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Give me a break she should'tn even be on the force. Another woman useing her sex ajender to move ahead. Stop her now or it will only get worse.
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by Hernando County teacher
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07/07/07 09:19 AM
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Star Education has a been a joke for a long time among other Hernando County teachers. The former deputy let the kids get away with everything short of murder. That school needs a deputy with a back bone, not a cry baby.
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