Fired deputy's supervisor suspended

The zealous DUI deputy was allowed to turn in late reports and ignore standard procedure.

By SARAH MISHKIN, Times Staff Writer
Published August 3, 2007

TAMPA - The supervisor of fired Hillsborough sheriff's Deputy Daniel Brock routinely let Brock submit arrest reports late and did not correct Brock when his reports fell short of standard operating procedures, according to a Hillsborough sheriff's internal affairs report.

As a result, Cpl. Mark Clark will be suspended from duty for 10 days without pay, on the recommendation of the sheriff's disciplinary review board.

The agency fired Brock on May 24, after an internal investigation revealed that he had arrested 43 drivers for driving under the influence who had demonstrated no visible signs of impairment, 19 of whom also had blood-alcohol levels below 0.08, the level at which a driver is resumed impaired.

The investigation also found Brock regularly filed his reports days or weeks after making a DUI arrest and would rely on his memory in reporting the results of field sobriety tests. Brock was also criticized for failing to consistently activate the audio and video equipment that was meant to record a driver's sobriety tests.

According to a report on Clark's suspension, Brock testified that Clark permitted him to submit reports late from October 2005 through October 2006, even though Clark knew that only a lieutenant could authorize such delays.

Clark said he allowed it in order to prevent Brock from running up too much overtime.

Clark also testified to internal investigators that he did not notice when Brock failed to take urine samples from drivers or activate his audio or video equipment while making stops.

Brock is disappointed by Clark's suspension, said his attorney, Jeffrey Blau.

"Quite frankly, we're not surprised," Blau said Thursday. "It appeared to us that anybody who would be supportive of Brock would be endangering themselves, and his corporal was supportive of him."

Brock has appealed his dismissal and asked the county's Civil Service Board to reinstate him with full back pay. He filed a motion for summary judgment with the board, Blau said.

He also is seeking unemployment benefits, which the Sheriff's Office has opposed.

Staff writer Colleen Jenkins contributed to this report.

[Last modified August 2, 2007, 23:43:41]