Letter to the Editor: Candidate for Sheriff Speaks Out on Sex Scandal

Dear Liz,  

I have written a letter in response to the recent lieutenant that was suspended at the Forsyth County Sheriff's Office. Would you post this under the government section on cummingpatch.com. I would like to be able to respond to different situations that I feel are misleading to the public, or something that I differ in from the incumbent.

Thank you,
Duane Piper

"Don't be afraid to see what you see.” - Ronald Reagan

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"To serve and protect through dedication, professionalism, active 
cooperation with the community, and respect for human dignity.”

This is the mission statement of the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office. This sentence contains important words that all law enforcement officers are all intimately familiar with, "To serve and protect." In this statement, we see the words professionalism, cooperation with the community, and respect for human dignity.

The policy of the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office further explains that the men and women of the Sheriff’s Office strive to set a standard of excellence for others to follow. It boldly states that every member is committed to professionalism, integrity, and honor. These are powerful words. Should these not be the words used to describe individuals who are charged with the safety of all citizens and taxpayers?

As law enforcement officers, I included, we should represent what is right, moral, ethical and conduct ourselves as an example to others. With this being said our conduct while representing a “professional” law enforcement agency must not be and cannot be something that is subjective to the situation at hand. It must be a rock solid testament to our agency, the uniform we wear, and most importantly our citizens we serve.

Recently, information was released dealing with the conduct of a ranking member of the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office. In articles from the Forsyth County News and the Forsyth Herald, we read that this officer had “sexual encounters” with a woman “while on duty." According to the information provided, this occurred over a nine month span. We also learn that the woman involved was on probation and that she was possibly permitted to view information on the officer’s in-car computer known as the mobile data terminal (MDT). I do not know the woman who is listed in these articles and I do not place any judgment on her in the past or present.

However, the conduct of the officer is something that I find entirely unacceptable and repugnant. These are not the actions that “set a standard of excellence for others to follow." These circumstances do not represent professionalism and integrity. Although I express these concerns it is not the officer in question that I truly find issue with. More importantly it is the way the officer’s conduct was dealt with once it became public knowledge.

He received a 120 hour suspension and a transfer to another division. Outside of his suspension, this officer has received no punishment that affects his status within the agency. He still maintains his rank of lieutenant, he still supervises other officers, and he is still employed by the agency that serves the citizens of Forsyth County. This is a supervising officer in charge of many employees and with power over the inmates. By the FCSO’s own admission he is a lieutenant that is held to a “high standard." What is that standard?   

“We’re not the morality police." This was a statement issued by Sheriff Paxton in regards to the actions of the above officer. That is a profound statement for the head of any law enforcement agency to make. If law enforcement is not the morality police for their own officers and employees on duty conduct, then who should be? Do we rely on an outside agency? I don’t think so. Understand that I am not taking issue with what someone does in their own time away from their place of employment. However, when they perform acts that are morally erroneous while serving in a capacity to protect our citizens then I find this unacceptable and has no place to be an example of the “high standard” in this law enforcement agency.

Officers that are sworn to protect the public and who allegedly do these things should be held to a higher standard because taxpayer’s money is used and it is the ethical, moral, and right thing to do. Consider that the officer’s actions were in direct violation of polices “regarding unbecoming conduct on/off duty as well as neglect of duty and professional image." If the FCSO feels the officer’s actions were so grievous in nature, then is the loss of several days of pay sufficient to deal with this situation? On the other hand, Sheriff Paxton noted, “the situation appears to be that of a scorned woman." So we are to believe that it was this woman who compromised this officer/supervisor, in this situation? I would say not! This officer was responsible for his own actions. These are actions that he should not have the opportunity to repeat. Forsyth County deserves better and we need to start at the top to ensure the public trust in this office is no longer eroded.

Shortly after the story was released involving the FCSO, the Atlanta Journal Constitution released a story involving another officer from Suwanee who was fired for a “on-the job sexual encounter." This was a one time incident - not a prolonged nine month string of inappropriate behavior- like the officer in the FSCO. The chief of Suwanee Police Department is quoted in the article as saying “we have a standard here." He explains “all officers know that if they indulge in such behavior, they will be dismissed." Seems like a very clear policy to me. I see little room for argument with this type of policy. The article also explains how a DeKalb County Sergeant was also fired for having sex with a subordinate. I believe we can see how this type of behavior is dealt with most agencies. Painfully the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office is also mentioned in the article explaining how our officer was (only) suspended for his actions.

This incident, along with many other reasons is why I am running for the office of Sheriff in Forsyth County. Please become involved with the election press and understand all the financial, ethical, and moral issues we need addressed by our Sheriff.

I am asking for your time and financial support. I urge all of you to be a part of the solution. Honesty and Transparency is MISSION POSSIBLE for the Taxpayers of Forsyth County. Please contribute what you can afford at piperforsheriff.com. Ensure that we send the message that we need and deserve accountability from the Office of Sheriff. WE DESERVE BETTER.

Editor's Note: Cumming Patch has reached out to Sheriff Paxton and invited him to respond with his own "Letter to the Editor."