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Police Chief Quits Zephyrhills Post

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By CHRISTIAN M. WADE

The Tampa Tribune

Published: August 20, 2008

ZEPHYRHILLS - Police Chief Russell Barnes resigned Tuesday morning, less than an hour before the city council was scheduled to decide whether to fire him.

In a letter to City Manager Steve Spina, Barnes denied falsifying records for Sgt. Robert Perrault, the department's former spokesman and head of internal affairs, or trying to cover up payroll discrepancies. A city investigation released Monday concluded he did.

"My resignation is not intended, nor should it be taken as an admission of any kind to the allegations," Barnes wrote. "It has been my honor and pleasure to serve this fine community."

A three-week investigation concluded Barnes falsified payroll records over a period of several years for Perrault, who resigned Aug. 8.

Barnes, 55, was put on paid leave July 29 after a complaint was filed against him and Perrault by Kenneth Fong, a former police officer fired by Barnes. Neither Barnes nor his attorney returned calls Tuesday.

After reviewing the investigation's findings, Spina put Barnes on unpaid leave Monday and asked for his resignation, but the chief didn't immediately respond. Under the city's charter, only the council could fire him.

Council members did not discuss the investigation at a special meeting Tuesday, called to consider Spina's recommendation to fire Barnes and other matters.

Council President Luis Lopez, who was out of town dealing with a family emergency, says he wants to turn over the findings of the city's investigation to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.

"He cannot claim it was an accident," Lopez said of Barnes in a phone interview. "I'm not only in favor of dismissal, but also pursuing possible charges."

Lopez, who supported firing Barnes, said he thinks the investigation is far from over.

"We need to conduct a top-down review of the entire police department," he said.

Barnes Investigated '07 Complaint
Perrault was accused of "double-dipping" - claiming to have been working for the city when he was teaching criminal justice classes at Pasco-Hernando Community College and getting paid by the college. A similar complaint was filed in August 2007. Barnes investigated the complaint and concluded it was unfounded.

According to the city's investigation, conducted by police Sgt. Jeffrey McDougal, Barnes did not adequately investigate the complaint. Instead, Barnes created a log documenting so-called "flex time" that Perrault used to justify claiming the hours on the clock for both the city and the college.

The city has no such policy on its books, however, and Spina said Perrault was the only police department employee allowed to bank the flex hours. According to records, he had racked up more than 140 hours at one point.

Perrault was paid more than $2,000 for hours he did not work, mostly in 2006 and 2007, according to city records.

In his letter, Barnes said he didn't think to question Perrault's hours because they had been approved by his immediate supervisor, former police Capt. Randy Belasic, who resigned from the department in May 2007.

"Perrault's supervisor was Capt. Belasic, and I had no reason to doubt both Perrault and Belasic in the payroll records submitted for my approval," Barnes wrote.

Belasic, who has since moved to Tennessee, could not be reached for comment.

Barnes said the flex time sheet he created in 2007 was used to determine whether Perrault was earning more or less hours than he was being paid for by the city.

"It showed that he was earning more than he was using," Barnes wrote. "The chart was never submitted to payroll or meant to be used at all beyond the limited scope of my inquiry."

High School Offers Perrault A Job
Perrault also has denied any wrongdoing and said his decision to leave the city after nine years was not related to the investigation. He has been offered a job teaching criminal justice classes at Zephyrhills High School.
Perrault says the use of flex time is widespread in the police department as a means to reduce overhead costs and said city officials are aware of the practice.

His resignation effectively leaves the city with no means or need to discipline him.

Barnes is the second Zephyrhills police chief to resign in the past five years. He was hired in 2003 after Spina asked Jerry Freeman to resign after just 10 months on the job.

Capt. David Shears will continue to serve as acting police chief. Spina said Monday that he wants to address morale issues in the department before beginning the search for a new chief.

Reporter Christian M. Wade can be reached at (813) 948-4216 or cwade@tampatrib.com.

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