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Sheriff Addresses Jail Incident
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Published: February 13, 2008
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Statement from Sheriff David Gee
Reference incident at Hillsborough County Jail
Involving Mr. Brian Sterner
As Sheriff of Hillsborough County, I want to assure Mr. Brian Sterner, as well as the citizens of Hillsborough County, that this incident will be investigated to the fullest. I am personally embarrassed and shocked by the horrific treatment Mr. Sterner received. I cannot and will not even try to offer an explanation for what is seen on the video, other than to say, that once it was brought to my attention, I immediately initiated an internal investigation. The deputy responsible for dumping Mr. Sterner out of his wheelchair has been suspended without pay and the three supervisors that were on duty during that time are also placed on suspension.
The incident involving Mr. Sterner was not caused by a lack of training or procedure. It represents aberrant behavior that is totally out of context with policies, practices and standards of the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office. Last year over 72,000 inmates were processed through Central booking, more than 230 of them came to jail in wheelchairs.
I offer my personal apology to Mr. Sterner for the treatment that he received while being processed through Central Booking. I want to assure him, and the public at large, that this incident is not indicative of the behavior of the over 3,500 men and women of the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office who perform their duties with pride and professionalism on a daily basis.
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Reader Comments
Posted by ( jameswpope ) on February 13, 2008 at 2:14 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
yet again, the actions of one screwball making the rest look bad.
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Posted by ( stgurl ) on February 13, 2008 at 2:18 p.m.
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Posted by ( diego_schmiago ) on February 13, 2008 at 2:23 p.m.
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Posted by ( jagaka2 ) on February 13, 2008 at 2:29 p.m.
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Posted by ( Desmo ) on February 13, 2008 at 2:29 p.m.
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Posted by ( thatguyfl82 ) on February 13, 2008 at 2:33 p.m.
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Posted by ( ron ) on February 13, 2008 at 2:33 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
I am just so impressed that there is STILL a video
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Posted by ( Cookie ) on February 13, 2008 at 2:40 p.m.
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Posted by ( MFVNC ) on February 13, 2008 at 2:48 p.m.
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Posted by ( thatguyfl82 ) on February 13, 2008 at 3 p.m.
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Posted by ( Dixon_Tufar ) on February 13, 2008 at 3:20 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
To MFVNC:
I agree with you completely.
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Posted by ( jeffroe334 ) on February 13, 2008 at 3:30 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
If there hadn't been a video tape there would have been nothing done. Luckily for the quad there was a video now he is going to get rich and it's our tax dollars that will pay. I say the Officer's involved should have to pay the damages. They all think there above the law and they have all done something dirty or illegal at one time or another.
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Posted by ( alashley ) on February 13, 2008 at 3:34 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
MFVNC
Youre a cop!! No doubt about it.
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Posted by ( stgurl ) on February 13, 2008 at 3:44 p.m.
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Posted by ( rightisright ) on February 13, 2008 at 4:57 p.m.
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Posted by ( jagaka2 ) on February 13, 2008 at 4:59 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
You cop lovers, shut up. It's our turn.
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Posted by ( alashley ) on February 13, 2008 at 5:30 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
I think you ran them off.
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Posted by ( Kel ) on February 13, 2008 at 5:38 p.m.
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Posted by ( Just__me ) on February 13, 2008 at 8:03 p.m.
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Posted by ( jwoodard ) on February 13, 2008 at 9:10 p.m.
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Posted by ( cbernhardt ) on February 13, 2008 at 9:59 p.m.
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Posted by ( alashley ) on February 13, 2008 at 10:32 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
That is why I am hiding.
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Posted by ( RedRose111 ) on February 14, 2008 at 9:40 a.m.
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Posted by ( UsCitizen88 ) on February 14, 2008 at 11:14 a.m.
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Posted by ( UsCitizen88 ) on February 14, 2008 at 12:23 p.m.
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Posted by ( r38687l2s2 ) on February 14, 2008 at 3:41 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
I ACTUALLY DO NOT KNOW IF THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN DEPUTY/POLICE OFFICER AND OR LAW ENFORCEMENT, WHICH THEY ARE TRYING TO REPRESENT BUT ACTUALLY JUST WANTING TO BE ABOVE THE LAW. These responses from the Punlic are awesome!!! And reaaly bring into the Lime light the real and ongoing problems our current Penile system for which all tax payers are subsidising. If all viewers/readers would take a few minutes to research your local municipalities :ie Sheriffs Office, Department Of Corrections, Fire Department Just to name a few of the top offenders who constantly complain about a lack of funding, You would observe that they cannot manage their fiscal budjets. Why??, Because these above the law departments obviously do not have the reasoning capablities that all humans were born with which seperate us from animals.Please, with all due respesct with my past Marine Corp History I know there are very dedicated Law-Enforecment Officers out there with the right intentions and I hope I have not offended that small percentage that put their life on the line every day as I did as a UNITED STATES MARINE WITH SEVERAL COMBAT TOURS
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Posted by ( r38687l2s2 ) on February 14, 2008 at 4:18 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
CIVIL RIGHTS !!! LET'S TRY TO PUT A NUMBER/PERCENTAGE of people that actually go through the booking process in Hillsborough County that are never read their merandom rights(read your rights) or even offered a phone call to notify someone ie: Your Attorney, Family members that you have been arrested for something as minor as expired plates. Your first phone call can be as far away as 10-12HRS if you are not up to speed on this booking process which is very hard to navigate and intimidating.Gee needs to accept all responsibilities for this lack of chain of command, And Step down from his position. Gee should start a situational awareness group to combat all the wrongs for which he should be held accountable during his tour of Duty. Gee!!! Be that man and do the right thing
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Posted by ( scottfwtx ) on February 14, 2008 at 8:03 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Why were so many comments deleted here?
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Posted by ( UsCitizen88 ) on February 14, 2008 at 8:40 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Posted by ( r38687l2s2 ) on February 14, 2008 at 3:41 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
I ACTUALLY DO NOT KNOW IF THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN DEPUTY/POLICE OFFICER AND OR LAW ENFORCEMENT, WHICH THEY ARE TRYING TO REPRESENT BUT ACTUALLY JUST WANTING TO BE ABOVE THE LAW.
Hey dont know if you will read this, but just for posterity, there is a difference between deputy sheriff and POlice offficer. Deputy sheriff's are essentially the "jailers" with very little training or requirements to obtain employment, they are employees of the sheriff's dept, which is a seperate entity from the city or state police departments.
Bravo to you for your service to our country, It is much appreciated! I do agree that there is an issue of abuse of power, a sense of entitlement and an Idiotic Idea that a badge makes them immune to punishment or above the law.
As others have pointed out, there are statutes that prevent lawsuits by the public against any individual law enforcement officer, deputy or otherwise, so In essence It IS the responsibility of the Sheriff to manage his staff and reprimand them appropriately , as there is rarely recourse for ordinary (civilian) citizens. Unfortunately what that means Is In these instances of abuse, the county, sheriff's dept and other entities will be footing the bill with tax payer dollars for the heinous actions of their staff. So the he/she who actually abused this man will not be liable through her job on a personal level.
Once again If she, and all these other morons, psychopaths, and other degenarates who have been caught on tape abusing citizens are not criminally charged, There should be an UPROAR and outpouring of protest!
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Posted by ( scottfwtx ) on February 14, 2008 at 10:04 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Why is the b!tch not arrested yet? She could flee the country and then no justice would be served, except the victim could sue and become a very rich man.
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Posted by ( boiler ) on February 15, 2008 at 12:16 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
Why all the removal of comments?????
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Posted by ( sherri77 ) on February 15, 2008 at 11:44 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
I am a police supporter, but I have to admit that it is taking the Sheriff a very long time to do something about this. What pray tell is there to investigate???????
And for all of you that got deleted, we all know how you feel.
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Posted by ( jiveass666 ) on February 15, 2008 at 3:44 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
I love when cops go to jail. I know shes not in jail but mabey......And she WILL be Beetin. Cops are chared with protecting us but they love to bully and beat people.Pigs
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Posted by ( UsCitizen88 ) on February 15, 2008 at 3:55 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Just for posterity, since I have read and been apalled by some of the comments about Mr. Sterner, deserving what he gets, that he can stand up "supported" etc, he shouldnt have gotten himself arrested blah blah......There seems to be some confusion about the actual reason for his arrest. NOt that his being arrested in any way excuses the hideous ,criminal behavior waged against him. He is being painted as some hardened criminal...(NO, I do NOt know him).
He was issued a traffic ticket in OCTOBER of 07, then arrested at his HOME in JANUARY of 08......hmmmmmm I must admit he must have super powers to be capable of eluding police for all those months.....He got a ticket for blocking an intersection (going 5 miles an hr in a 30 mile per hr zone). I cant say I know how he was charged with eluding police , he was issued a ticket. soooo hmmmm ,yeah, he must have STOPPED or, tapped the brakes considering the ticket was for going to SLOW.
COME ON PEOPLE...This Subject goes so much deeper than this one incident and WE ALL know it. AS I have posted before, lets get congress to abort the hearings on the (who cares) steroid use in baseball and tackle some real issues, like the economy, crime, abuse, poverty, you know real life issues?
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