April 27, 2015
After the 2009 Internal Affairs Report was made public, Meredith Baker, TCSO General Counsel, announced that the release of the Report was unauthorized, and that TCSO was investigating the source of the leak.
This is troubling.
It would appear that TCSO is more concerned with the “leak” of the Report than the content of the Report. Do Ms. Baker and TCSO plan on retaliating against the deputy – or deputies – who had the courage to expose the corruption, intimidation and policy violations revealed by the Report? Will Ms. Baker and TCSO engage in the same intimidation tactics that Tim Albin and Tom Huckeby utilized to silence those who dared to question Bob Bates’ qualifications and training back in 2008 and 2009? Why else would TCSO announce that it is investigating the disclosure of the 2009 Report? The brave TCSO employee – or employees – who leaked the 2009 Report should be protected from retaliation and reprisal to the fullest extent of the law. We believe that any action taken by TCSO against such employee – or employees – would constitute a violation of whistleblower laws as well as the First Amendment.
It is time for the intimidation to end. It is time for the cover-up to end. It is time for a regime change. TCSO must accept the grave mistakes it has made and begin the process of reform and reconciliation.
The Harris family again calls for the immediate resignation of Sheriff Glanz, Undersheriff Albin and Major Huckeby. If Sheriff Glanz will not willingly resign, the Board of County Commissioners must press the issue and take action to oust him from office.
