LOTS OF INVESTIGATIONS

Editor: I am a former deputy of Davidson County and worked for almost three
years under the Hege administration. It came as no surprise to me that the
Davidson County's Sheriff's Office underwent yet another investigation.

I saw many things that were unprofessional, unethical and questionably
moral. I am personally knowledgeable of five investigations during my
employment. The SBI investigated a corporal in the jail in '97 for sexual
misconduct to which he pleaded guilty. There was a sergeant that on three
separate occasions released inmates before their time had been served. One
of these I had picked up from prison to stand trial on other charges. That
inmate even told the sergeant that he had more time to serve. Recently, a
major and captain were investigated by the SBI for drugs in the jail.

The Department of Labor has even had its investigations, too. Hege ordered
the K-9 officers to attend training sessions without pay. After the
investigation, the department ordered that the officers receive $26,000 in
back pay.

Davidson County's Sheriff's Office is small compared to other agencies in
neighboring counties. Guilford or Forsyth have much larger agencies yet
they are rarely investigated. It is time to recognize that the leadership
is not what it seems and needs to be changed.

As for me, I am just glad that I am no longer one of Hege's "dogs," as he
called the recently arrested deputies.

David W. Leonard

Winston-Salem