SHERIFF'S OFFICE DEFENDED IN DELTA CASE

Recently former Delta Agents were arrested by federal authorities on
charges handed down by the federal grand jury. During the course of the
grand jury investigation this agency cooperated fully with state and
federal officials by providing necessary witnesses and evidence.

The grand jury probe came after the Manatee County Sheriff's Office
conducted an internal probe of the Delta Task Force following allegations
of misconduct and abuse of power by Delta Agents.

We investigated the Delta Task Force in a diligent and professional manner.
At the end of our investigation we took action against Delta Agents
consistent with developed facts and evidence.

The action of the former Delta Agents under investigation was wrong.
Consequently we have rebuilt the Delta Task Force with better supervision
and handpicked agents to ensure narcotic laws are being properly enforced.

Since Delta has been reorganized, there have been no new allegations of
misconduct filed against agents. Of the cases declined by the State
Attorney a little more than one year ago, over 20 of those defendants have
been re- arrested for drug-related offenses.

In a recent survey of citizen opinion about the Manatee County Sheriff's
Office, 99 percent of the survey population (2,532) rated the professional
conduct and performance of this agency as average to excellent.

This agency is a professional one, staffed by dedicated and committed
people who have worked their entire lives to make it the best that it can
possibly be.

As with any agency, not all employees share the same vision and for reasons
of their own, some digress from what is ethical and legal conduct. This
small group of people estimated at less that one half of 1 percent have
tarnished the badge of professional conduct subscribed to by the rest of
this organization.

Sheriff Wells has been described as lenient on his employees. I would
prefer to describe him as being compassionate, knowing that his decisions
affect the livelihood of each employee and their families. Each and every
decision was carefully made based upon facts known and evidence presented
at the time of discipline.

When Delta was investigated by the MCSO, we were subjected to a greater
burden of proof than the investigators conducting the federal probe of
civil rights violations.

Once one defendant began testifying against the other, the information
which eluded the MCSO investigators came to light and was effectively used
by federal prosecutors.

Sheriff Wells has spent much of his life making this agency one which each
citizen can be proud of. At his own personal expense, he travels to many
appointments on days off to minimize time absent from the county. I dare
say he has not taken a real vacation for himself since he was originally
elected to the office.

The MCSO has experienced growth and maturity in the handling of this case.
We have dealt with this problem in a head-on, professional manner and will
continue to do so with whatever problem the future brings to us.