Friction Between Shannon County Sheriff and Commissioner’s Office Leads to Announcement of Termination for Deputies

I want to take a moment to address this week’s press release by the Shannon County Commission.

 

When I took office on January 1, 2025, the Shannon County Sheriff’s Office was in a compromised and inefficient state. This required immediate, all-hands-on-deck attention from both deputies and office staff. At that time, most of the previous Sheriff’s Office personnel had already left employment. This presented a significant challenge but also an opportunity for necessary reform. I moved quickly to hire entirely new staff. Many of my deputies made considerable financial sacrifices, by moving from far locations within the state, as well as multiple deputies relocated from other states to serve our citizens and make Shannon County their home.

 

All dispatchers needed to be MULES certified. I also cross-trained dispatchers to serve as jailers, as well as jailers to be MULES-certified for dispatch duties. While this cross-training was initially costly in terms of wages, it was a strategic move to improve manpower efficiency—allowing staff to wear multiple hats. Additionally, Transport Officers required specialized training. The commission was apprised and onboard with the situation at hand.

 

Prior to taking office, I met with the county commission, and they approved a total of five deputies and myself to serve the citizens of Shannon County. The Commission advised me the previous Sheriff had the same offer; however, he elected to employ his wife.

 

In January, I began building partnerships with our municipalities to increase deputy manpower. The City of Eminence paid for one deputy along with an additional 30-hour-per-week deputy. The City of Birch Tree paid for one deputy, and most recently, the City of Summersville will pay for one deputy, effective July 1.

 

We also began reviewing the previous administration’s board bills and initiated efforts to bill for reimbursement. Furthermore, the Circuit Clerk’s Office is currently in the process of billing the State of Missouri for $109,000.00 along with several incidental medical costs the county had incurred.

 

Other challenges inherited from the previous administration included substantial amounts of unpaid bills and unsafe, unreliable vehicles. In fact, the motor of one Charger vehicle locked up in the parking lot on my first day in office. Money has been spent on vehicles that, frankly, are lawsuits waiting to happen. Since taking office, we have acquired six safe and reliable vehicles—none of which came out of the Sheriff’s Office budget or general revenue. The Sheriff’s Office needed uniforms for all staff that cost $26,442.53. This was uniforms alone. The equipment you see attached to my deputies are personally owned. The average on the low end to uniform and equip a deputy is $5,700.00 and on the high end is $12,000.00+ We have deputies working the streets without portable radios. Imagine sending your loved one to work without an essential lifeline. We also were forced to purchase a new report management system because the previous administration locked the system when I came into office. The cost of the new program (Omnigo) was over $20,000.00. I was told by Commissioner Beth Long several times- that purchase would not come out of the Sheriff’s Office budget. I now know that was not the case according to their spreadsheet. Wages are high due to many calls, many arrests, and getting the Office of Sheriff halfway functional. The Commission was aware of the issue at hand. We discussed and agreed overtime would be paid down to 40 hours per employee, which would make comp time manageable. Fuel costs are high, we knew we’d make many arrests, but didn’t realize how much we’d be travelling all over the state for writs.

 

I have had multiple meetings with the County Commission and made multiple budgetary adjustments. Despite these efforts, instead of amending the Sheriff’s budget to account for revenue my office is generating, I was told by County Clerk Shelly Bland that amending the budget is “too hard.” Another time I was told “we really don’t know how to amend the budget.” When I asked whether the Sheriff’s Office had ever gone over budget before, I was told it had—and that it was simply expected. I have since learned the overages were substantial in prior years. The bottom line is the budget needs to be amended to reflect money being generated goes back into the Sheriff budget rather than into general revenue. The commission’s budget spreadsheet, as presented in the news article, is nothing more than smoke and mirrors — designed to obscure rather than clarify the true financial picture. I have requested several times to receive copies of all receipts that reflect deductions from my budget. Commissioner Vester Crider agreed with the fact the task should only take 20 minutes to complete. I am still waiting and now I know why. I would unravel the mystery before the commission would be able to make their press release. Receiving requested budget information has been like “pulling eye teeth.”

 

In response, I received official letters from all three Commissioners terminating ALL my deputies and one office staff member, individually naming them. This leaves one Sheriff responsible for protecting and serving the second-largest county in the state, which also sees a significant tourist population. This is a public safety threat to our citizens. The commission should expect lawsuits soon. The Sheriff is the only one that has the authority to hire and fire within the Office of Sheriff.

 

Let me be clear: Deputies do far more than patrol and respond to calls. They serve civil process, conduct statewide transports for writs, and handle a wide variety of responsibilities that keep our justice system and county functioning.

 

With no deputies available to assist in these functions, I will be forced to contract private security teams for transports. These contractors will pick up individuals, supervise them during court proceedings, and return them to their respective jails. Billing begins the moment they leave—this will be extremely costly to the county. Also, all inmates would be housed in other correctional facilities because the jail would no longer have 24/7 coverage. Again, another huge cost. These concerns have been raised with the Commission. Their response: “We don’t care. Get rid of all your deputies and keep your best three.” Deputies’ salaries are minimum wage plus the supplemental fund from the state for serving civil process, this makes a total of $16.31 per hour, roughly.

Since I took office on January 1, our office has averaged 6.5 arrests per week. We have also transported numerous convicted prisoners to the Missouri Department of Corrections, which will also rein in money.

 

After several Sunshine Law Violations committed by the commission, a Temporary Restraining Order was filed on Friday, June 20, with the 37th Judicial Circuit to preserve staffing and keep the Sheriff’s Office operational. We are already running thin—we need more help, not less.

 

It’s not unusual for a newly established Sheriff’s Office to exceed its initial budget, as early projections are often based on educated estimates. Providing comprehensive public safety services inevitably comes with significant costs. What many may not realize is the remarkable number of hours our deputies volunteer out of genuine dedication to the safety and well-being of our community. The initial startup of any new business is astronomical, especially one that was in shambles at best. How can we staff a new jail when we’re struggling to support the employees we already have? What’s the point of a new jail with no manpower to use it?

 

The Commission’s press release has little to do with the truth about the budget. This is not about numbers—it’s about control. Because they can’t dictate how I run the Sheriff’s Office, they’re willing to cripple it entirely. Commissioner Herman Kelly has already warned me I’ll be a one-term Sheriff. That threat speaks volumes about the Commission’s priorities.

 

The citizens deserve better, and so do my employees. I am committed to protecting the integrity of the Office of Sheriff and will continue to stand firmly for both the people I serve and those who serve alongside me. If necessary, I will seek legal representation- at the expense of the Shannon County Commission- to ensure that this office and its mission are defended. I answer to the people, not the Commission.

 

It has always been my promise to serve the citizens of Shannon County with integrity and commitment, and to stand firm against government overreach. I never imagined that overreach would come from our own local elected officials.

 

Attached below is the link to the court hearing.