9/11 funds and position

[Anonymous]

Recently I read somewhere that the County has or gets funds for homeland security and they are going to hire someone for the position. Then I have some friends that work for the County that said that we already have someone who does that but they are going to put someone else in there and pay them some huge salary! If anyone knows anything about this I would love to know what is going on! :?:

[Anonymous]

Looks like more tax dollars thrown away!!!!!

[cutter2377]

Jason,
The man in that job is the Chief Deputy from the Sheriff's Dept. I hate to give him any name recognition. It was in the paper.

[Anonymous]

Looks like the Sheriff's dept has figured out a way to get even more money. Do we really want that to happen? And do we want the same Administrative person who has destroyed such a fine sheriff's dept. to also destroy Lexington County's Public Safety Department. Those guys have enough to worry about.

Can't the County Council have a meeting and inform all the taxpayer's of the funds and the availability of said funds and what they are spent on?

Maybe as taxpayers we should demand more "watchdogging" of the expenses.

[Anonymous]

AMEN! I realize we need to pay taxes to get the services we desire but what kills me is the way our elected Officials spend it! I bet if it was there Company and their money, they would think about it a lot more than they do now!! :evil:

[mopar]

David honey, if it was their company and their money alot of things would not be taking place or it would have gone under in no time flat.

[cutter2377]

I read what everyone is saying but I don't see anyone doing anything. Talk is cheap and it's real cheap when you can do it under the cover of computer technology. The people so far who are talking on this page are active law enforcement, x-employees or disgruntled employees. That explains why they are using the computer to get their point across. I feel sure all of what these people are saying is true, because they are a part of it. The sheriff's department has gone to hell in a hand basket since James was hire as Chief Deputy. It looks to me Metts is trying to save face & "ease" James out, putting him in a position that will enable him to still have some type of recognition to be able to have a "leg up" for a run for sheriff in 2008, if Metts doesn't run again. Timing is everything. Don't know if this is the right timing for Harrison. 2008 would be great timing, because they will come out of the woodwork to run for sheriff. Being a Cayce resident, I can assure you I wouldn't vote for James for sheriff. I have lived in Cayce for 50 years and saw the way James treated his people at the police department. I kept up with him to see if he would do the samething at the county. He did. Out for one person, himself; to make himself look good at the expense of others, even friends.

[Anonymous]

Well, I am a little confused about this situation, you say no one is doing anything yet at the same time discount that no one should run against Metts till 2008. You describe James as out for himself but you have to say the same about Metts, since I never see him till election year. I am not a Cop and don't know what is going on in the Sheriff's Department and maybe I don't understand the intricacies of Law Enforcement. It does seem to me though that if the rest of you on this forum are Cops, that if Metts and James are messing things up and causing our communitties to be unsafe shouldn't you publicly speak out? And, wouldn't you want to help someone else get elected? Just my thoughts and now concerns!

[Anonymous]

By no means is the community in danger. Lexington County is a very safe place to live, due to the efforts of Metts and his people. The problem is internal, which effects everyone there which in turn effects their job performance; which hampers efforts to contol the criminal ellement. The deputies need to focus on what their job is & not worry about the administration.

[mopar]

In effect the county is in danger.....because of everything the Guest pointed out. The deputies can't speak out or they will lose their job. Period. They serve at the will of the Sheriff and if anyone speaks out they will be fired on the spot. So they have to go through election years watching over their shoulders for admin.

[heggas]

In effect the county is in danger.....because of everything the Guest pointed out. The deputies can't speak out or they will lose their job. Period. They serve at the will of the Sheriff and if anyone speaks out they will be fired on the spot. So they have to go through election years watching over their shoulders for admin.

I was one of those employees who was fired on the spot. So now I can speak out. I have filed discrimination charges against the Sheriff's Department for sex and disability.

The moral at the department is definately at an all time low. Cops are working to reduce numbers -- not reducing crime. One Region Commander has the number to beat in bold print at the Region HQ for all the deputies to remember we have to beat this number. Trying to reduce statistics is one thing but it's not the only reason we have a Sheriff's Department.

The county needs a new Sheriff who is not consumed with politics and remembers what police work truelly is.

[Anonymous]

This clears things up for me! Metts is so busy worrying about numbers that he has lost focus on what is important- the CITIZENS. People aren't numbers! "Heggas", I hope things work out for you and it is refreshing to finally get the truth, though I am sure Metts will say that you made this up because he fired you!

[Anonymous]

Back on topic here, I ran into a Lexington County EMT yesterday and he was telling me how he has a new Boss, Timmy James! Seems that the Sheriff has effectively hidden James so that he can get back some of the loyalty of his troops. General consensus is that it ain't going to happen. Got a question though, how does James run another County department and still work at the Sheriff's Department? 'Ho lot of good 'ol boy stuff going on over there! I understand why MY taxes are so HIGH now! :evil:

[cutter2377]

James is Director of Public Safety. Chuck Whithead was the last director the county had. He retired about 10 years ago. I don't see how he can handle two major positions in the county. It's not a dual commision issue, but both jobs require a lot of attention. If I had to choose, and God forbid I hate to wish this on EMS & Fire Service, but I would much rather see him there & not the sheriff's department. Metts may be trying to get him out of the picture at the sheriff's department, but at the sametime helping James maintain a position in the county that will give him name recognition for a 2008 run for sheriff. GOD HELP LEXINGTON COUNTY IN 2008. I wish Ferrel Kizer was still alive. I would vote for him in 2008.

[Anonymous]

Ferrel Kizer! We are showing our age! You are right though, it is time for a change and I have met Mr. Harrison. He is going to be in our parade this weekend (Gaston Collard Festival, don't forget to come out!). He is a very nice man and is very energetic. He is very excited about the campaign and hopes to make a positive change in the Sheriff's Department. I like him and it doesn't hurt that he is good looking, too! :wink:

[Anonymous]

I have read just about every posting on this web site and I feel that there is one-sidedness to just about every aspect. So, let me clear up a few things.

First, "heggas" was fired for fraudulently claiming un-worked time on her county time sheet. That constitutes fraud in my book, which the last time I checked, was indeed a crime.

Second, Crime statistics and crime reduction are synomyous. Get real.

Thirdly, for all you losers who are currently working at the Sheriff's Office and posting this crap, you are indeed lacking in upbringing. Did your mother and fathers not teach you anything? If things are as bad as you say, most other departments in the Midlands are hiring. Get the picture?

Lastly, I am a current employee who does work the Patrol division and yes, things are tough. Not tough enough to whine about. Tough enough to do something about. As my grandfather used to say, "If your not part of the solution, then your part of the problem." I too, am going to remain anonymous, just like the rest of the brave and honorable people precedent to me.

[Anonymous]

You Go Hammer Time !!!!!!!! Lets be the Solution. if they don't like it "don't let the door hit ya where the good lord split ya".

[Anonymous]

Heggas, at first blush it appears there is a serious problem with the administrative security at the sheriff’s department.

There must have been an investigation before your termination. The Internal Affairs records are required to be kept in the strictest of confidence and only seen by those who have a need to know. This is not merely a legal issue, but the CALEA standards that Sheriff Metts spent so much money to achieve have been violated.

“Hammer time” has stated that he is in the patrol division, is a supervisor but not an administrator, and knows the details of your termination. Since you were in an administrative position at headquarters “Hammer time” should not be in possession of this confidential information. It appears that either “Hammer time” is lying and is actually someone near the top of the chain of command, or someone at the top has leaked confidential records to be posted. Either way, an egregious violation of public trust and departmental policy has occurred with potential legal ramifications.

The departmental and county policy has been to only acknowledge that someone has worked for the department when queried. Never is information to be released.

Whatever has happened it is certainly indicative of how mismanaged the Sheriff’s department has become. Let us see if Sheriff Metts has the intestinal fortitude to investigate this leak and handle it appropriately.

[Anonymous]

I still see smoke n' dust. Everything I have posted is the truth. I am not lying about anything. See the other post. The truth is right there in black and white. No more, no less. And yes, it does hurt.

Honesty and popularity never go hand in hand.

Nuff' said.

[Anonymous]

"Hammer", I don't work for your Department but I may be as dense as you have described other folks that have posted on this site because your follow up to Mr. Bligh has me confused. You say you told the truth, fine! If I get Mr. Bligh right, you should not have even known the truth because it is privileged and YOU qouted as if you were there! Therefore, there is no "smoke n' dust" except what you are blowing up. As a resident of Lexington County I have been following this site for a while and I can tell you that something is definitely wrong at our Sheriff's Department. I am concern about how information is handled and I now wonder about how other sensitive matters are handled. This is why I will not be as brave as others and leave my real name. "Hammer" has helped me make my decision any way!

[Anonymous]

Honesty and popularity quite often go hand in hand. If for no other reason, Metts should be replaced for fostering such an atmosphere of cynicism and negativism.

[Anonymous]

chapin resident, you did not read "friend of lcsd." Theres your answer.

[Anonymous]

I don't care what anybody says. Metts ought to give the money back he collected from the deputies. It don't look right, it don't smell right...it just ain't right. Saying that he "asked" for the money is like saying the MAFIA asks for charitable donations.

[Anonymous]

Was it your money? If it bothers you that bad, send $100.00, care of "Hammer time" to the American Cancer Society, then you'll feel all warm and fuzzy.

[Anonymous]

Hey Hammer Head, boy you sure know how to send a zinger! Yeah, extortion does bothers me that bad. Moreover, I concur with DVM that this is just another example of Metts poor judgement. What is it going to take to demonstrate to you that he is unacceptable for ANY public office. And, incidently, I am a cancer survivor and I happen to have made significant contributions to the Sloan Kettering Institute. However, despite the NoDoz and Sterno, you may have come up with a good idea. I think Metts should donate the money he shook down from the deputies to the National Police Officers Memorial Fund. After all, Metts is soooooo popular in Lexington county that he will never even miss it. Besides, it will no doubt give Sheriff Metts a "warm and fuzzy feeling" other than when he grabs his crotch.

[Hammer time]

Hey "Redeye," if you're that worried about our money and it being "extorted," then why don't you make a real stance. like how in the last three years our raise has been totally absorbed by insurance premiums, with less coverage and higher deductibles. Now thats extortation.

[Anonymous]

What is extortation?

[Anonymous]

What is extortation? If you don't want insurance, don't by it.

[Anonymous]

What is extortation? If you don't want insurance, don't buy it.

[NODOUBT]

HAMMERTIME and T-3.. Together, you remind me of conjoined twins with one brain to share. Really guys, how do you do your job and kiss this mans butt at the same time? Is this how our hard earn tax dollars are at work. Because I see that between the two of you, that you spend more time on this website voicing your conjecture and speculation of current LCSD staff and Mr. Harrison than you do doing your JOB!!!

Of course, this is probably just another prime example of the Sheriff misusing our tax dollars for his own benefit.

REALLY--- THIS ELECTION NEEDS TO HAPPEN NOW!!! JUNE 8th CANNOT GET HERE SOON ENOUGH!!!

Less time on the internet men and more time doing your job. PUBLIC SERVICE!!!

[Hammer time]

"no doubt," I have read your postings and one or two are well written and articulate, with the exception of this one and one other. It really detracts from your point of view. While I appreciate your concern on what I do in my free time, its really none of your concern. It shows desperation.

As far as tax dollars and who has done what for the community, I can tell you without even knowing you, that you don't even come close to Hammer time, probably not even in the tax area, too. So, as I have stated before, get your facts straight.

[NODOUBT]

Hammertime: You speculate a lot. If you have something tangible with supporting facts that should sway my vote about Larry, I would really like to hear it.

However, all I really see is someone for whatever reason feels the need to throw mud with no supporting facts. You really should learn more about who you are speaking with before you make small talk about taxes. Obviously, you speculate a lot about people you don't know. Your last post proves just that.

[Hammer time]

Short and sweet. Take your own advice on this on.

[Anonymous]

The comments on this page have been quite amusing. While it is true that several people have been fired in recent years, it has been for just cause. For those of you that want to know why Mr. Harrison was fired, I would point you to an article written by the the Lexington County Chronicle. Since the lawsuit filed (and then dropped) by Mr. Harrison is public record, you can see that having sexual relations with coworkers wives is indeed not a sign of the moral highground.... and not someone we need as Sheriff of Lexington County. You see the facts speak for themselves.... crime is down significantly in Lexington... the quality of life is better and people are safer. Many of the people who speak negatively on here were fired because they could not keep up with the operational tempo... it was long overdue... we need the intelligent, the brave, and the hard working. The citizens deserve nothing less. You don't keep getting elected year after year because you are a bad Sheriff. Our Sheriff gets the job done... and that is all that matters.

[Anonymous]

OH MY GOODNESS! Three exact posts yet, two signed "Just a Deputy" and One signed "SHERIFF"! The big man steps up?

[Anonymous]

NO KIDDING.. DO WE HAVE AN IDENITY CRISIS HERE? ARE YOU DEPUTY OR SHERIFF? OR WANNA BE?

[Anonymous]

The wonderful Tim James is the Director of Public Safety, meaning he is over the Fire Service, EMS, and Communications divisions of Lexington County.

Just what the fire service needs, another office hack who while at Cayce was all too happy to direct traffic while the other PSOs fought fire.

[Anonymous]

Excuse me, Smokestain, but if James is both Assistant Sheriff and Director of Public Safety, wouldn't that be a case of dual office holding? Lexington government is sooooooo confusing!

[Anonymous]

Although James is very qualified for the postion, I do have a problem with him holding both jobs inthat it puts the Shreiff over Fire and EMS. James works for the Shreiff so if James controls Fire and EMS, it in some way gives Metts control over them also. This is too much control for one person. This is why Sheriff Lott does not contol the Jail in Richland County.
Not to mention Metts knows nothing about fire and EMS.

[Anonymous]

james knows little about fire & ems, absolutely nothing about how to run a sheriff's department. he has no common sense. he doesn't care about noone but hisself. he will ruin a law enforcement officers carreer in a minute. he will not be in your corner when one needs him. if he doesn't like you, he will make up a way to get rid of you or make a mountain out of a mole hill to get rid of you.

[Anonymous]

Is Public Safety Director a part time job? I just don't see how anyone could do either the Public Safety Director's position or Assistant Sheriff's position justice on a part time basis. Everybody who is supposed to be in charge of anything is off doing something else. Who's minding the store?

[Anonymous]

Chief James has already made his presence felt. The paid personnel at stations commanded by a volunteer chief are now under the supervision of that volunteer chief instead of one of the paid chiefs. For the most part volunteer chiefs are elected by the volunteers with no consideration of their level of training. There is one volunteer chief who has had very little formal training outside of the basic firefighting training that he took in the early 1980's. That means that this chief has less training than a new recruit who finishes up the required rookie school, and far less than the two paid people he is over.

Not all of the volunteer chiefs are bad. The chiefs at Fairview, Sandy Run, Lake Murray, Gilbert and Hollow Creek are pretty good. The chief at Swansea is a figurehead, one of the Asst. Chiefs is actually running the dept and he's pretty good. The others are a joke.

This all came about because these volunteer chiefs were concerned that Chief Fulmer, Chief Turner, Chief Day, and Chief Hood were threatening their control of their little kingdoms, so the volunteer chiefs had a meeting with James. James being the political animal he is, caved in and now you have people who don't have anywhere near the qualifications to be chief over career personnel. Instead of making this a county wide fire service, it is quickly becoming a loose confederation of a bunch of little kingdoms led by ignorant little kings.

I can't wait to see what Chief James does next. :roll:

[Anonymous]

james will cause low morale & get rid of people who are not "yes" people. he can't stand it when someone knows more than he. he will find a way to get rid of that person so that person is not in the limelight, where he wants to be.

[Anonymous]

james will cause low morale & get rid of people who are not "yes" people. he can't stand it when someone knows more than he. he will find a way to get rid of that person so that person is not in the limelight, where he wants to be.

[Anonymous]

Here is a question I would like answered. If Metts does not win and Harrison becomes the Sheriff, does Harrison get to appoint the New Director of Public Safety for Lexington county, or does James remain the Director. My problem. If James remains the Director, then he is being paid for the position. If so, is he being paid for it now, on top of being paid for his Assistant Sheriff position? Can someone in the know tell me?

[Anonymous]

metts has nothing to do with appointing public safety director, county administrators job. if harrison becomes sheriff i can assure you he will get rid of james and appoint his own chief deputy. harrison will get rid of all the current administration and replace it with his own people. the sheriff has that privilege. james will most likely remain director of public safety, which has nothing to do with the sheriff's department. public safety director has absolutely nothing to do with running the sheriff's department, just fire & ems, which he will screw up like he did the sheriff's department. i think james is holding out for county administrators job, which will ruin lexington county as we know it today. i heard art brooks was going to retire very soon. art brooks is by far one of the best administrators the county has had. he doesn't try to run the show. he lets all the department heads run their own show. james would have a problem with that. he is a micro-manager. i don't think james is receiving two salaries. if he is someone needs to raise hell about it.

[Anonymous]

metts has nothing to do with appointing public safety director, county administrators job. if harrison becomes sheriff i can assure you he will get rid of james and appoint his own chief deputy. harrison will get rid of all the current administration and replace it with his own people. the sheriff has that privilege. james will most likely remain director of public safety, which has nothing to do with the sheriff's department. public safety director has absolutely nothing to do with running the sheriff's department, just fire & ems, which he will screw up like he did the sheriff's department. i think james is holding out for county administrators job, which will ruin lexington county as we know it today. i heard art brooks was going to retire very soon. art brooks is by far one of the best administrators the county has had. he doesn't try to run the show. he lets all the department heads run their own show. james would have a problem with that. he is a micro-manager. i don't think james is receiving two salaries. if he is someone needs to raise hell about it.

[Anonymous]

I have to disagree with Wendy, Harrison will not replace "the current administration" with his own people. Larry has been trying to let the employees at the sheriff's department know that only a handful will be replaced. I am sure James is the first to go!

Larry NEEDS and WANTS the experience of many of the current administration and understands they are forced to do a lot of things they don't want to do!!!

He knows what the problems are there and only a few are to blame. The lower ranking personnel are just as safe, he needs them and wants them as well!!

Judging by the internal support he is receiving from them it seems most of them know that.

Jimmy Metts would like nothing more than to "scare" the administrative staff and employees into thinking that if Larry is elected they are out of a job.

I have heard Larry speak on this topic and he is not out to turn the department upside down with changes, just eliminate the two at the top who have ruined the department and don't know how to stop spending money!!

[Anonymous]

i agree he will keep all the working people. i don't know who harrison will replace, but i can assure you he will let chief deputy go and anyone else who follows in his footsteps.

[Anonymous]

If Harrison were to get rid of the upper staff, it would not hurt most of them. All but a few of them are already retired and drawing at least two pay checks. Remember, they were allowed to retire and come back keeping what rank they had. Another reason why the rank structure is so clogged up and those who deserve promotions can't get them. Not to mention another reason why they could care less about the subordinates. These senior staff people don't have to worry about anything but when the next retirement check is coming. Then again, they could not have come back into a real working position since most of them are over weight and half dead anyway.

[Ruger]

For Guess Who........if you have access to an annual budget book (or want to look at it on the Lex Cty website), you should be able to tell who is paying for the new public safety directors' position. Since the PS dept hasn't had a director in a long time, the number of employees would have increased and the salary budget would have to have increased considerably. The Sheriff's Administrative dept position numbers would change also. I offer that there are several positions being paid out of two budgets due to titles and responsibilities.

[Spud]

Looks like the Sheriff's dept has figured out a way to get even more money. Do we really want that to happen? And do we want the same Administrative person who has destroyed such a fine sheriff's dept. to also destroy Lexington County's Public Safety Department. Those guys have enough to worry about.

Can't the County Council have a meeting and inform all the taxpayer's of the funds and the availability of said funds and what they are spent on?

Maybe as taxpayers we should demand more "watchdogging" of the expenses.

I understand that Timmy is going to do both jobs. I know that many in the SD are hoping that Timmy will do the safety job only so that he will leave the department. They say that the morale is bad mostly because of his Adolph Hitler management style.

[Spud]

Well, I am a little confused about this situation, you say no one is doing anything yet at the same time discount that no one should run against Metts till 2008. You describe James as out for himself but you have to say the same about Metts, since I never see him till election year. I am not a Cop and don't know what is going on in the Sheriff's Department and maybe I don't understand the intricacies of Law Enforcement. It does seem to me though that if the rest of you on this forum are Cops, that if Metts and James are messing things up and causing our communitties to be unsafe shouldn't you publicly speak out? And, wouldn't you want to help someone else get elected? Just my thoughts and now concerns!

Well said! I wonder how Timmy got the undersheriff job in the first place. I doubt it was because of his vast experience in Cayce. I know that he is tight with Jake Knotts and I suspect that Jake has something to do with it. I don't believe that Jimmy would have hired him outside a political deal. The SO already had many deputies far more qualified than Timmy. As far as a cop actively doing anything about the problem, I don't see it happening. To speak out, or take any overt action agains't the regime would be professional suicide. Despite all the talk one has to look at history. Jimmy will most likely be relected. If so, and Timmy is retained as the undersheriff, then anybody who was not "on the team" will be gone. And Jimmy won't be the one doing it. Despite the talk, Jimmy is not a vindictive man. Timmy, on the other hand, is mean and sneaky as a snake.

[Ruger]

James might be destroying the morale at the Sheriff's office, but he has the perfect personality/smarts to talk the County into what the Sheriff's wants. If you've ever seen him in action before Council, you'll know just how smooth he is and it saves having to break up potential fistfights with the Sheriff doing his own bargaining - that used to be quite a show. I can't imagine the Sheriff losing that asset.

[Anonymous]

HOW ABOUT METTS GOING TO RICH.COUNTY.,GIVE US LEON LOTT,HE COULD AND WOULD CLEAN THIS COUNTY UP AND OUT. LEON WOULD NOT CARE WHO YOU ARE OR YOUR LAST NAME. LEON PLAYS NO GAMES. HE IS A STRAIGHT SHOOTER. HONESTLY HE IS THE MAN FOR LEX.COUNTY.

[Anonymous]

If the grass is greener...maybe you should move to Richland County.

[Anonymous]

Well, I am a little confused about this situation, you say no one is doing anything yet at the same time discount that no one should run against Metts till 2008. You describe James as out for himself but you have to say the same about Metts, since I never see him till election year. I am not a Cop and don't know what is going on in the Sheriff's Department and maybe I don't understand the intricacies of Law Enforcement. It does seem to me though that if the rest of you on this forum are Cops, that if Metts and James are messing things up and causing our communitties to be unsafe shouldn't you publicly speak out? And, wouldn't you want to help someone else get elected? Just my thoughts and now concerns!

Well said! I wonder how Timmy got the undersheriff job in the first place. I doubt it was because of his vast experience in Cayce. I know that he is tight with Jake Knotts and I suspect that Jake has something to do with it. I don't believe that Jimmy would have hired him outside a political deal. The SO already had many deputies far more qualified than Timmy. As far as a cop actively doing anything about the problem, I don't see it happening. To speak out, or take any overt action agains't the regime would be professional suicide. Despite all the talk one has to look at history. Jimmy will most likely be relected. If so, and Timmy is retained as the undersheriff, then anybody who was not "on the team" will be gone. And Jimmy won't be the one doing it. Despite the talk, Jimmy is not a vindictive man. Timmy, on the other hand, is mean and sneaky as a snake.