VOLUSIA EXPOSED

VOLUSIA EXPOSED.COM

TROUBLE IN THE RANKS AT THE VCSO

The Deputy Travis Deane situation

Supplied an under age girl with alcohol - used a law enforcement data base for personal reasons, and more?

Why does the VCSO have an inconsistent internal affairs policy / practice - some investigations start prior to the completion of the deputy's criminal case, while others, start and are completed prior to the completion of the criminal case?

Updated
June 9, 2012

"Facts are stubborn things; and whatever may be our wishes, our inclinations, or the dictates of our passion, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence."- John Adams

THE DEPUTY TRAVIS DEANE INVESTIGATION - Part 1

According to numerous media accounts, yet another Volusia County Sheriff deputy has found himself on the wrong side of the law.

The misdemeanor trial of Deputy Travis Deane recently concluded that he was guilty of having an open house party attended by minors. However, County Court, Judge Peter Marshall with held adjudication on that guilty verdict. Further, Judge Marshall dismissed, a secondary charge of sale of an alcoholic beverage to a minor.

A sheriff department official stated that they can not prejudge what type of disciplinary action will be taken against Deputy Deane, due to that fact that the internal investigation was still on going.

Other, apparent allegations, are that Deputy Deane, possibly allowed his assigned patrol car hood to be used as the location of a game of "beer pong", that he supplied, under age minors with alcohol laced "jello shots" and that he used an official law enforcement data base to look up personal information on a 17 year female, for non duty related reasons.

VolusiaExposed.Com imagines that, at the minimum, the VCSO will investigate these allegations against Deputy Deane to determine whether he violated the below listed VCSO / County policies.

VCSO policy - 26.2.129 MISDEMEANOR INJURIOUS TO THE DEPARTMENT - Department personnel shall adhere to all federal, state and local laws and shall not commit any act or crime defined as a misdemeanor....
(Violation subject to dismissal)

COUNTY MERIT RULE - 86-453(13) - Any conduct, on or off duty, that reflects unfavorably on the county as an employer.
(Oral reprimand to Termination)

Web links associated with
Deputy Travis Deane

As published by the Sarasota Herald-Tribune

------------------------------------

Sheriff Johnson testifies during the Deputy Flesch hearing, regarding the tolling of internal investigations

VolusiaExposed.Com finds it very interesting, that the completion of Deputy Deane's internal affairs investigation, was apparently delayed, until after the completion of his criminal case.

However, during former Deputy Flesch's investigation, he requested that his internal affairs investigation also be tolled until after the completion of his criminal case. However, Sheriff Ben Johnson testified during Deputy Flesch's personnel board that his (Flesch) request for tolling was denied (see video clip on upper right side of page - Sheriff Johnson's testimony)

Did Deputy Deane have the opportunity (by tolling his IA) to bring additional mitigation to his charges, due to the fact that the criminal judge, dismissed one of the charges against him, and with held adjudication on the other charge?

Will the VCSO internal investigation, or will Sheriff Johnson mention these mitigating factors in their rationale for disciplinary action against Deputy Deane? If so, was it fair, not to grant Deputy Flesch the same opportunity (to toll his IA) to possibly mitigate his charges / allegations, especially given the fact that the State Attorney dropped the felony charge against him?

We believe, that ALL VCSO deputies are entitled to the VERY same investigative procedure. Having two different procedures, for processing similiar violations, could call into question, whether due process rights are being violated.

Citizens of Volusia County should not tolerate disparate treatment of their deputies by county administrators, no more than we should allow our deputies to forget that we shall demand equal protection under the law from them, as guaranteed to us by the US Constitution.

We invite you to review the video, where Sheriff Johnson attempts to justify tolling for some, but not during all internal investigations on his deputies. (see upper right of web page) How comfortable are you with his explanation?

If both deputies (Deane and Flesch) are guilty of "MISDEMEANOR INJURIOUS TO THE DEPARTMENT" - which deputy would you feel more comfortable with being assigned to the communication center?

FLESCH - a deputy with an admitted addiction to alcohol, heavily influence by his military experience, of having to kill a 14 year old Iraqi child, in the protection of his fellow troops?

OR
DEANE - a deputy that has already received a written reprimand regarding a racial profiling complaint (failure to properly return property) - has (confirmed by VCSO -per media accounts) supplied under aged persons with alcoholic beverages and apparently has misused confidential law enforcement data bases for his own personal desires.

We, here at VolusiaExposed, will default, to the wounded American veteran (FLESCH)- at the very least, he appears to have a conscience, that he apparently believes, he can soothe with booze. That trumps, apparently attempting to satisfy a sexual libido, by misusing law enforcement data bases for personal gain or plying under age teenager(s) with alcohol.

That's our current opinion, based on what we currently know. Ultimately, we, like you, must await the completion of the internal affairs investigation. But absent, Deputy Deane being totally cleared, we believe he needs to be sitting right next to former Deputy Flesch. Whether the deputies will be sitting across from one another, at a well known Daytona Bar, or at the VCSO Communication Center, will be a choice that is left up to Sheriff Johnson.

VolusiaExposed.Com will continue to monitor this developing story - when Deputy Deane's IA investigation becomes available as a public record, we shall post it, with further facts, opinions and commentary.

Follow Us on FACEBOOK too - LIKE our FB page and send us comments

OUR FACEBOOK PAGE
IS UNDER DEVELOPMENT