VOLUSIA EXPOSED.COM
                   



VOLUSIA DEPUTY TERMINATED FOR DUI IN HER PATROL CAR RE-HIRED BY VCSO

VCSO Public Information Officer Refuses To Advise VolusiaExposed.Com
Of The Rationale For Deputy Stephanie LeClerc's Re-Hire

VCSO: VolusiaExposed.Com Denied An Answer To Our Question Regarding Deputy LeClerc's Re-Hire,
Because, In The Opinion Of The VCSO, We Are Too Critical & Agenda-Driven
(Read Inclusive Email)



Updated
June 8, 2015
"Men stumble over the truth from time to time,
but most pick themselves up and hurry off as if nothing happened."

Winston Churchill



Deputy LeClerc Overview
October-November 2013


In October 2013, Volusia County Sheriff Deputy Stephanie LeClerc was video recorded by a citizen driving her patrol car in a dangerous manner. The alert citizen called 911 - and shortly thereafter other VCSO deputies arrived to investigate the situation.

After the responding deputies' review - Deputy LeClerc was arrested for DUI. Due to the fact that a seven year old juvenile was riding in the patrol car, an additional charge of child neglect was also filed. All of this was heavily covered by other local media outlets, and VolusiaExposed.Com posted the below viewable article.

Shortly thereafter, Volusia County Sheriff Ben Johnson fired Deputy LeClerc. Her termination letter can be viewed below.

President Richard M. Nixon vs. The Washington Post



Local court records indicate that LeClerc entered a nolo contendere plea, and she was adjudicated guilty of the DUI charge. Apparently, the child neglect charge was not filed on by the State Attorney's office.

Recent Developments
The Re-Hire Of Deputy LeClerc
March-June 2015


Recently, (last couple of months) it has been brought to our (VolusiaExposed) attention, via several emails from our readers, that Deputy LeClerc has been re-hired by the VCSO.

Obviously, we (VolusiaExposed) reached out to the VCSO to confirm that Deputy LeClerc was in fact re-hired by their agency.

In two April 8, 2015 emails - VCSO Public Information Officer (PIO) Gary Davidson confirmed that Deputy LeClerc had been re-hired to a sworn position. (March 2015) (See below emails).

Email 1

Email 2

As VolusiaExposed was preparing our article regarding Deputy LeClerc's re-hire - the thought was brought up by our staff, that our readers might like to know the rationale for Deputy LeClerc's re-hire.

With that thought in mind, VolusiaExposed.Com again reached out via email to VCSO Public Information Officer, Gary Davidson requesting the rationale for Deputy LeClerc's re-hire.

Hopefully, you (our readers) can imagine our (VolusiaExposed) surprise when we read Mr. Davidson's response (see right of page). Davidson responds - because VolusiaExposed.Com is a "critical and agenda-driven" website, and further because, according to Davidson's opinion, VolusiaExposed.Com will NOT fairly and truthfully present the VCSO's "side of the stories" we write - VolusiaExposed is being denied an answer to our question regarding the rationale for Deputy LeClerc's re-hire.

Well, here is our view of being denied an answer to what we perceive to be a fair question.

First, VolusiaExposed.Com gladly admits to being a "critical and agenda-driven" website. This great country was founded on the right of it's citizens to be critical of their government. Maybe Mr. Davidson needs a refresher course on the U.S. Bill Of Rights - with particular attention given to the First Amendment there of.

Second, EVERY news organization has an agenda, in truth, they have several agendas, and VolusiaExposed.Com is no different. In fact, EVERY organization, to include the Volusia County Sheriff Department has agendas - to deny such is to deny reality.

So we (VolusiaExposed) will ask another question - Should we be denied answers to our fair and legitimate questions, solely on the premise that our organization exercises our U.S. Constitutional Right to be critical of our government, and because, like every other organization, we too have agendas? After all, like us (VolusiaExposed), the VCSO also has their own agenda(s), as proved by Davidson's email comments regarding his belief that VolusiaExposed.Com doesn't present their (VCSO) "side of the stories".

PDF Copy Of Davidson's June 3, 2015
Email To VolusiaExposed.Com


From: "Davidson, Gary"
To: VolusiaExposed
Cc: "Gant, Andrew" , "Johnson, Ben"
Subject: RE: Deputy LeClerc
Date: Wed, 3 Jun 2015 18:13:30 -0400

While you certainly are free to disagree, in my view, the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office is an extremely transparent agency. In fact, the reporters who cover us on a regular basis and know us best regularly tell us that we’re more open, transparent, accessible and responsive to their questions, information needs and public records demands than most any other agency they cover. The reasons why we don’t answer YOUR questions are well known to you. Through experience, we unfortunately have learned that when you ask a question, it’s not out of a sincere desire to get to the truth so that you can honestly represent our side of the stories you write with fairness and balance. Rather, it’s an effort to provoke a response that you can turn against us and use as a foil for your critical, agenda-driven web postings. Given that fact, I’d just assume continue to provide you with the same courteous, professional access to public records that you have always received from the Sheriff's Office and let you continue to write what you want without the benefit of us providing added narrative for you to twist and distort to suit your personal agenda. It’s a system that seems to be working well for all concerned. In the meantime, should any of your readers have cause to question our openness and transparency, I would suggest that they talk to any representative of the mainstream news media with whom we have honest, professional and unbiased dealings on a daily basis. I believe any questions they have about our transparency will be satisfactorily answered.



Third, it is our (VolusiaExposed.Com) opinion that Mr. Davidson's assurances (opinion) regarding the "extreme transparency" of the VCSO is flawed. From where we (VolusiaExposed.Com) are standing, an agency's transparency is like a chain - and a chain is only as strong as it's weakest link. In our opinion, Mr. Davidson, by not answering our question, under the rationale given (VolusiaExposed is a critical and agenda-driven organization) - VolusiaExposed.Com has become the weakest link in the VCSO's transparency and credibility chain.

Fourth, it's our (VolusiaExposed.Com) opinion, that there are not "sides" to "stories", but rather there are just the facts, with appropriate commentary, when necessary. This is our (VolusiaExposed.Com) rationale for including supportive documents within our articles. In other publications, they may only refer to a document, without including the complete document for the reader's review. VolusiaExposed.Com attempts to secure and post any document we refer to in our articles.

It is also noted, that the Volusia County Sheriff Department operates it's own website. This VCSO website has a section within it that publishes recent events within the VCSO. Your tax dollars pay for this VCSO website. VolusiaExposed.Com has recently examined the VCSO website and can find no mention of Deputy LeClerc's return to duty. Apparently, mentioning Deputy LeClerc's return to duty on their website, does not fit into their (VCSO) agenda. But then again, that is their (VCSO) website and they can post whatever they wish, and conversely VolusiaExposed.Com can post whatever we wish. Obviously, it is our wish to post a fair and complete article on the return of Deputy LeClerc, to include the VCSO's rationale for re-hiring her. And while Mr. Davidson so gratefully advises us (VolusiaExposed) that the VCSO will continue to let us write what we want, without the benefit of a VCSO narrative (Gary, thank you for your permission) - he must know that his refusal to address our questions only hampers our ability to bring our readers a complete and detailed account of the covered story. Mr. Davidson, VolusiaExposed does not request a "VCSO narrative" - such is available to us on the VCSO website, and unfortunately directly available on some of your more preferred "mainstream media" sites. What we demand from you (Davidson) - is equal access to having our questions answered, absent your obvious, and now memorialized personal biases.


In Fairness To All Involved


Mr. Gary Davidson is correct regarding VolusiaExposed.Com receiving public records from the VCSO in a professional manner. That has been our experience.

However, this is why we (VolusiaExposed.Com) have concerns regarding the VCSO's now documented refusal to answer our legitimate questions regarding those public records.

And remember, our question(s) were not question(s) that could not be answered due to legitimate reasons (security, confidential, etc), but rather, they go unanwsered on the mere fact that VolusiaExposed.Com was asking them.

VolusiaExposed.Com's Response
To Mr. Gary Davidson


Scroll Down To Review
From: VolusiaExposed
To: "Davidson, Gary"
Cc: "Gant, Andrew" , "Johnson, Ben"
Bcc: REDACTED
Subject: Re: Deputy LeClerc
Date: Wed, 03 Jun 2015 18:41:44 -0400


Gary:

Really - do you really wish that to be the official position of the VCSO. That because of a perceived bias by your agency against VolusiaExposed.Com, that you are not going to answer OUR questions? Questions that your agency would gladly answer, if others would inquire.

That is VERY bothersome to me - that the administration of VCSO has an official practice of treating VolusiaExposed differently - based on a perceived bias. And YOU have just memorialized it.

I am concern that YOUR deputies may follow suit - follow your (adm) lead. Will deputies assume that since their administration can treat VolusiaExposed differently - that they (deputies) can treat VolusiaExposed and their agents differently?????

Should, can, I assume the probability that VCSO deputies will be treating me differently, than they would any other citizen? I think I can - and I suspect that I have just been threatened. I am honestly concerned for my well being, my life and my liberty.

If my house is being broken into - can I still depend on the VCSO to answer my calls for assistance - our will YOUR agency's biased beliefs about VolusiaExposed prevent that?

Where else can I expect the differential treatment from the VCSO?

I need to think on this a while - WOW !

VolusiaExposed.Com



It is the opinion of VolusiaExposed.Com, that the action of the VCSO providing us with public documents, but at the same time, refusing to answer our legitimate questions regarding those very same documents - equates to them (VCSO) providing us with a vehicle, but then refusing to turning over the car keys to start that vehicle. This makes it extremely difficult for VolusiaExposed.Com to bring to you, our readers, a true and accurate account. And after all, shouldn't a true and accurate account also be a goal of the VCSO? Or is it the agenda of the VCSO, to deny us the answers to our legitimate questions, in the hope of silencing our criticism?

Humpty Dumpty Did Not Fall, Nor Was He Pushed - He Jumped !


Some of our readers may be skeptical about our focus on Mr. Gary Davidson. That somehow our (VolusiaExposed.Com) agenda with this article is to throw Davidson under the proverbial bus. Our initial intention was not to focus on Mr. Davidson's refusal to address our question. VolusiaExposed.Com's only desire (our agenda - per se) was to update our earlier article regarding Deputy LeClerc's arrest and termination from the VCSO. However, given Mr. Davidson refusal in providing us the VCSO's rationale for re-hiring Deputy LeClerc, Davidson obviously became the focus of this article - but he jumped in front of the bus - we did not push him. In fact, VolusiaExposed.Com attempted in the above listed email (see scroll box to above right) to reason with Davidson - but to no avail.
Violation Of VCSO
Mission Statement?


Not only do we (VolusiaExposed.Com) believe that Mr. Davidson's refusal to answer our question(s) violates YOUR (citizens) right to know what your government is doing, but we also suspect that it is a violation of the VCSO's own Mission Statement.

We (VolusiaExposed.Com) invite our readers to review the VCSO Mission Statement (see scroll box to right), so that they can determine for themselves whether the VCSO is acting without prejudice (as is mandated within their Mission Statement) by not addressing our question(s) regarding Deputy LeClerc re-hire. (Particular attention should be given to the red highlighted area of the Mission Statement)

Volusia County Sheriff Department's
Mission Statement


Scroll Down To Review All Pages
Click Here
PDF Copy Of
Mission Statement






Closing Thoughts


If VolusiaExposed.Com's question(s) go unanswered due to our "critical and agenda-driven" web postings - what assurances does the public have that their complaints and grievances with the VCSO will be properly addressed? Afterall - are not most, if not all, complaints and grievances filed by the public against law enforcement officers seen as "critical and agenda-driven" by many police administrators? And if so, is it fair for the public to ponder, whether ALL the questions (allegations) of the complaint / grievance have been fully addressed / answered by such a law enforcement agency? VolusiaExposed.Com suspects that the VCSO's refusal to answer our question(s) is merely an identifiable symptom of a disease that has infected the administration of the Volusia County Sheriff Department.

In as far as Mr. Davidson's statements regarding the VCSO's interactions with the "mainstream media". Yes, it's true, VolusiaExposed.Com is not a "mainstream" media outlet - but then again, you are reading it - and we suppose that the VCSO administration read it from time to time. Here is a question to ponder - since VolusiaExposed.Com is not a "mainstream" media outlet - therefore our readership is rather limited - why does the VCSO have any concern regarding this little old "critical, agenda-driven" website?

Lastly, while VolusiaExposed.Com is not a "mainstream media" outlet - we do share a common fate with at least one well known mainstream media outlet - The Washington Post. When President Nixon's presidency was experiencing it's death throes due to Watergate, Nixon banned any Washington Post reporters from the White House, employing a very similar rationale as Mr. Davidson is using in refusing to address VolusiaExposed.Com's legitimate question(s) regarding the VCSO (listen to video - top right of page).

Looking For Our Deep Throat


Deep Throat is the pseudonym given to the secret informant who provided information to Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein of The Washington Post in 1972 about the involvement of United States President Richard Nixon's administration in what came to be known as the Watergate scandal.

VolusiaExposed.Com is looking for our "Deepthroat" equivalent. Since it is the position of the VCSO not to address any questions from VolusiaExposed.Com regarding the re-hiring of Deputy LeClerc - we are requesting that our readers consider sending an email to Gary Davidson - gdavidson@vcso.us requesting an answer to the question - under what rationale did the VCSO re-hire Deputy LeClerc - and then forwarding us Davidson's answer / email to feedback@volusiaexposed.com


============================================


OUR EARLIER ARTICLE ON THE DEPUTY LECLERC ARREST & TERMINATION



DEPUTY LECLERC TERMINATED FROM THE VCSO

Off Duty Volusia County Sheriff Deputy Arrested For DUI
While Driving Her Assigned Patrol Car.

Seven Year Old Child Discovered Travelling Within The Patrol Car.
UPDATED October 22, 2013
911 Recording Now Available

Listen To The 911 Call
Regarding Deputy LeClerc


WFTV VIDEO ARTICLE



UPDATED November 22, 2013
Deputy Leclerc Terminated From The VCSO

Deputy Stephanie LeClerc's
November 21, 2013
Termination Letter


Scroll Down To Review All Pages
Click Here
PDF Copy Of
Termination Letter








Volusia County Sheriff Dept.
Arrests One Of It's Own.
Deputy Stephanie LeClerc
Arrested For DUI In
Her Assigned Patrol Car.
A Seven Year Old Child Was
Also Riding Within The Patrol Car.
Child Endangerment Charges Also Filed.


The Volusia County Sheriff Department had to arrest one of their own deputies last Saturday night (October 19, 2013) for DUI.

Deputy Stephanie LeClerc, 37, was spotted by a civilian witness driving her patrol car erratically on State Road 415.

The witness called 911 as he recorded her erratic driving - the witness's video has been secured as evidence.

When deputies caught up with her, it was discovered that she had a seven year old child in the car.

After submitting to the field sobriety test, Deputy LeClerc was arrested for DUI and Child Neglect.

Deputy LeClerc has been placed on administrative leave with pay following the arrest. She's been with the sheriff's office since 1999.

There will be more to come as this situation / incident develops.

Deputy Stephanie LeClerc's
October 19, 2013
DUI Arrest Report


Scroll Down To Review All Pages
Click Here
PDF Copy Of
Arrest Report
















DOES SHERIFF JOHNSON HAVE
A SUBSTANCE ABUSE PROBLEM?
Play the above video - and then decide for yourself.

Sheriff Johnson claiming that
he does not drink.
(October 2012)

Problem officers still find work


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If you found this article to be thought provoking, we (VolusiaExposed.Com) invite you to review, the below linked, Special Investigative Report, exposing law enforcement corruption with the State of Florida.

SARASOTA HERALD-TRIBUNE'S
SPECIAL INVESTIGATIVE SERIES ON LAW ENFORCEMENT CORRUPTION

UNFIT FOR DUTY
by Matthew Doig and Anthony Cormier
Tarnished badge, flawed system
Police unions / political clout
Predator in uniform?
What the personnel files reveal
Problems and solutions
Flagrant abuses invite little scrutiny
Problem officers still find work
How serious offenses go unreported
Sworn to protect....their pensions
Governor investigates CJSTC
Additional concerns surrounding the
Volusia County Sheriff's Department


VCSO deputy supplies underage females with alcohol.

VCSO deputy sexually approaches female prisoner?

Sex and the Badge
Extra-martial affairs within the VCSO?


VCSO deputy engaging in sexual relationship, while on duty?

VCSO deputy attempts romantic relationship with felony suspect?

VCSO deputy sexually assaults handcuffed woman.

VCSO deputy reprimanded for domestic violence arrest

VCSO Frangiamore-Carper murder-suicide incident


We look forward to your comments on this situation.
Drop us a line to let us know what you think.

EMAIL US