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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) |
June 8, 2015 |
but most pick themselves up and hurry off as if nothing happened."
Winston Churchill
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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. |
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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.
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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 2
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. |
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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. |
To Mr. Gary Davidson |
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.
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.
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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) |
Mission Statement |
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).
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
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.
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911 Recording Now Available |
Deputy Leclerc Terminated From The VCSO
November 21, 2013 Termination Letter |
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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. |
October 19, 2013 DUI Arrest Report |
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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) |
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