VOLUSIA EXPOSED.COM

Volusia County Chief Deputy Bill Lee to retire in December. Confirmation has been secured that Volusia County Public Protection Director Mike Coffin is to assume the VCSO Deputy Chief position. Does this give better clarity on the Volusia County jail in-custody death investigations conducted by the VCSO?

Updated October 22, 2011

"We have, I fear, confused power with greatness"- Stewart Udall



VolusiaExposed.Com received information via a confidential source that Volusia County Chief Deputy Bill Lee will retire the first of December 2011.

This confidential source also stated that Volusia County Sheriff Ben Johnson had already selected Volusia County Director of the Department of Public Protection, Mike Coffin for the VCSO Chief Deputy position.

We invite you to read the confirmation email from VCSO Public Information Officer, Gary Davidson to VolusiaExposed regarding Chief Deputy Lee's pending retirement and Sheriff Johnson's email confirming the selection of Mike Coffin as his (Lee) replacement.

Click here - Gary Davidson's confirmation email to VolusiaExposed

Click here - Sheriff Johnson's email to VCSO staff regarding Mike Coffin's selection as Chief Deputy.

We here at VolusiaExposed.Com have questioned the veracity, professionalism and quality of several in-custody investigations conducted by the VCSO regarding the Volusia County jail.

As stated above, Mike Coffin is currently the Director of the Volusia County Department of Public Protection. The Department of Public Protection encompasses several division within county government, to include the county jail and the medical examiner's office.

Click here - Volusia County Department of Public Protection's website

Interestingly, when an inmate dies at the Volusia County jail - the Volusia Sheriff Department conducts an investigation - the Volusia Medical Examiner's office does the autopsy and the Internal Affairs section of the jail conducts their review. We STRONGLY believe that given the close relationships of these departments / divisions, that these in-custody deaths require independent investigations. It would appear to be appropriate for the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to investigate these deaths, as they do for other Florida jails. (upon the request)

Click here - News Journal Article on Coffin's move back to the VCSO

VolusiaExposed.Com will be following up on these matters.