WHY ARE YOU MAKING OUR PEOPLE

RICK WALDRON email rwaldron@hendrysheriff.org
phone = s.o.
comments = I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHERE YOU ARE PLANNING TO GET ALL THE PERSONELL TO START ALL THESE SPECIAL UNITS THAT YOU TALK ABOUT IN YOUR MESSAGE TO THE DEPUTIES. THE H.C.S.O. CAN NOT EVEN GET ENOUGH DEPUTIES TO COVER THE ROAD PATROL DIVISION. WHY ARE YOU MAKING OUR PEOPLE PROMISES THAT YOU CAN NOT KEEP.

Raul Fernandez response to the above e-mail:

Lieutenant Waldron
Hendry County Sheriff Office,

First let me thank you for writing me and asking me some valid questions that I would be honored to address.

You ask how I’m going to make specialized units with in the Hendry County Sheriff’s Office. It’s really a matter of management; I based my calculations on the number of sworn positions that are allotted. I can not base it on the number of Deputies that remain in the agency because it appears to me that there is a major issue with the retention of personnel under the current leadership.

I plan to make the agency a place where the Deputies can be proud of there for they will remain and make the Hendry County Sheriff’s Office a career agency not just a place to get certified and leave!! The lost of man power alone is currently costing the tax payers thousand of dollars.

I’m a man of honor and I will keep my promises. Why will I keep my promise to the men and women that serve of Hendry County Sheriff’s Office? Its simple I’m not a politician I’m a COP and unlike other Sheriff’s throughout the nation I plan to keep politics and operations separate. The deputies need to do one thing and one thing only and that is PROGRESSIVE police work and let me worry about the politics. My job as Sheriff will be to provide them with the tools (such as long guns) and support that they need. I can assure you that a lot of research has gone into my letter to the Deputies and I have the know how and experience to get the things needed to get the job done and retain the personnel needed to get it accomplished “NO EMPTY PROMISES HERE”.

I’m going to mention one unit only to you because I do have a lot of plans for Hendry County Sheriff’s Office and this is one of the greatest support units I can give both the deputies and the community they serve.

SWAT- When developing a SWAT Team I will use the personnel that are currently employed. I believe that in the Hendry County Sheriff’s Office has the talent and desire within its own ranks to fill this function. This will not require extra man power. SWAT is a part time position that is used on an on call bases only. Since you are an administrator I’m sure that you know that there are several grants available for equipment and tactical training so this unit will be of little cost to the tax payers.

As Sheriff I believe that the people of Hendry County should NOT wait two to three hours for another jurisdiction to respond during a critical incident. The prior Sheriff had a SWAT team why is there not one now? Do you not have faith in the men and women that serve under you command? It appears that you don’t when you use another COUNTY to handle incidents that call for a SWAT team. The HCSO can and will under my watch handle these types of situations THE TAX PAYERS AND THE DEPUTIES DESERVE TO HAVE SUCH SUPPORT.

“I will not have the, I CAN’T or WON’T attitude when it comes to the safety of the Deputies and the community they serve”.

As far as not having enough Deputies to cover the road well its simple it’s a moral issue they call out sick, or resign because morale is low and they hate coming into work, or perhaps they are too exhausted from working “MANDATORY” overtime? Low morale is caused by many reasons the greatest reasons I have learned through my career is lack of support from the leadership of the agency.

In closing I noticed that your e-mail was sent from work, and you listed your phone number as the Sheriff’s Office number. I can assure YOU and the men and women of the HCSO that under my command if we are short staffed my command staff to include my self will be out answering calls and backing up each other and will NOT be sitting behind a desk in an office sending personal e-mails on duty.

I wish you and your men a safe tour of duty.

God Bless,

Your Next Sheriff
Raul Fernandez