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Sunday, June 09, 2013

Sheriffs Department / Sgt. Owens

It was ruled Sheriff Lewis was justified in hiring Sgt. Owens due to the experience and denied any back pay or compensation to Rantz.

Well, there's always the Court of Public opinion.

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

Excellent. It's a shame that it came to this. The only looser is Rantz. Now he gets no promotion, back pay and will be given the most crappy job in the department when he gets back.

Anonymous said...

We should trust the decision of our leaders , with one exception , Obama and his team of crooks.

Anonymous said...

Looks like the process worked the way it is suppose to work, YOU just didn't like the outcome Joe.

JoeAlbero said...

anonymous 10:07, One thing you do not do to me is put words in my mouth.

There is NO right or wrong in this situation, period.

Its unfortunate that a Judge/Mediator had to be placed in this position in the first place.

Rantz had every right to file a grievance, wouldn't YOU? Lewis had every right to hire Owens. He's a good man and certainly qualified. The decision was a no win for Mike Lewis, period.

Because we exposed the situation, that makes us wrong in your eyes. We allowed the public and Officers to voice their OPINION and I guess that's wrong too. No different from exposing fire trucks at grocery stores and restaurants.

You may not like what we expose and you may disagree but learn to agree to disagree and stop acting like I hate people.

Anonymous said...

Joe, you are correct. All three gentlemen are fine officers (Lewis, Rantz, Owens). Everyday, officers put their lives on the line for all of us no matter what and they deserve respect. Their jobs aren't easy dealing with heaven knows what each and everyday. I'm thankful we have people willing to serve.

I feel like Rantz should be qualified for more than a "crappy" job upon his return from duty. Afterall, the gentlemen is serving his country and every minute that goes by, he doesn't know if he'll be blown up while fighting for rights and freedoms for total strangers. I believe this deserves some merit and deserves to be considered when he returns to us. May GOD BLESS US ALL.

Anonymous said...

I Totally agree 11:06

JoeAlbero said...

11:05, this is Rantz second trip serving our Country, just so people are aware.

Serving as a Sheriff's Deputy is MILD compared to putting your life on the line in war.

We don't have, (nor ever have had) someone walking around with bombs strapped to their chest in Wicomico County. No roadside bombs and thousands of people hiding with guns aimed at us every moment of the day.

I have seen numerous comments in police and firefighter posts I have published where they talk about risking their lives and the word HERO on a regular basis.

Mr. Rantz is a HERO. Most of the men and women serving in local police and firefighter positions don't have the stones to put it all on the line to protect our Country. And before you come on here saying I don't either, don't think for a second I didn't make the attempt at 19 to join the armed forces. Because of a severe car accident and certain organs removed from my body I wasn't accepted/qualified.

Thank you for your comment.

Anonymous said...

I would like to say Joe thank you for having the stones to print the information. The fact is this is Rantz' third deployement. Rantz was at Quantonimo Bay as well. Rantz was one of the assistant commanders at the jail in Iraq that held the top fifty terrorist in the world at one point. Hell bottom line is the guy paid his dues. The man tested and was number one on the list period.

Ownens is a good guy we can not compare he and Rantz. Apples and oranges if you will. Thet have two different skill sets. Owens should have been hired. Just not at a Sgts. rank.

I agree Sheriff Lewis did at the time what he or his Command Staff felt was the right thing to do at that moment. I just wish there could have been a way to resolve this matter without screwing people who have dedicated over eighteen years to the Sheriff's Office.

Ownens could have easily been brought in as "Director Of Investigations" at any pay Lewis desired and promoted those on the list i.e. Rantz and others that tested and earned the right. I am not sure why this wasnt done.

Was it a test of the Collective Bargaining process. Just so the public knows a "monitored" vote was conducted by the Sheriff's Office and Wicomico County to see if the troops wanted the F.O.P. to represent them. It was unamimous. That's right not one nay vote. Just so you understand the magnitude of this. The same men and women would be willing to drink Lewis' dirty bath water voted yes. It is not a challenge of his leadership. It is an attempt to get benefits in place that have been needed for years. This all started under Sheriff Nelms watch. It is and was needed.

The bottom line is if the deputies had a decent system in place none of this would have came about.

Joe if you have done your home work you now know that the disability the county has in place is no where close to L.E.E.O.P.S. or any other disability being offered by other local police departments.

Some time back Ms. Ennis now reffered to as Dr. Ennis stated the counties package was comparable to L.E.E.O.P.S. This post called Sheriff Lewis and Deputy T. Funk liars. Implied they had misrepresented the facts. They were telling the truth as they knew it. They are both owed an appology by you. Have the stones as you say to do it. The counties disbility is horrific. Ennis was to research this and report back. I have not read one word of her findings. If "her" statement was true and her statement verified it would have been plastered on this page. So you do owe Funk and Lewis an appology. Be man enough to do it.

The Sheriff's Office is as strong as ever. It will be here long after all of us are gone. We need to build for the future of our citizens and take care of those who serve right now and in the future. Why would anyone not fight to have the premier Sheriff's Office in the country. Think big and you will be. Stop fighting it and be it.






Anonymous said...

If the bosses did not want to follow their rules, why not just change the rule book? They could have changed it so you did not have to be a 5 year employee to be eligible for Sargent. Then there would have been no trial at all.

Anonymous said...

Good Point.

Anonymous said...
The way to check on the work skills of any police officer. Type their last name, first name into MD Judiciary Case search, select "Other" for the category, and select Wicomico County. This will tell you how many arrests an officer has made in the past 20 years.

June 3, 2013 at 1:46 PM

Anonymous said...

Why is the sherriffs office the only unionized department (FOP) in the county? What would they do if a union came in and was acceped byt the employees of Wicomico County and wanted equal pay, fair treatment and decent working conditions? I commend the men and women of the sherriffs office, but the remiander of county employees experience unfair treatment everyday. My two cents for today.

Anonymous said...

I'm tired of the hero and putting my life on the line bs too by police thank you Rantz for being a real Hero and to all the other soldiers

Anonymous said...

8:36.

check your facts. buy in to the state LEOPS system would cost this county over 6 million to start with. Then over 1.5 million annually.

neighboring jurisdictions can afford LEOPS because they instituted it at the beginning

Wicomico would have to "buy back " 40 years of legacy costs.

Tell us where the. $ will come from. Between public safety and education 80 % of the county budget is spoken for.

So..... are you wiling to pay the additional taxes for LEOPS ????

Anonymous said...

10:18.
cite examples of unfair treatment.

Doubt that you can

mortarmandude said...

The man is a damn war hero n is putting up with crap while serving...hes prob got more guts and balls then then the whole staff the boss man has. Oyeah thats correct he does hes back in the sandbox from one vet to another you dont have to answer to selfish people of the world