Sheriff Phil Redmond allowed one of his deputies to maintain use of his county-issued cell phone for four months after the deputy was indicted and subsequently suspended from the Iredell County Sheriff's Office, public records reveal.
A state grand jury indicted Tommy Adams for obstruction of justice in December 2010 (Iredell County sheriff's deputy indicted). He was consequently suspended without pay from the sheriff's office. But Adams continued using his county cell phone until April 21, 2011, just three days after a county resident requested copies of the deputy's most recent public cell-phone records.
While suspended, Adams spent several thousand minutes on his county phone, but many of the numbers were blacked out on the bills provided to the Report. Marty Byers, captain of personnel for the sheriff's office, said that's because Adams, even while suspended, was asked to review the bills and mark out calls that were personal in nature.
But not all the calls were blacked out on the records, indicating, per Byers' response, that perhaps Adams was using the phone for “professional” calls as well. It is unclear why he would have been making such calls while being suspended from the sheriff's office.
It is also unclear why Adams did not mark out seemingly personal calls he placed to Kim Taylor, the attorney defending him against the State's obstruction-of-justice charge, or those he placed to his wife's cell phone or to Sheriff Phil Redmond's home.
Byers did not respond when asked if Adams, in addition to his cell phone, was allowed to keep his gun and badge. He also did not respond to why Adams was allowed to continue using his phone for four months after he was suspended and if that is in keeping with N.C. General Statutes and the sheriff's office Standard Operational Procedures.
Deputy County Manager Tracy Jackson said he has no knowledge of a county policy regarding the collection of public equipment from a suspended employee. However, he said, “I think it is logical for the supervisor of a suspended employee to obtain any county-issued property from that employee.” County property such as cell phones, he said, “should be turned in when an employee is suspended and re-issued as appropriate if said employee is re-instated.”
Iredell County's accounting procedure's manual states that “personal telephone calls are occasionally necessary, but they should be limited.” It also states that “department heads, division heads, and elected officials (are) responsible for reviewing and approving the monthly telephone bill … for their departments.”
Jackson said the sheriff's office is expected to abide by any and all policies approved by the Iredell County Board of Commissioners and/or N.C. Law. While the county does not have a formal policy in place, Jackson cited the N.C. Constitution, saying it “provides a definition of 'public purpose' which indicates that public funds be spent for the benefit of the public in general and not just for the benefit of certain individuals or special interests.”
This is the second time in recent months that the sheriff's judgment about county-issued cell phones has been called into question. In March, it was reported here that a long-time crime reporter with the Statesville Record & Landmark, apparently for several years, used a cell phone issued to her by the sheriff's office and paid for by county taxpayers.
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44 comments:
Hillbillies, what can you do with them?
Wonder how many of the "MANY" deputies that have been criminally charged while working under Redmond are close enough to Redmond to call him at home after they have been charged. Says alot about MR. Making Iredell a better place.
Sounds like the Sheriff has violated his own SOP regarding keeping company with criminals or those suspected to be involved in criminal behavior.
How many days off without pay are you taking Phil?
Mooresville. Think they'll make a movie about it someday to rivel Peyton Place? Maybe call it, "Shameful Place?"
If Byers didn't respond about Adams keeping his gun and badge then the answer would probably be yes. Adams and Phil must be pretty tight if Adams got charged with keeping guns and ammo illegally and yet he is trusted to keep his county issued firearm too.
Sounds like the Sheriff has violated his own SOP regarding keeping company with criminals or those suspected to be involved in criminal behavior.
It is also unclear why Adams did not mark out seemingly personal calls he placed to Kim Taylor, the attorney defending him against the State's obstruction-of-justice charge, or those he placed to his wife's cell phone or to Sheriff Phil Redmond's home.
Wow, wonder how such a story slipped by the Statesville Record and Landmark reporter that covers the Sheriff's Office. I mean an experienced journalist like Donna Swicegood would have been all over that had she only known (sarcasm).
Remember what Record and Landmark publisher Tim Dearman said in his article titled “Our Commitment to Integrity”: “This newspaper is committed to journalistic integrity. We are committed to reporting the local news to you without bias.” Well, I for one will be waiting for The R&L to release this story. I’m certain Dearman will stand behind his heart felt commitment (much bigger sarcasm).
Funny how last week Donna Swicegood came up with a story about the great training the Sheriff’s SWAT team is doing, yet when a real story comes to light she somehow misses it. Perhaps she knew and had some sympathy towards Adams. You know, since it was a cell phone and all.
No one needs worry though. The next time a deputy bust Billy Bob with a joint we can depend on Miss Donna to tell us what an incredible job Sheriff Redmond is doing. Oh well, so much for journalistic integrity.
Is this just me, or are there other persons out there who don't understand how so many allegations we hear about the Sheriff's office and his personnel goes on and it seems not one of our elected officials choses to question it?
If just one half of the allegations are true,folks, there are a alot of bad officers in the bunch from the VERY TOP to the bottom. Alot of drug money is alledged to be taken off the highway(interstates)but no one questions the budget requests. Yet we see the county(taxpayers) paying for phones and we don't know what else. We see our taxes raised and other departments asked to trim but never a word to the sheriff's department. In fact,officials seem to praise and give them whatever with no questions asked. Shouldn't that budget be scrutinized as the other departments are. I have heard it said that elected officials such as this don't have to answer any questions to anybody. Live well now, because there will be a day when questions will be asked by THE ONE you really don't want to ask you.
10:33 the leadership in this county is a joke. Nothing will happen until the people pay attention and do something about it.
Who you gonna call?? Sheriff Redmond!
Then run against him. Goodluck.
Run against him? That's a sad argument. Low voter turnout and voter apathy are all that have kept the idiot in office. His cohorts at the Statesville record & Landmark and left nut Donna Swicegood have also aided by keeping the elderly voters informed of the great job he is doing. (Sarcasm) General public opinion is that he is a crook and a thug and people can't understand how he gets re-elected and gets by with what he does. Explain why brother Neil ran all over the county saying that Redmond was unfit for office but now is one of his inner circle boys. He had the same idea, to run against him and get him out of office because of how he is. What happened there? The people under Redmond know how he is and who he is. This story is another example of how a few get by with doing what they want while morale is bad throughout the department.
Did he reimburse the county for the personal calls he made?
Tommy Adams was a convicted thief hired by Redmond.
He was put through rookie school by the county. He was then placed into a detective slot without the mandatory road patrol experience.
He was suspended numerous times over the years.
Finally he took forearms home, kept them and denied he had them before finally giving them up one at a time.
He was then moved around the Sheriffs office in different positions while Redmond tried to keep it quiet and was not disciplined and certainly not fired and a report handed over to the DA for consideration of charges like should have been done.
He was then suspended without pay after being indicted when the cat got out of the bag, but allowed to keep his county cell phone for obvious personal use since he wouldn't be conducting any professional "biness" due to being suspended without pay.
And, it would appear that he was allowed to keep his firearm and badge since Byers didn't answer the question which I am certain he would have answered if the answer would have sounded good.
Redmond really looks out for his people. You have to say that.
4:02 Neil has fallen into the same category as Darren Campbell. Funny how 60 grand a year can change your perspective on what is right and what is wrong. Things like indicted employees having county equipment are no longer a big deal. However, I got to give it to Campbell, by exposing Adams criminal behavior he has done more damage to the Sheriff’s reputation than Ms. Gatton could ever do. Even though exposing Adams was likely for his own selfish reasons. Word I hear is that Darren prays every night that the Iredell prosecutorial district will fall back under Redmond’s buddy Gary Frank, that way the charges against Adams will be dropped. It is really just sad that a good man could become so twisted.
Wonder why a Chevy Patrol Car was parked at the Burger Barn for a long time. It was a car just like Tommy drove. If it was his why wasn't it turned into the county garage or parked at the sheriff's office like every other car is when an officer is suspended?
Oh wait maybe the Burger Barn is the new sheriff's office in the North End?
Oh my god! Dowdle,Dowdle, where the hell are you Dowdle!
Phils new office in the north end is his lawn mower store
Tea Bagger Griffith criticized a lot of county dept budgets but never said a word about Phils uh a mean porky pigs budget. Wonder why? Oh yeah. Slime sticks to slime
That is becuase she is your typical politician. She has seen the popularity of the tea party so she is jumping on that train to ride it. If she were truly for transparency in government, as the tea party is, she would push to have all those telephone records released. She is just another person in Phil's pocket.
Yep!
A multiple choice question for anyone who thinks they know how Phil Redmond operates.
Phil Redmond recently hired a new deputy named Jonathan Brewer. Why was Brewer hired?
A. Brewer has a law degree from Harvard University.
B. Brewer’s ability to psychoanalyze the criminal mind.
C. Brewer has a degree in Criminology.
D. Brewer’s family has a sign on Davie Ave supporting Redmond.
If you answered D as in dirty or dishonest you are correct.
I would have guessed c but I forgot we were in Iredell county just for a minute.
When is the DA going to prosecute Adams?
The bigger support system that a corrupt person has, the more people to turn dime when things get bad.
The DA is doing a great job. Tommy Adams has Kim Taylor as an attorney. I am sure she will do her best, after all, her husband works for Redmond, and a good outcome could be beneficial to him. I am curious what Adams is paying her. I assume it is a reduced rate considering the circumstances.
I believe is just another case of people being rewarded for helping Redmond. Take former high ranking deputy Mark McCullom for example. He was convicted of a felony and could no longer hold a job in law enforcement. Now he holds a position with Wilson Security. Owner Don Wilson is Darren Campbell's pa paw. Darren is sitting pretty at the Sheriff's Office. The county uses Wilson security to guard the court house. It is all just a circle of corruption.
Imagine, the court house is being protected by a security company that openly hires convicted felons.......only in Iredell.
Do fake degrees get you a pay increase at Wilsons?
The sad thing is, these are the people Redmond respects. If you are a hard working employee with several years of service he has no use for you. But if you take evidence home with you with the intentions of keeping it, or you submit a fake college degree to the Sheriff, well that you have a future with ole Phil. Perhaps it is a case of birds of a feather....
8:02 you are dead wrong. Redmond respects nobody. He does surround himself with people of questionable character because they will support him in whatever he wants to do. Like all of us, Redmond is drawn to people who think like he does. That explains why Tommy was caught with the guns and not fired. McCollum was caught with the degree and nothing done until the F.B.I. showed up. They look out for each other. Hell, McCollum was a convicted thief long before this incident. Redmond had two convicted thieves he kept close to him.
Now if you are "a hard working employee with several years of service" and you make an honest mistake or get yourself in a situation due to circumstances, your ass is instantly demoted or fired. Ask Huffstickler, they fired him and hauled him to jail for something he didn't even do the next morning after the incident. Adams and McCollum get caught red handed and word goes around the office that you better not be caught talking about it. They took all of Huffstickler's equipment and fired him. Tommy gets indicted by a grand jury and still has his county cell phone that he uses to call Phil!
That is the kind of leadership we have here at the Sheriffs Office. The inner circle does as they please while the rest of us walk on eggshells hoping we don't make that one mistake that will cost us our livelihood. It is honor among thieves at the top and the rest of us are out here doing the work and getting all the press that makes him look good. Come here Donna and write this down, "Redmond said". Get my picture with this murderer and these drugs Donna. Make me look pretty for the voters. Make everybody love me while I screw people around. Thanks for all the help there Dearman.
But respect? A love for himself, money and women, but no respect.
I have heard Captain Darren Campbell tell employees that their calls are public record. So what gives? Why are they allowing Adams to mark out his calls if they leadership already understand the public records law?
Here is an amusing thought. Both Campbell and Redmond are likely getting ready for church right now. (lol)
9:10 the same reason as mentioned above. Adams is in the inner circle. The inner circle all have info on each other. There is commitment brought forth from that. Kind of like if they all had a photo of each other screwing a goat, that kind of trust. Just like the deal with McCollum they will do what they can to look out for each other until it gets past their capabilities. If you don't have a photo of them screwing a goat then you are screwed. Got to be a photo holder.
9:12 Jesus hung around with thieves, prostitutes and tax collectors. It's okay.
I guess for $60,000 and more a year Hayes and Campbell would be the prostitutes?
Just got an image of P-p-p-p-porky screwing a goat. I think it is in a field off Wallace Springs road. Damn I see it every time I blink now. Thanks a lot I see it everyday.
9:12 Hayes might be leading singing or passing a collection plate, think about that.
just let me keep my job until I can retire!
Damn Uncle Phil, I needs me a cellphone, and a gun, and a badge, and a car. Maybe you could take my wife on a date to Davie County. Could you get the road paved in front of my house. I need a little help landscaping too. Don't worry, I got your back.
Some of these posts are so well written (except for "try running against him" of course) with excellent points. Good reading. And I'm still not sure they realize they are a laughingstock. Do you? Anyone? All you have to post is Yes or No. You can do it. Even you, Dowdle.
One pissed off deputy said:
I know for one I am getting tired of the crap around here. I got into law enforcement with the intent of helping people. Instead I am working for an unethical piece of crap. Retirement can't get here soon enough. As soon as I can get out of here I am. It wasn't always like this. Hell I used to think he was a decent man.
11:55 You, like many of us, were decieved. Hang in there.
Deceived?!!!! This man fought for God. From his home page where he recaps his accomplishments he points this out first.
"A recap of accomplishments through Sheriff Redmond’s tenure, we should start with the stand he took against a Judge in our district that had attempted to take the word “God” out of the courtroom. Sheriff Redmond took a stand when most political figures would not. He took a stand on the beliefs in which our forefathers stood when writing the constitution for our Country."
How could you question the ethics, morals and intentions of a man so close to God that he took a stand where most other political figures would not?
It also says that he took a stand on the beliefs in which our forefathers stood. Our forefathers must be some crooked sons of guns.
Most men with such strong convictions don't advertise it on their page. It spreads in the community and everyone knows it.
Kim Taylor is married???? Thats funny.
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