Preview of tomorrow's bombshell story in Oconee Enterprise newspaper
Former K-9 handlers awarded overtime
by Michael Prochaska
The Oconee County Board of Commissioners approved a settlement of $55,000 to two former Sheriff’s Office employees seeking accrued overtime and to the law firm representing them.
County Attorney Daniel Haygood said that dollar amount would be split three ways, but it is unclear how the $55,000 will be distributed.
A representative from the Atlanta-based employment and business law firm Buckley Beal said the firm would not discuss the settlement at this time.
Its clients, Shane Partain and Brad Williams, also declined comment. Both men were trained handlers for the Sheriff’s Office K-9 Unit until earlier this year. Oconee Sheriff Scott Berry said he would not comment either.
The Oconee Enterprise on Wednesday morning filed an open records request for all documents pertaining to the settlement. Haygood said those documents cannot be released until all parties have signed the paperwork.
“I imagine it will be soon,” he said.
The vote to approve the settlement occurred in public on Tuesday but without discussion amongst board members. In speaking to the BOC, Haygood made reference to “extensive discussion,” presumably while under executive session at previous board meetings.
Sheriff Berry was part of that discussion, Haygood told The Enterprise.
Partain, a former sergeant with the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office, founded its K-9 Unit in 2006. Deputy Williams joined several years later. They were the only employees trained to handle the two canines. K-9 dogs are used in drug searches, dragnets and other law enforcement activities.
The Enterprise published a story earlier this fall that described the K-9 Unit as being “disbanded,” a word that Chief Deputy Weems said was inaccurate.
“It implies that we made a choice to get rid of the K-9s,” he said. “Both handlers left the agency by their own choice.”
The Enterprise did in fact report that the inactive status of the K-9 Unit was due to the departure of two trained employees who have since found other employment.
Weems explained that one of the K-9s was privately owned by its handler while the other was near the end of its lifespan. To continue the K-9 Unit, the Sheriff’s Office would need to purchase a new canine. A handler for said canine would also need to undergo certification.
There have been no employees who have expressed interest in going through that process, Weems said.
by Michael Prochaska
The Oconee County Board of Commissioners approved a settlement of $55,000 to two former Sheriff’s Office employees seeking accrued overtime and to the law firm representing them.
County Attorney Daniel Haygood said that dollar amount would be split three ways, but it is unclear how the $55,000 will be distributed.
A representative from the Atlanta-based employment and business law firm Buckley Beal said the firm would not discuss the settlement at this time.
Its clients, Shane Partain and Brad Williams, also declined comment. Both men were trained handlers for the Sheriff’s Office K-9 Unit until earlier this year. Oconee Sheriff Scott Berry said he would not comment either.
The Oconee Enterprise on Wednesday morning filed an open records request for all documents pertaining to the settlement. Haygood said those documents cannot be released until all parties have signed the paperwork.
“I imagine it will be soon,” he said.
The vote to approve the settlement occurred in public on Tuesday but without discussion amongst board members. In speaking to the BOC, Haygood made reference to “extensive discussion,” presumably while under executive session at previous board meetings.
Sheriff Berry was part of that discussion, Haygood told The Enterprise.
Partain, a former sergeant with the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office, founded its K-9 Unit in 2006. Deputy Williams joined several years later. They were the only employees trained to handle the two canines. K-9 dogs are used in drug searches, dragnets and other law enforcement activities.
The Enterprise published a story earlier this fall that described the K-9 Unit as being “disbanded,” a word that Chief Deputy Weems said was inaccurate.
“It implies that we made a choice to get rid of the K-9s,” he said. “Both handlers left the agency by their own choice.”
The Enterprise did in fact report that the inactive status of the K-9 Unit was due to the departure of two trained employees who have since found other employment.
Weems explained that one of the K-9s was privately owned by its handler while the other was near the end of its lifespan. To continue the K-9 Unit, the Sheriff’s Office would need to purchase a new canine. A handler for said canine would also need to undergo certification.
There have been no employees who have expressed interest in going through that process, Weems said.
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