From: bgard@sd.lsgov.us
To: nbrick@sd.lsgov.us, jhunton@sd.lsgov.us, fledford@sd.lsgov.us, areed@sd.lsgov.us, pvercetti@sd.lsgov.us, wwest@sd.lsgov.us, sbarrett@sd.lsgov.us, gpetterson@sd.lsgov.us, mjuarez@sd.lsgov.us, kroberts@sd.lsgov.us
Topic: Time off without pay.

To each and every member of the Sheriff's Office command and high command team,

For the second time in a month I am subject to a suspension; forced time off without compensating pay, and for the second time in a month I feel that my punishment is unfounded, unjust, and completely inappropriate for an adult working environment. With neither of my suspensions was an adequate internal affairs investigation, especially considering that I was not contacted in any form by any member of the c/hc teams for questioning in regards to what I had done. I've been a member of this department my entire career, a large portion of my life, and I feel that after seven years of service this treatment is ridiculous.

The past is the past, and I don't plan on complaining about my first suspension, but the suspension I received earlier today is absurd. I have been the commander of the Special Enforcement Bureau for the past four years, and have brought the department to an unprecedented level of effectiveness and prestige. I feel that it's appropriate that I, as the commander of the department, am allowed to manage and perform the daily operations of my department in whatever manner that I feel fit, so long as it is within the boundaries of the law and reasonable. SEB is MY department, and I don't feel like there was any administrative right or need to punish me for allowing a FELLOW LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER to watch ONE training exercise. No tactics were discussed, no vital secrets revealed; I allowed an LSPD officer to watch my deputy's performance of a mock operation, which they completed, very successfully, due to the training that they've received from me. I should not have to get permission to train my own department.

I'm not going to stretch the limits of professionalism and demand a personal apology from anyone, but I would like to see three things come from this; one, my current suspension lifted, being that I've done nothing to warrant the punishment and there is no written rule forbidding what I have done; two, the expungement of my record, being that neither of my suspensions were accompanied with adequate investigation, or questioning to obtain my side of the story; three, a change in c/hc's methods of internal investigation, requiring at least minimal contact with the deputy in question, so to get THEIR side of the story, unless there is absolute, concrete proof of a serious wrong-doing. I'm more than willing to do anything I can to help move this organization forward, but I can't work happily in these circumstances, and unless my three requests are met I will seek employment elsewhere.

Regards,
Sergeant Brandon Gard