Published: August 14, 2007 01:57 pm      

Two sheriff’s candidates spoke to department employees

PICAYUNE — Last Thursday, the remaining Republican candidates for Pearl River County Sheriff’s office — Jim Luke and David Allison — spoke to employees of that department to inform them of their plans should one of them be elected to that office.

The meetings were set up after those candidates expressed interest in speaking to the employees of the department, Sheriff Joe Stuart said.

Allison said he contacted Stuart about speaking to the employees. Allison said Stuart told him that if he was going to let him speak, then he would have to let the other candidates speak. Luke had also requested time to speak with the employees, Allison said.

“I have not set up any meetings, but if any other candidates would like to talk to my employees, that’s fine with me,” Stuart said.

Stuart has always had an open door policy with candidates speaking with his employees, Chief Deputy Julie Flowers said. She said candidates for the District Attorney’s office and county judges’ positions also spoke to the employees.

Election commissioner Bobby Robbins said he is not aware of any law against candidates speaking to employees. A call by the Picayune Item to the Attorney General’s office on the matter was not immediately returned.

About eight minutes into Luke’s discussion with the employees of the department, about 12 employees, of about 40 total, left the room, said James Jones, a part time officer with the Picayune Police Department.

At least two people in the audience recorded Luke’s speech. One recording was about eight minutes, the point at which the 12 employees left the meeting, while the second recording covered the approximately full 47 minute meeting. A recording of Allison’s speech, if one was made, was not provided to the Picayune Item.

In both recordings, Luke mentioned numerous times that any department employee who wants a job will have a job if he is elected.

“As long as you do your job, you’ll have a job,” Luke said.

Luke also said a couple of times in the recording that he is the front runner in the Republican race by about 700 votes. He said Allison would have to work hard to overcome that margin, if he could. Official results of the election show that Allison had 3,214 votes to Luke’s 3,873 votes. There were 2,400 votes cast for Stuart, Robby Peterson and write in votes collectively.

Allison said, in an interview with the Picayune Item, his discussion with the employees lasted from about 1 p.m. until 3:30 p.m. in the jail cafeteria. During that time he discussed his plans for the department, if he is elected. Allison said he had no intention of getting rid of current employees and that no Chief Deputy has been picked yet. At this point Allison said he wanted all of the current employees to stay where they are.

If elected, Allison said Stuart agreed to let him come to the department and begin work early to get ready for the transition. Allison did say that if he is elected there would be an evaluation period so he and the employees could determine if they could work together. Three to four weeks notice would be given if the evaluation period was not successful for the employee.

“It would give us both an opportunity to see what kind of job each of us was going to do and if we could work together,” Allison said.

During Luke’s recorded speech he said numerous times if current employees chose to get involved in politics by attacking him or his family or decide to work openly for his opponent then that choice would have consequences.

“If you’re carrying a torch for my opponent, I may not have a place for you. Now you wanted it straight, I’m giving it to you straight. If you want a job and you want to work for me you’ll have a job. That’s as plain as I can say it,” Luke said in the recordings.

At that point Luke asked for questions. A former officer of the Picayune Police Department asked about an incident from when he was employed by the Picayune Police Department under Luke and, for a reason not given in the recording, is no longer with the department. After a discussion about the incident, the unnamed officer asked Luke if the same thing would happen again.

“Here’s what I’m gonna do, I’ve already said what I’m gonna do. You have a job, if you want a job. I’m not going to rehash the past because I think me and you have had a difference of opinion before and I’d be glad to discuss that with you privately. If you want a job with Jim Luke, I’m offering you one, if you don’t, I don’t understand why you’re here. If you’re here to hash the past, then we’re not going to do that today,” Luke said.

“I’m not here to hash the past I’m here to ...,” the officer said.

“I’m telling you you have a job. Is there anything you don’t understand about that? You have a job if you choose to take one,” Luke interrupted. “But you got to make a choice. If you’re going to support my opponent, you’re going to support my opponent, if you’re going to support me you’re going to support me. It’s as simple as that. Now if you want to support my opponent then get up and walk out right now. If you want a job I’m offering you a job,” Luke said.

At that point in both recordings the scuffling of chairs could be heard where a dozen or so employees left the meeting, including Bill Martin president of the Sheriff’s Association.

“He made up my mind for me,” Martin said.

The meeting continued with the remaining employees. Jones was one of those who stayed and said he did not take offense to what Luke said.

After those employees left, Luke was asked specifically by the remaining employees if they did not vote for him if they would be fired.

“All I’m saying is, in answer to your question is, if you’re going to play in politics you gotta live and die by the sword just like I do,” Luke said.

He went on to say if anyone is out there was wearing David Allison shirts and putting up signs for him, he will not have a job for them, if elected.

Luke did not answer that question directly until nearly the end of the meeting.

“I’m not saying if you vote for my opponent you’ll be terminated, but if you’re going to get involved in politics openly, you know, I think politics is a funny thing. I’ve been on the blunt end of it before,” Luke said.

At the end of the recording Luke said, “We’ll find out in three weeks. I need some people on my side. The people who got up and walked out, they made their choice. Y’all know who they are and I know who they are. And they made their choice before they ever walked in here.”

Luke met with the Picayune Item Friday to discuss the meeting.

He said the county has spent thousands of dollars training the Sheriff’s Department’s personnel and there are many good men and women working for the department.

Luke said he believes there is some “dead weight” in the department and he intends to remedy the situation.

“If they can’t get with the program, they gotta go,” Luke said during the interview.

Luke brought up the question of accreditation and said over the four-year period of a first term of office he would seek only state accreditation.

Other topics Luke covered included cooperation between city and county law enforcement and continuing and possible increasing staff for drug interdiction.

Allison said he would implement neighborhood watches county wide to help battle crime and drugs. That way the community could be the eyes and ears of the department.

Claims of abuse in the jail, which includes correction officer safety, would be addressed if he is elected, Allison said. Making employment at the Sheriff’s Department a Civil Service job would be considered upon further investigation, Allison said. Luke expressed a similar interest in civil service, and also said further investigation would be needed for consideration.

Allison said his time with the employees seemed well received and that all present were polite, respectful and provided lots of good questions. Luke also said the feed back he got from the employees who stayed in the room was positive.

Martin said that he missed the first 15 minutes of Allison’s speech, but was in the audience during most of it and for the first part of Luke’s speech. He confirmed Allison’s speech matched what Allison covered during the Picayune Item interview.