By Emersson Drake
4/7/10
The following is a statement given by Stanislaus County Sheriff's Office Under sheriff Bill Heyne when interviewed by News 10 on 4/6/10:
MODESTO, CA - A Stanislaus County sheriff's captain was far from the office when he was in a department car and involved in a crash.Capt. Tim David was near Monterey where he has a second home when the non-injury crash happened.
One of his bosses said he had the sheriff's permission to have a work car so far from where he works."The sheriff said 'you can drive your car on those weekends to your vacation home in Pacific Grove.' David said 'fine and I'll put gas in it,'" said Undersheriff Bill Heyne.
Heyne said more than 70 sheriff's department employees were allowed to drive their company cars to and from work. He said the cost is overshadowed by the efficiency of having those vehicles with those employees."
Basically they're on call 24 hours a day and seven days a week. If something happens where he needs to be here, he'll respond. For him to come back in a company car with emergency equipment, radios, and everything, it's an advantage for us and cost is minimal," said Heyne.
David still could be punished for the crash, however, if a California Highway Patrol investigation determines he was at fault.
Heyne said the department deals with 30 to 40 accidents a year, and investigations have led to some deputies being suspended or terminated.
Though Heyne and Sheriff Adam Christianson have stopped taking company cars home to assist the department in saving money, he said that wouldn't be wise department-wide."You could save a job (by taking away car privileges) but the problem is, our efficiencies would decline," said Heyne.By tdaly@news10.nethttp://www.news10.net/news/story.aspx?storyid=78844&catid=2
Now we know, per Heyne, that Christianson gave specific permission for this misappropriation.
For your info. Thank you.
