In Dayton, it’s hard to not be separated by about 1.2 degrees of separation. Especially in political circles. I met and got to know Eric Spicer when I last ran for Congress and he was running for the Republican nomination for State Representative against the disgraced drunk Jarrod Martin and the eventual winner, Rick Perales who has his own issues.
Spicer came off as a straight-up, stand-up guy. Trusted friends told me that as well. But when I read the paper about his Termination from the Greene County Sheriff’s office for undeclared reasons, I don’t scratch my head at all, I know it’s political.
Greene County Sheriff, Gene Fischer, had placed Spicer on admin leave for 7 months before yesterdays confirmation.
“He was placed on leave after the Yellow Springs police standoff ended in the death of Paul E. Schenck, a resident, who fired more than 100 shots at law enforcement officers on July 30.”
For the record, only one person died, or was wounded in that standoff- Schenck. There is no lawsuit pending against the County for neglect or incompetence. Also for the record, Spicer wasn’t the highest ranking Sheriff’s office at the scene either.
And while I hate to report third hand, a quick search finds this blog piece with allegations of what’s really going on, from a blog maintained by a friend of Schenck:
inside information that Eric Spicer was being set up as a fall guy. I emailed the person who left the comment and here’s the bullet points of what they told me:
That contrary to what has been reported, Eric Spicer was not in command. His only command decisions were to call for a SWAT negotiator and a helicopter.
That Greene County Sheriff Gene Fischer and Chief Deputy Mike Brown were on hand. They were the ones in command.
That Eric Spicer was trying to remove neighbors to safety in order to eliminate the sense of urgency to kill Paul. With nobody in danger, Spicer hoped that SWAT and the other agencies would cease antagonizing Paul, allow the sun to come up, and let the professional negotiator talk him out.
That if that plan had been allowed to proceed, Paul would be alive.
But instead of allowing that plan to work, that SWAT was using armored vehicles to deliberately provoke Paul into firing.
That Paul was only firing when he was provoked.
That one of the two men in charge, Chief Deputy Mike Brown, smelled of alcohol.
That there had been complaints about Brown’s drinking in the weeks and months leading up to this incident.
via Eric Spicer » Kick Him, Honey [2].
For an in-depth look at what happened that night, the same writer, Benjmin Whitmer, has a pretty decent essay, simply titled “Paul Schenck [3]” It was his follow up post about Spicer’s firing [4] that elicited some people to comment and step up for Spicer.
Information that’s come to me from trusted sources tell a story of Sheriff Gene Fischer being an absentee Sheriff, who is happy to be a politician instead of a cop, and delegating down to his Chief Deputy Mike Brown, who was promoted when Fischer faced a challenge from former Sheriff’s office employee Charlie Barrett. Fischer circled wagons, handing out promotions to people to guarantee support for his campaign instead of Barrett’s, who was the union boss. What’s funny about this is Barrett, who was a Sgt. before having to step down to run against Fisher, complained of Spicer being a political hire:
Barrett charged that Fischer brought political buddies into the office such as Capt. (and now Major) Eric Spicer and that destroys the morale. Fischer was Spicer’s campaign treasurer for Spicer’s unsuccessful bid to become a state representative in a primary race against incumbent Jarrod Martin and Rick Perales, who will face Democratic candidate Bill Conner for the 73rd state house seat.
via Greene County Sheriff’s race pits incumbent against former… | www.daytondailynews.com [5].
As much as Montgomery County is run by a Monarchy of Dems, Greene County is run the same way by Republicans. It’s what happens when we allow every office to be politicized and patronage jobs to be the currency of our community.
Unfortunately, Greene County Dispatchers who have recordings of Brown calling into dispatch, sounding intoxicated, meddling in stops, or the road supervisors complaints of mos-management will all stay firmly swept under the rug as long as the politicians feel they can make Spicer the scape goat. Just remember, Fischer was Spicers campaign treasurer, before he turned on him and hung Spicer out to dry. Anyone who feels safe in their job based on the political winds in Greene County is clueless. Eventually, ships full of holes sink and take all hands, no matter what.
The fact that Spicer isn’t filing for disability like another former Sheriff’s office commander- John DiPietro [6], speaks volumes more about Spicer’s character.
Undoubtedly, many tax dollars will be spent sorting this out, after Spicer sues for wrongful termination, and years will pass as those in power hope to outlast his bank account (as long as taxes are collected, politicians will deny the inevitable and continue to waste money on lawsuits- I know from personal experience). In the mean time, Spicer will have a hard time finding a job using his 25+ years experience.
This is what happens when we continue to vote for smiling faces with big campaign war chests instead of the best qualified people- and have a media that can’t write the hard stories [7].
The public needs real proof that Spicer needed to be fired, instead of demoted or admonished. We shouldn’t have to pay to allow costly political executions rule our government. If the mainstream media outlets ask for the right public records, there will be some interesting documents questioning the inner workings (or non-workings) of the Sheriff’s office.
If some Greene County employees have some guts- you can add comments here safely and anonymously. Please stick to facts, and not personal attacks. You can help save the tax payers a lot of money and wasted circus time with your input.
This column is very fascinating. In my job working for a local government, I had had several dealings with Eric Spicer and found him to be straightforward and professional. He was highly respected as a law enforcement officer. As a Greene County resident, I spoke with Chief Deputy Mike Brown on 3 occasions and was not at all impressed. He was lacked professionalism, tact, ambition, and knowledge. I am very disappointed that Sheriff Gene Fisher has fired Eric. But, realistically, I guess I’m not surprised. Seems like over the past 40 years that I’ve lived in Greene County, the politics never fail to be at best questionable, but most of the time downright disgusting. (By the way, I am NOT the Lt. Governor! LOL!)
The thick miasma of a culture steeped in corruption, cronyism & crooks penetrates every institution, organization and fiber of existence in Ohio, reaching full strength, hovering over the southwestern aspect where it descends even further. This story is the story of so many. Change the names and places (& obviously, little details) and this could be applied to many hardworking, decent individuals in the Miami Valley region. Even the institutes of high learning suffer from this, including your alma mater.
As an outsider & proud of it, its been my observation that this has gone on for at least a century and has worsened to the present time because decent, good people that have options have long left. They move to another part of the country where they have opportunities and can succeed. If these were normal times, there would be an influx of incoming decent, good people who would pick up the baton of decency and justice and insure checks and balances were in place and enforced. Thus we are left with the present sociopathic culture lacking an institutional consciousness, which lives by its own rules. No accountability.
Our disgust with the sick miasma must reach a critical mass before we can change things. The local newspaper, which should be expected to investigate the corruption, doesn’t work. We need to think bigger and go outside the Valley to a real newspaper, or make youtube videos wearing Guy Fawkes masks airing their wrongdoing to the world where it has the potential to go viral. And then the perps become a joke. Its the surest way to end a political career.
So you know you are not alone, my career has similarly suffered, but via a different crime family & institution so this story is my story as it is a close family member’s story, my neighbor across the street’s story and so on.
http://www.whio.com//Player/102066501/
You can listen to the first moments of the audio by the Yellow Springs police dispatch with the above link. You will hear the 99 call to the county and the swat team. According to the blog one of the officers. The blog states” That one of the two men in charge …. smelled of alcohol” The man who was fired was not one of the two men charge.
That one of the two men in charge, Chief Deputy Mike Brown, smelled of alcohol.
That there had been complaints about Brown’s drinking in the weeks and months leading up to this incident.
– See more at: http://esrati.com/the-eric-spicer-diversion/10862/#comments
That one of the two men in charge, Chief Deputy Mike Brown, smelled of alcohol.
That there had been complaints about Brown’s drinking in the weeks and months leading up to this incident.
– See more at: http://esrati.com/the-eric-spicer-diversion/10862/#comments
That one of the two men in charge, Chief Deputy Mike Brown, smelled of alcohol.
That there had been complaints about Brown’s drinking in the weeks and months leading up to this incident.
– See more at: http://esrati.com/the-eric-spicer-diversion/10862/#comments
Not sure what is going on with this department. I had an interaction with a deputy sheriff where I called because my husband became violent and shortly after this deputy from Greene County sent me a friend request on Facebook while he still had to be working. I know there was an investigation but how is this possible that he kept his job plus the sex scandal in the jail and the reports of alcohol on the breath of some of the staff? I also read where the state auditor caught one of the majors cheating on his time card and working two jobs at the same time. Is this entire department corrupt and ran by an absentee sheriff? Maybe it’s time for Fischer to go because he has certainly lost control of his department. He promoted the people in charge of the jail whee the sex abuse of female inmates occurred. Looks like surrounding himself with loyal staff is more important than doing the right thing. He looks very uncomfortable on the news as he should be. Just be careful ladies if you deal with a deputy because get a Facebook friend request soon after you file a report oh and don’t worry if he is married, he will tell you he is getting a divorce.
Was it sexual abuse or was it rape that took place in the jail? Was it investigated and did the prosecutor take it to a grand jury? Is it OK to rape a person if they are an inmate?
Nick, does not matter, any sexual contact with an inmate is a felony however we are talking Greene County so the prosecutors turned a blind eye and the sheriff allowed the criminals to resign so he didn’t get negative press and a black eye. if anything the sheriff should be prosecuted.
i LOVE that last line! This whole article has been a giant smear, but, hey, feel free to “stick to facts, and not personal attacks.” Thank you, i needed that laugh. Came straight from my gut.
Uh. what was smear? sex in the jail with inmates? Deputies going to DV calls and then sending facebook friends to victims and then asking for dates, the stalking her? Fischer is absentee sheriff? Alcohol problem with high level staff officer? continued sexual harassment going on on? lawsuits settled under the rug? Recordings of Brown drunk dialing? Fischer needed a fall guy? you mean this inconvenient facts that you don’t like? Guess Mr Barrett was right when he ran for Sheriff. Should have listened.
http://www.daytondailynews.com/news/news/local-govt-politics/greene-county-sheriffs-race-pits-incumbent-against/nSnwy/
“Barrett charged that training has dropped by 75 percent. Fischer wouldn’t address percentages but said the department is catching up on training that they let slide.” maybe thats why Yellow Springs was a cluster
yeah, thought so. Sure not only thing coming from that gut.
Plus who in their right mind has a SWAT team made up of JAILERS ONLY. No road deputies on the SWAT team, just all corrections deputies/deputies that most have never made an arrest. That should tell the citizens of Greene County that #1- the sheriff has no business having a SWAT team and #2 that they are not trained well enough to handle situations. The SWAT jailer who killed the guy in yellow springs lost his machine gun a couple of years ago and another gun that Spicer recovered. But there’s still a swat machine gun somewhere out there because this guy left his gear in the garage with garage door open.
http://www.whio.com/news/news/local/arrest-made-2010-theft-swat-weapon/nKPs3/
This is what happens when you put ill-trained police officers with little training working the streets in high stress positions, bad outcomes. Why do think Beavercreek and Fairborn /Huber have their own SWAT team? They don’t want to be affiliated with a bunch of untrained jailers.
The yellow springs shooting and lack of negotiations with a mentally ill person is going to cost the county millions, plus the other lawsuits that Fischer will have to settle for sexual harassment . Bad year to be a deputy in GCSO.
You seem to think you’re very knowledgeable. i’d rather have some of those “untrained jailers” have my back over some twat. get a life.
untrained jailers like the ones that lose their machine guns and other weapons versus a “twat”? is that what you mean? seems like you may hit the bottle again pretty hard which is typical. frankly I would rather not have any of those jack weeds have my back especially the one that thought it was a good idea to climb a tree for better vantage point and yet he is a stupervisor and the future sheriff? Well, at least half your comment is correct since she is calling the shots for the sheriff and her first lawsuit. so in reflection, I say I have a life and you are still looking. nice try tho bro
The jail swat team members are very well trained. Greene county swat has road deputies on it. This administration is no more corrupt than past administrations. The swat team member who’s guns were stollen was not found to be negligent. He was robbed. And now… The upstanding ex-major spicer has forged the Sheriff’s signature to get an illegal fully automatic machine gun… I think the first ax dropped on the right branch. Attacking each other solves nothing. It only proves we each have an opinion. Some of those opinions actually count when decisions are made.
have to disagree with you about the level of corrupt(ness). You have Keller who taught the police academy during normal working hours all while getting paid by the county and the academy. he also lives outside the county and takes a county car home with him every night. Promoted bowman who was in charge of the jail while the sex abuse of inmates going on and brought Prindle back to help keep the circle of trust complete. No, Fischer is morally and ethically corrupt and he used Spicer as the fall guy including the gun thing. If anyone believes this nonsense , then you are a total fool and will vote fischer in again. like i said, the greene county sheriff is run by the nuts and women who fischer is afraid of and who has sued him in the past. as far as the swat guy getting robbed??? you mean leaving you swat gear unsecured in your garage a smart move, yeah… no way fischer wanted that bad news out. this sheriff office is worthy of fbi investigation. wait until the news gets about fischer mis spending drug funds hits the press… oh boy, that will be good…
As I said, first ax. Change must come from within. The decent people left have to hold themselves accountable. I happen to believe Prindle and Bowman are good, people. Unfortunately, Bowman had two people who made stupid decisions. I don’t think the blame should fall on him. Who spoke up when Lt . Link made those same poor decisions… The inmate. His people were floored, but his decision should not fall on the captain at that time. Corrupt or political. Is there a real difference. sheriff Fischer has to face the voters. What can I do…. Complain on an obscure blog site. We have to change from within. You and I together, must be good, uncorruptable. We can’t sabotage the boat, because we’ll go down with it, and we want to make it better. We want to affect a positive change. We must fix and change some of the gears that have disabled the positive movement.
Fischer cannot be fixed and must go. I am waiting for the DDN to release their story on his spending drug fund money, the sexual harassment that he condones within the sheriffs office and the list will continue. And we disagree, Bowman and Keller are both the problems. Keller should have been indicted for working part time at the academy and part time at the SO when the auditor did their thing but since the auditor had a person in the academy, that wouldn’t have look too good for him so he gave fischer a pass. The lawsuit over the yellow springs shooting will be devastating to the county. Nobody in charge, everyone in a rush to kill the nut job while Fischer, Keller and Otis drank coffee and probably lowered the BAC. Theres a candidate waiting in the wings to jump in the race that will destroy fischer so I am stocking up on popcorn now. Hopefully all of the old timers will flee like the dirty rats they are back east. Keller can’t run because of his issue at the church will hurt him. Nope, this U-Boat will be sunk and could care less if any of you get into a lit raft because frankly none of you are worth saving. especially the group of cackling women running the show over there. keep hearing they are going to give her hubby a medal for hiding in the tree during the shootout when in reality he almost caused others to get shot getting him down. hard to believe this shit is true until you add “greene county SO”
Thank you David ersati for this forum. Many months ago, I sent a letter of complaint to sheriff Fischer about his chief deputy at last years Greene county fair about alcohol and gambling . To this day not one person has called me to follow up on my complaint or even acknowledge the complaint. Sure seems like they are covering this up and I believe after a little research, under their CALEA standards, it’s incumbent upon them to investigate EVERY complaint regardless on who it is against.
Just goes to show how corrupt this sheriffs office is how they only want to frame only spicer and could care less about anyone else. Do I believe any allegations coming from these liars ? No way and neither should you. It’s obvious to me the scandals are far and deep in this organization. They need an outside agency to come in and do a proper investigation. Lots more I think to come out. I have hired a private investigator to find more out. I believe she can get to the bottom of the stupidity.
I’ve been in Law Enforcement for quite some time and I have seen people come and go. Some leave the career on good terms, others because of their own stupidity. It is those who leave because of their own stupidity that makes the good guys look bad. Nothing can be more stupid and hurtful to the rest of us than shooting at the wrong house in an attempt to be a hero. If that wasn’t bad enough, forging someone’s name in order to obtain an illegal firearm? Really?? 7 indictments? That has to be a new record. Congratulations. Have fun serving time in prison. While you are in your cell and on the receiving end of some unpleasant actions by your cellmate, remember….you did this to yourself.
The Sheriff should be required to take a comprehensive polygraph test. Results should be released before being allowed to take a mans freedom away given the history of the GSO and the Sheriff himself. Sheriff’s lie and withhold information. These tests are typically given if it is believed that a witness is intentionally trying to deceive authorities or attorneys. Test the Sheriff. Justice demands it.
Shame everything was covered up. The incompetence of the SWAT team, the clack of command at the scene. Cowardly deputies waiting in the woods to jump to at the end to have there :aha” moments, especially the one whose husband wants the next sheriff job. I agree, lots of polygraphs should be given and there’s one detective that knows the truth and maybe under subpoena he will el the truth of how he was ordered to lie by Chief deputy brown to Montgomery county about alcohol and other abuses. This will get very interesting tab the civil trial folks, just wait and see but Fischer will replace the staff like he always does when things get too hot. He will promote Keller as long as the Church where he “led prayer discussion” in the closed rooms does;’t come back to haunt him, Plus all of there academy misconduct. I see one female recent graduate has already stepped forward… there will be more to come and Fischer will be doomed.
cannot wait to see Fischer on the stand in the federal trial. Better stock up on peanuts and popcorn and some tissues for his staff who will be crying as they see their jobs fly out the window. Thankfully, some cops carry digital recorders and these recording are not flattering to Fischer, especially a certain group of the GOP that builds log cabins. Get your tickets early.