When you’re in a position of higher authority, you must be held to a higher standard.
That’s why we’re so appreciative of the swift and unquestionably right punishments dished out by the Allen County Sheriff’s Office recently.
Deputy Robert Wintersteller was suspended for a month without pay following an incident at My Place on Findlay Road.
His shift commander, Lt. Josh Howbert, received a two-week suspension without pay for failing to take the proper steps once he learned of Wintersteller’s actions at the bar, when he re-engaged when the fight could’ve been over.
We appreciate the transparency and forthrightness Sheriff Matthew Treglia showed in this incident.
Clearly it’s disappointing any time a law enforcement officer must be punished for showing bad judgment. We found Sheriff Treglia’s department answered our reporter’s questions directly without trying to minimize the importance of the matter.
Police and sheriff personnel are held to a higher standard than your average worker. We need to know they’re following the departmental rules as closely as possible and are truly worthy of the badge and the gun bestowed upon them. You aren’t just receiving a paycheck from the public, you’re receiving their trust, and incidents like this one could’ve given the law enforcement community a black eye.
Instead, an appropriate and swift punishment proves that the police won’t just cover up for one another when they make a mistake. This shows the supervisors understand the great burden placed upon them.
Perhaps Treglia said it best in his letter to Howbert:
“Inadequate supervision amplifies liability risks for this office and cannot be tolerated,” he wrote. “… I appreciate that you have acknowledged your errors and this agreement was resolved during the disciplinary conference procedure. … Please take this discipline as a chance to learn from this experience and grow as a supervisor and member of this office.”
We appreciate this step to improve the department and support it wholeheartedly. Well done, Allen County Sheriff’s Office.
.neFileBlock {
margin-bottom: 20px;
}
.neFileBlock p {
margin: 0px 0px 0px 0px;
}
.neFileBlock .neFile {
border-bottom: 1px dotted #aaa;
padding-bottom: 5px;
padding-top: 10px;
}
.neFileBlock .neCaption {
font-size: 85%;
}
