MONTGOMERY COUNTY OFFICE INTERNAL INVESTIGATION 16-063 EMPLOYEE Corrections Of?cer Jerrid Campbell, 1261 Division: Jail Contractual Completion Date: March 13, 2017 COMPLAINANT Major Matt Haines 345 West Second Street Dayton, Ohio 45422 SYNOPSIS Corrections Of?cer errid Campbell is alleged to have provided information to a newspaper reporter without permission or consent of the Sheriff?s Of?ce. INVESTIGATION I received this investigation from Captain Charles Crosby, Assistant Jail Commander on November 16, 2016. I reviewed the documents in the folder, which included a memorandum from Major Matt Haines to Chief Deputy Streck informing him of the appearance in the Dayton Daily News of an article quoting Corrections Of?cer errid Campbell. Also included was a printed cepy of an article titled ?Sheriff investigating claims of segregation at jail? from the November 5, 2016, edition of the Dayton Daily News. INTERVIEW WITH CORRECTIONS OFFICER JERRID CAMPBELL, 1261 On Wednesday, February 8, 2017, at approximately 1500 hours, Corrections Of?cer errid Campbell, 1261, appeared at the Housing Sergeant?s Of?ce, Montgomery County Jail, as a focus in an administrative investigation. Corrections Officer 1 Campbell, Mr. Joseph Hegedus, Ohio Patrolman?s Benevolent Association, Legal Counsel, Representative, and I were present for the interview. I reviewed the Policy Waiver form and the Administrative Investigation Pre-Interview form with Corrections Of?cer Campbell. Of?cer Campbell stated he understood the forms and signed both. Mr. Hegedus and I witnessed Of?cer Campbell sign the forms. Of?cer Campbell has been employed by the Montgomery County Sheriff?s Office for approximately 3 and one half years. Of?cer Campbell is currently assigned to the Jail Division, working ?rst watch. I asked Of?cer Campbell if he was familiar with a Dayton Daily News article, concerning conditions inside the Montgomery County Sheriff?s Of?ce, Jail, published on November 5, 2016. Of?cer Campbell answered he was familiar with this article. Of?cer Campbell was asked if he knew the author of the article, Josh Sweigert and if so how. Of?cer Campbell told me he knew Mr. Sweigert through Bishop Richard Cox, who is a local civil rights leader. He stated Bishop Cox and he had contacted Mr. Sweigert about their concerns about the jail operation. I asked Of?cer Campbell is he was the individual identi?ed in the newspaper article and Of?cer Campbell stated ?Yes.? I also asked if the quotes attributed to him (Campbell) were accurate and again Of?cer Campbell stated ?Yes.? I then asked Of?cer Campbell, in order to clarify, if he had contacted Mr. Sweigert and voluntarily made the statements which are quoted in the article and again Of?cer Campbell stated, ?Yes.? Of?cer Campbell was asked if he was familiar with the policy and process for members of the Sheriffs Of?ce concerning contact with the media. Of?cer Campbell stated he was. Of?cer Campbell stated he felt he needed to contact an outside agency because he had concerns about how things were handled. I asked Of?cer Campbell if he was aware of any other Sheriffs Of?ce employees who also made any statements to Mr. Sweigert. Of?cer Campbell stated that along with himself, Corrections Officer Russell Johnson and a former Corrections Of?cer Erica Ward also talked with Mr. Sweigert. Of?cer Campbell acknowledged he was aware of the Sheriff?s Of?ce policy concerning contact with and providing information to 2 22 the media but he felt under the circumstances, being involved in an investigation, he needed to speak with Mr. Sweigert. CONCLUSION OF FACT The facts revealed by this investigation show Of?cer Campbell voluntarily provided information to a member of the media. This information was used to portray an impression of unfair or improper treatment of inmates based upon racial criteria. Of?cer Campbell was described in the article as a member of the Sheriff?s Of?ce. The article quotes him speaking about procedures, policies, and inmate population ?gures which are Of?cer Campbell?s opinion. Because Of?cer Campbell represented his opinions as an employee of the Montgomery County Sheriff?s Of?ce they could be easily accepted as factual by the reading public. The ?gures and conditions described by Officer Campbell are his opinion and not a fair and accurate description of the jail operation. The quotes attributed to Officer Campbell portray that housing and other internal operational decisions are based on the race of the inmates as the primary factor, which is factually incorrect. Corrections Of?cer Campbell, by voluntarily providing information to a representative of the media, without authorization ?-om the Sheriff?s Of?ce and allowing the use of his of?cial title to lend credence to these statements are found to be Improper Conduct and in violation of the General Orders Manual, 3.5.1, Rule 1 and Rule 39, which read: Rule 1 Violation of Rules Employees must never commit any acts or omit any acts that are a violation of any of the rules. regulations. directives or orders of the Sheriffs Of?ce. whether written in this General Order or elsewhere. Rule 39 Public Statements and Appearances Employees must never publicly criticize or ridicule the Sheriffs Of?ce, its policies, or its employees either by speech. writing, or other expression. The Sheriffs Of?ce prohibits any Such speech. writing. or other expression that is defamatory, obscene. and unlawful, undermines the effectiveness of the agency, interferes with the maintenance of discipline, or recklessly disregards the truth. 00 n?lp?au?ln?a Employees must never address public gatherings, appear on radio or television. prepare any articles for publication. act as correspondents to a newspaper or a periodical. and release or divulge investigative information or any other matters of the Sheriff's Of?ce while holding themselves out as representing the Sheriff's Of?ce in such matters, without proper authority. Employees may lecture on "law enforcemen or other related subjects only with the prior approval of the Sheriff. Mil/c?; Richard J. Whalen, 413 February 14, 2017