Sheriff’s Office fires Waymire

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Waymire

TROY — Miami County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Tina Waymire was terminated from her job effective Thursday.

Waymire was a deputy with the department since Aug. 1, 1985. She was placed on administrative leave on May 1, 2015. Waymire filed a civil lawsuit against the sheriff’s office on May 1 seeking compensation for pre-shift, post-shift and off-duty work related to the care of K-9 Officer Nero. Waymire was in charge of K-9 Nero from 2004 until April 21, 2014, when the service dog was retired by the sheriff’s office due to illness.

Waymire had no comment on Thursday and referred all statements to her legal adviser.

In a public records request, in a letter dated June 4, 2015, Sheriff Charles Cox stated, “After reviewing the investigatory file, your statements regarding the alleged behavior, your disciplinary record and pattern of behavior, I find that there is just cause for disciplinary action on all of the above charges. Your behavior represents serious misconduct and cannot and will not be tolerated.”

Also included in the letter, Cox states, “You were given direct orders for which you have refused to comply, as well as provided false testimony, statements or information during administrative investigation; you failed to request clarification in regards to removing confidential and proprietary information from the Sheriff’s Office for personal reasons, violated your oath of office, you were given direct orders to be truthful in answering questions during investigatory interview and then lied; you willfully demeaned a juvenile member of the public and you have violated the terms of your performance improvement plan.

“Not only does your most recent behavior represent termination offenses, but your pattern of behavior and your dishonesty make it impossible for you to continue your employment here.”

Cox concluded the letter stating, “As an employee of the Sheriff’s Office you are held to a higher standard than other employees in the County. You have been trained and made aware of my expectations in regard to professional and appropriate behavior.”

The letter listed both current and past areas in which Waymire was found in violation of sheriff office policies including:

• Wanton and willful neglect in performance of assigned duties (inefficiency, neglect of duty, failure of good behavior, misfeasance, or malfeasance).

• Willfully demeaning, verbally abusing and/or humiliating a resident, employee, or other person (discourteous treatment of the public, neglect of duty, failure of good behavior, or malfeasance).

• Insubordination by refusing to perform assigned work or to comply with the written or verbal instructions of a supervisor (insubordination, neglect of duty, failure of good behavior, or nonfeasance).

• Providing false testimony, statements, or information, in any official employer, court or administration investigation hearing, or proceeding (dishonesty, failure of good behavior, malfeasance, or neglect of duty).

According to the letter, Waymire voluntarily waived her right to a pre-disciplinary conference on May 1, 2015, with a FOP union representative present.

In January 2015, Waymire was disciplined for responded to the scene of a dog being rescued in the Miami River by Troy Fire Department. Waymire was originally dispatched to the scene of a domestic call, ignored the call and went to the scene of the dog rescue without consent. Waymire was also reprimanded for speeding with all lights and sirens through the city limits of Troy going 54 mph in a 35 mph zone with icy road conditions as she transported the dog to the vet from the scene. She also was verbally counseled for her radio traffic conduct during the incident.

According to a public records search of Waymire’s personnel files, Waymire’s 2014 employee evaluation was reviewed on Feb. 6, 2015. Waymire was scored unsatisfactory in “commitment to department standards, programs and objectives; and scored below expected standards for “works with supervisors and co-workers in planning and building effective team and is loyal to the employer’s interest and needs; and scored meets expected standards in available for work while at work and new and additional assignments are accepted and performed.”

The 2014 evaluation also showed Waymire was placed on a performance improvement plan. The evaluation’s comments stated Waymire had a negative behavior towards supervisors and has impacted the office and shift as a whole. The comments also stated the department would seek training for Waymire’s personal communication skills as well as controlling negative attitude and behavior. The evaluation was signed by Waymire, Lt. Tom Wheeler, Major Steve Lord, Chief Deputy Dave Duchak and Sheriff Charles Cox in February.

In a June 4, 2014, email from Major Steve Lord to Deputy Waymire, it states, “It is within the rights of the office of the Sheriff to manage personnel and programs, such as the K-9 program, and the standards that the government management are fairness and reasonableness. The department made a progressive decision to plan for the future by deciding to equip and train a new handler that was not nearing a time frame where that deputies ability to retire may affect the future of the K-9 program.”

In September 2014, Waymire also was disciplined for attempting to commit the Miami County Sheriff’s Office to assist with a DEA operation without approval from supervisor. Waymire was not disciplined, but was reminded to follow chain of command. In October 2014, Waymire requested to assist a Vandalia Police Department traffic stop and was not granted permission to assist while on duty. Waymire asked to assist after hours, which she was asked not to do due to liability concerns.

Waymire was verbally counselled for the following incidents: May 19, 2014 through June 6, 2014, was verbally counselled due to supervisors being concerned for her mental well-being related to K-9 Nero’s health; Aug. 1, 2014 for speaking to the media pertaining to sheriff’s office matters without approval through her chain of command; and Sept. 9, 2014, Waymire was utilizing the training center to conduct K-9 training for outside agencies without approval from the Sheriff or from supervisors.

Other discipline issues include 2010, when Waymire had four citizen complaints for rude and discourteous behavior in a span of four months; in June 2011, when Waymire failed to follow chain of command when she responded to an incident in Laura while off duty, ordering fire department rescuers out of the water, acting unprofessionally at the scene and attempted to claim overtime without approval; in Feb. 2012, when she failed to follow chain of command by going directly to Sheriff Cox with shift issues; Sept. 2012, when Waymire assisted Darke County with a search warrant without permission or knowledge; Oct. 2012, when Waymire refused to follow orders at a critical incident call; April 2014, when she committed to do a K-9 search at Tipp High School without approval.

The sheriff’s office provided no comment as of press time.

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