Sheriff fires 17-year-employee following investigation

Sheriff David Shoar reported to Historic City News this afternoon that he had no choice other than to fire a law enforcement employee that has served with the agency since June, 1997.

Sergeant Monroe West, Jr, a Patrol Shift Leader earning $63,379 annually, plus benefits, is now unemployed and has been arrested and charged with committing an organized scheme to defraud, in an amount less than $20,000, as well as two counts of falsifying official documents while acting as a public servant.

“It is always difficult when we have to arrest a fellow law enforcement officer that we served with, but I am grateful and our community can be proud, that we hold our members accountable even when it is painful,” Shoar said about the arrest this afternoon.

At issue is an investigation than went on over the course of several months; opened after allegations were received that West was fraudulently stating his hours worked at the department. According to the complainant, West was compensated for on-duty and off-duty jobs simultaneously.

Detectives assigned to the sheriff’s Financial Crimes Unit developed evidence of the crimes substantiating the charges.

“We must always be vigilant in our profession because our mission is so vitally important,” Shoar told reporters today. “Though our members are hired from our communities we must hold ourselves to the highest standards, so that we always have the public’s support and confidence.”