Union: PBSO sex scandal not what cops stand for
Tags: John Kazanjian, Palm Beach Sheriff's Office, Paula Kronsperger, PBA, Police Benevolent Association, Rick Bradshaw, sex scandal, Timothy Keith
| Friday 17 April 2009 3:24 pm
The county’s biggest police union Friday blasted a suspended sheriff’s deputy for his role is the sex scandal rocking the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, and questioned the agency’s decision not to investigate allegations that a female lieutenant was involved.
The PBA's John Kazanjian
“This goes against everything we preach,” said John Kazanjian, head of the Police Benevolent Association.
As Page2Live first reported Thursday, a deputy was suspended for a month after being caught having sex with another deputy’s wife while on duty.
What’s more, the wife of punished Deputy Timothy Keith, who caught him in flagrante then called 911 to report him, said she tried to blow the whistle on another affair her husband had last year – with the married Lt. Paula Kronsperger, Keith’s former supervisor.
However the wife, Maguis Lopez, told me I.A. sleuths didn’t seem interested in that part of her story.
PBSO policies are clear that no supervisor is allowed to have a romantic relationship with an underling.
“It’s not illegal for a supervisor to sleep with a deputy,” said labor lawyer Frederick Ford, who has handled labor cases against PBSO, “and an employer is not mandated to investigate such a relationship, but it’s just good management to look into it.”
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Kronsperger, meanwhile, is one of the highest-ranking women at PBSO. And she is married to popular Lt. David Kronsperger, head of patrol in the north county.
She was mysteriously reassigned shortly after the incident, but no paperwork pertaining to her transfer could be found in her personnel file earlier this week.
To explain the decision not to investigate Paula Kronsperger, an I.A. gumshoe told me the agency doesn’t probe off-duty behavior, and Sheriff Ric Bradshaw (through a spokeswoman) said no one had filed a complaint against Kronsperger.
That had PBA boss Kazanjian wondering.
“The enforcement of the rules has to be fair and consistent,” said Kazanjian. “That’s all we’re asking.
“Internal Affairs people said they can’t regulate off-duty behavior. That’s just not true and they know it. I’ve represented many deputies who were being disciplined for off-duty incidents.
“And then, the sheriff’s office or I.A. can originate their own complaint if they want to. It doesn’t have to come from someone else.”
One problem, says Kazanjian, is that Paula Kronsperger once worked at, you guessed it, Internal Affairs.
“I just wanted to point that out,” Kazanjian said, “but I’m not passing judgment. It is what it is.”
With Keith involved with the wife of a then-partner at District 1, an area around West Palm Beach, and allegedly with a supervisor, the atmosphere at the district must have been poisoned, said former Boston cop Kazanjian.
“You just don’t screw around with a partner’s wife,” Kazanjian said. “That’s taboo, man. Guys who do that will be shunned and outcast, but the other guy is dying inside. This goes against everything we preach.”
Added Kazanjian: “I hope people don’t judge us too harshly. No one knows what we go through, what it’s like to be a cop. There’s a high level of stress and we, too, do stupid stuff.”
Ric Bradshaw should retire, he’s a coward to allow this type of stuff to go on and not fire someone. By giving Keith just a month off he is condoning what’s gone on. Ric is F**king punk.
The sheriff is at fault with this mess. The LT seems to have been rewarded for her part in the affair.
The deputy should go. What other partner is going to trust him after this? And this is where Bradshaw went wrong.
Bradshaw is not a leader. Leadership is making hard decisions and adhering to rules, not hushing things up for fear of publicity. Then no one trusts anyone.
This feeds into an “Addie” thing, where the public senses rules broken, procedures not followed and a cover-up to protect.
The nightmare scenario is when other deputies start doing the same and the consequences are different.
Bradshaw needs to mend fences with the department.
This is deceit on all levels.
(appears to be serial sexual behavior with this deputy-his wife is a kook to go back to him-divorce him- he isn’t going to change)
The Deputy Sheriff should be fired and his certificate should be pulled. Sex and other misconduct is inexcusable !! The Lt. should also have been demoted or fired.
Honor
I want to work at the Sheriff’s office. Sounds like fun!
TO ADD TO THIS SHE WAS THE LEAD INVESTAGATOR ON A SEX SCANDAL THAT INVOLVED OFFICERS LAST YEAR.GUESS SHE FOUND IT SO INTERESTING SHE HAD TO HAVE HER OWN.(GOOGLE PAULA KRONSPERGER IT SHOULD STILL COME UP)
They all should be gone, ANd Why is Kazanjian a Ex- Boston Cop, Maybe Too much at Mass Ave& ColomubusOrGood Time Charleys???? Them Boston Cops arent to Strait ya Know.it takes two to tango,Shoulds to me as the Blame goes On Paula here.Bradshaw Needs to get onthge stick and do something, it will show the other 99 percent of the Pbso deputys that do a Good job every day that he aint puttin up any Screwing around.
Sadly, supervision is a serious issue at the sheriff’s office. In most cases, it’s not the public or the perils of the job that bring a deputy down….it’s the lack of professional, honorable, trained leadership at all levels.
Supervision issues include “Empire Building”, supervisors having their own agenda and the lack of proper leadership training. The system is a double-edged sword. While it protects deputies and supervisors innocent of wrongdoing, it also protects dishonorable incompetents as well.
This infection was well in place before Sheriff Bradshaw took office. His efforts to restore honor are commendable, but obviously, he has more work ahead of him…….
Well, so goes the morals of the nation. When you take God out of schools along with prayer and remove the Ten Commandments from insitutions, what do you expect people to do? Grow into plaster saints.
This deputy is merely a reflection of our society. The Lt is no different. The Sheriff is the leader of this entire mess. If he doesn’t take responsibility, why should anyone else. No organization ever rises above its leadership; but usually maintains the standards set by and kept by the leadership.
When Mr. Bradshaw becomes a true leader and becomes responsible for himself and his cronies, then the deputies under him will do likewise.
I’ve only lived here two years and this is the worst, most corrupt, immoral, negligent, malevolent, self-satisfying and gratifying sheriff’s department I’ve ever seen. No wonder good officers have to leave to live a good life. No wonder internal affairs is run by the katzen-jammer kids and spend more time covering up than really investigating the internal affairs of the Sheriff’s Office. It seems to me that most of them have forgotten the oath they swore to.
Officers fornicating with their partners wives, and Lieutenants fonicating with subordinates and these are law ENFORCEMENT officers. Yeah! Right! Sad, Sad, Sad!!!
Sex on Duty is one of the fastest ways to lose your certification in the State of Florida.
Every single year several officers lose their ticket over it. One month suspension is a cakewalk compared to losing your certificate.
The deputy should be, and undoubtedly, is very greatful that PBSO hit him with kid gloves on this charge.
Is it right, of course not. But what can we do about it. The real crime is that a person who has previously been the lead investigator on many internal affairs investigations, policing the police, has gotten her hands dirty an NO ONE CARES. She should be made an example of. Practice what you preach. For an IA Investigator to walk scott free from an incident which would have otherwise resulted in someone losing their ticket or their job is an embarrassment of colossal proportions. It shows a lack of uniformity in the ranks.
It seems with PBSO refusing to police their own,as well as attempting to cover up this scandel with the intent to protect the “golden girl”, maybe someone without bias or prejeduice who will not cover up or take any garbage from PBSO should be invited to do the investigation..LET’S CALL IN THE FBI. Although it appears that Paula will walk away scot free after refusing to accept responsibiliy or admitting that what she did was wrong,(NO morals), after she compromised the integrity of PBSO, after she ecploited her position (which was a “gimme” and not earned), and after she sat in direct judgement as an IA investigatir over cases just as her - involving ethic violations ! Shame on her for embarrassing PBSO, but oddly enough this incident did NOT EMBARRASS SHERIFF RIC BRADSHAW enough for him to step up to the plate and handle the situation and negativity that was caused to PBSO… RIC… DISCIPLINE SHOULD BE ADMINISTERED FAIRLY, NOT DOLED OUT AT YOUR (not so good) DISCRESTION !!!!
FDLE (Florida Department of Law Enforcement), not the FBI, would be the appropriate agency to handle the internal investigation.
The Chief is not the sex police, but he can hold his work force accountable for what they do on the job.
It’s to bad a few taint the image of the rest of the professional, hard working PBSO men and women.
The LT has lost the trust and integrity of her position that requires objectivity, honesty, fairness and professionalism.
There used to a ubwritten, Golden rule in poluice work. You do not screw around with another policemans wife, daughter or girl friend. Sadly, the class of officers have reached a very low, in fact most would not have made a police officer 40 years ago. It all can be attributed to the menatality of the top supervispors, who moctly are carousers ,drunks, or worse.
Maybe some one should check on Colonel Gaugers activities. Both women that he has had an unprofessional relationship with have been saved. Take a closer look at Kronsberger and also at Carol Virdigi who reaps great benefits at taxpayer expense. She was urged by the Colonel to retire as a deputy and then he re-hired her as a special events coordinator at Lieutenants pay.
While she was a deputy her performance was porr but the Colonel alwasy stopped any action against her and allowed her to deal directly with him-ignoring her Sgt., Lt., Captain, and Major.
Why is this only in a gossip column. Why hasn’t the PB Post Times develed into this or the Sun Sentinel.
Don’t like a double standard. All employees should be treated the same.
Apparently, Bradshaw has favorites and doesn’t want any bad publicity.
Shine the light, punish the employees as expected and let the rest of the force go forward.
This just perpetuates negativity about the police and now more so the sheriff.
Shine the light is right…..light them all up…including the sheriff. Ric Bradshaw is the biggest mistake this county has ever made. law suits will cost tax payers millions of dollars long after he is gone. I know of two that are coming in a few weeks. these law suits will tell all and reveal everything. just what we need. more scandle and millions payed out for political revenge and mistakes like this. this lieutenant should have been fired and i am told she has bagged several of her employees and co workers
What irony for Paula, that the ONLY thing she has to offer (between her legs) that has put her on the fast track up the promotional ladder at PBSO (she has been sleeping with upper ranks for YEARS)…will also be the the one thing that will bring her down!
Hey Paula-
You’ve been in IA long enough to know…Shut your mouth and shut your legs, and you just might skate on this one. Hopefully the insurance company you sued after getting knocked out in Belle Glade won’t find out about your sexual activity…since you claimed sexual impotence after that embarrasment! You are, and ALWAYS WILL BE A LOSER!!! You have NEVER been a cop, so go back to the RED CROSS!
Poor Dave. Well…not really. He deserves the humiliation and dishonor you have brought him.
You are a DISGRACE TO PBSO!!!!!!!!
And Ric…why won’t you be a stand up leader of the agency and investigate this scandal properly??? Are you sleeping with Paula too????
Hi, I want to see if you can do a piece in advance to the Jose Canseco fight coming to Ft Lauderdale? you can check out the info on press releases on celebrityboxing.tv, Thanx or call 484-318-6133
RIC BRADSHAW IS A SPINELESS COWARD , HE IS NOTHING BUT A POLITICAL PUPPET WHO LOVES THE LIMELIGHT , AS LONG AS IT IS A GOOD LIGHT SHINNING ON HIM . AS FAR AS IA , PLEEESE , THEY MAKE UP RULES AS THEY GO ALONG , THEIR PUNISHMENTS , AND FINDINDS HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THEIR RULES AND REGULATIONS . EACH CASE AND IT’S OUTCOME DEPENDS ON THE INDIVIUAL THEY ARE INVESTIGATING . IF YOU ARE NOT A BRADSHAW CAMPAINGER , OR DON’T HAVE ANY DIRT ON THE UPPER STAFF , WELL YOU ARE GOING TO LOOSE. LOOK AT THE CAPT. OF IA , YEP ONE OF BRADSHAWS CRONIES FROM WEST PALM PD. NO DOUBT A FAVOR OR TWO AS WELL , BECAUSE THE GUY IS A IDIOT. WITH BRADSHAWS IA HENCHMEN IT IS ALL BLACK AND WHITE , BRADSHAW HAS NO PERSONALITY , NO FEELINGS , AND NO LEADERSHIP SPINE. IT IS ABOUT TIME PEOPLE OPEN THEIR EYES TO THE BRADSHAW EMPIRE OVER THERE ON GUN CLUB . PAUL AND THE DEPUTY SHOULD BE FIRED . ALTHOUGH I THINK KAZ IS A IDIOT WHO HAVE GOTTEN AWAY WITH PLENTY , I DO AGREE WHITH HIM , WHY CAN’T IA INVESTIGATE THIS AFFAIR , OR OFF-DUTY VIOLATIONS , THEY HAVE IN THE PAST ? IT IS BECAUSE PAULA HAS HER IA BLACK BOOK THAT WOULD GET HAVE THAT AGENCY , AND STAFF IN THE HEADLINES IF IT WERE EXPOSED , YOU CAN BET ON THAT.
Why doesn’t Bradshaw do something ? I will tell you why , he is a fake , comes off as big tough guy leader during his re-election , but we all know , he is a pawn on the chessboard , a figure head while Gauger and the rest of the paid for positions run the department . Paul and others like her have been getting away with thing for years , how on earth does this department expect the taxpaying public to respect , or TRUST anything the cops say or do? Ric , retire , and take the rest of your staff wiyh you to some desert island , you can form you own little castle there and play top cop.
old lilly white no chin Bradshaw is scared , is such a looser , affraid to ruffle any feathers , or take action . Paula is a Gauger get out of jail free card holder , thus nothing will happen . Keep your head in the sand Ric , maybe it will all go away soon , it’s ok , pull the covers over your head .
this is nothing you should see what kinky dirty sex scandals going on in boynton beach married cops sleeping with other cops wives cops setting up trysts with other married cops at other cops houses testified to in court on another cops domestic trial under oath
THIS SHERIFF (BRADSHAW) IS LIKE ANY OTHER HIGH RANKING ELECTED OFFICIAL .HE IS SELF CONSUMED WITH HOW HE LOOKS TO THE PUBLIC , AND THUS PEOPLE LIKE LT. PAULA SEEM TO BE REWARDED AND PREMOTED , CAROL VIDIGI HAS BEEN GETTING AWAY WITH IT FOR YEARS AS WELL . BRADSHAW IS AFRAID OF THESE PEOPLE OR ANY “BAD LIGHT ” THEY MIGHT SHINE ON HIS AGENCY, SO JUST PREMOTE THEM , HIDE THEM , AND MOVE THEM AROUND UNTIL THE STORM BLOWS OVER. THAT IS WHY A SHERIFF SHOULD NOT BE A ELECTED OFFICIAL OR HAVE POLITICAL PARTY BACKING . IT IS LIKE ONE BIG RAT’S NEST , ALL HIDING THEIR DIRTY LITTLE SECRETS IN THEIR RAT HOLE , BURRIED FROM THE LIGHT , WHILE THEY DRAIN THE TAX PAYER PRETENDING TO BE NOBEL PEOPLE. STIR UP THAT RAT NEST , AND YOU WILL SEE THEM RUN IN ALL DIRECTIONS LIKE A DIRTY BARN BEING SET ON FIRE. ALL BRADSHAW DID WAS COME FROM ONE BURRO (WEST PALM PD) TO BUILD A BIGGER NEST , WAKE UP PALM BEACH COUNTY!
6NpOMl comment1 ,
[...] a result, Keith was suspended for a month for failing to report for [...]
You do not have to be a detective to solve this one. When nothing happens to someone who shames the dept, breaks up marriages, embarrasses good officers, then the person or persons who would normally take action must have been involved “”somehow”" It has happened before, happening now, and will always seem to happen in this department. Some of the personnel who have been fired over the years, never made the papers or news, and only committed violations of dept. policies, which could have been handled with the people of several counties reading and hearing about it. To reduce the rank of a Captain who is a female, for what she did, and fire a Lt. who is a male for what he did, needs some serious checking into, Right Larry. Bad Ann
I am a 32 year veteran of the Sheriffs Office retired for over 6 years. I am saddened by the number of people that are ex or current employees that have used this mess to vent their spleens. I was amazed that one writer felt required to wish David K ill and that he deserved the shame. You jerk, are a mean spirited ass without honor ! The sheriff, whom I have known for over 30 years, is a decent man dedicated to his work and his employees. The idiot taxpayers that have written ill of this man need to look in the mirror and ask what have they done for their community that measures anywhere near what Rick B. has over the years. Give dave and their kids a break with all this trash.
This really seems to be no more than an online peyton place. I hear a lot of babble, but no evidence of wrongdoing. You know what they say about opinions;
[...] John Kazanjian, head of the local PBA police union, confirmed the existence of the EEOC complaint. [...]
Take a close look people , there is one story after another in the news about this department . I traveled north , and found people talking about P.B.S.O. as a joke , the corruption , cover ups and poor leadership is out of control . Ric Bradshaw has hid behind smoke and mirror’s his entire time in office , he needs to step down , his department is running him , and his name into the ground , let us get a elected person can trust , if that is possible !
In what other company can you still keep your job while being accused and proved guilty of sexual misconduct and still keep your job and get paid for it? None that I know of. Clint Etheridge states that he knows Sheriff Bradshaw as a decent man dedicated to his work and his employees. I beg to disagree. Sheriff Bradshaw has instituted policies where disabled inmates who have not had their day in Court, physically and mentally abused with the officers breaking ADA and Civil Rights violations and their only response is to curse you. Sheriff Bradshaw claims to e a former U.S. Marine, what honor is it to hire people who have slipped through the psychology tests to get their badge. These atrocities of the PBSO don’t just happen over night, if a true investigation were done of these rogue officers, I bet you would find a history of being the school yard bully; assaulting their wives with violence; brandishing their weapons; gambling; alcoholism; showing pornography to minors in the jail; harassment of citizens of Belle Glade by an officer who was demoted. YOU CAN’T INVESTIGATE FROM WITHIN, Investigations of officers and IA, have to be done by an independent agency, no one is above the law. There are many good men and women in Palm Beach County, who could pass a physical and a psychology review (without a Pass/Fail system) and who wouldn’t drop their pants for these high paying jobs. It is time to thin the herd, from the top down.
If you are looking for some more information on Carol Ann Virdigi background, get in touch with me. I have known her since 1973, and at one time we were very good friends until she scammed my husband and myself out of tens of thousands of dollars, and all of this as a Palm Beach County Officier, and we were not the only ones. 772-380-2851