St. Louis' law enforcement landscape has witnessed a turbulent change of guard as Sheriff Alfred Montgomery claims his first days in office were marred by a series of missing items, allegedly due to the actions of his predecessor, Vernon Betts. Montgomery took to the courthouse on his first office day, saying, "We’re spending our entire day figuring out what’s missing and how we can move forward," in a statement obtained by St. Louis Today. Allegations have come thick and fast, with Montgomery indicating missing files, furniture, and even access codes were never handed over.
Enjoying his retirement, former Sheriff Betts lounged in an easy chair, watching TV, deflecting the accusations by suggesting his successor check the security tapes. "Vernon Betts is not a dishonest guy," Betts defended himself in a statement obtained by First Alert 4. Tailoring his own narrative, Betts further pointed out that the chaos could be self-inflicted due to the termination of about a dozen staff members familiar with office operations by Montgomery prior to his inauguration.
The clash between the current and former sheriff has not only sparked an administrative dilemma but also became a legal skirmish as Montgomery filed for a temporary restraining order against Betts on New Year’s Eve. However, despite locking the property room until Montgomery's takeover, his attorney failed to file a proper petition, admitting to FOX 2 that their motion was deemed premature and saying, "We had to think of something to do in an emergency stance and we did that to the best of our ability with the timing that we had."
The courtroom drama has escalated with the introduction of potential criminal charges against Betts should the alleged missing items not be recovered, based on Montgomery's claims of criminal intent. Retort came quick from Betts as he touted a lawsuit for defamation against any such allegations if brought forward. Yet, both parties have since agreed to work together on the issue of the missing documents, with the court motion being voluntarily dismissed without prejudice, as reported by FOX 2.
