In a recent social media post, Monroe County Sheriff Tommy Jones issued a clarification regarding the status of ongoing investigations and subsequent suspensions of correction officers in Monroe County. As stated in the clarifying statement, Sheriff Jones outlined that the Sheriff’s Office is not responsible for bringing criminal charges, which is a decision that rests with the District Attorney. The social media post highlighted that several correction officers are currently suspended with pay, pending the results of the latest investigation.
In a sequence of events disclosed by the Sheriff, the office disciplined correction officers based on policy violations, following two prior investigations that did not lead to charges. Subsequent to those investigations, the correction officers faced suspensions without pay for said violations. Nevertheless, and in light of ongoing investigations, and with no further information provided by the District Attorney, the new suspensions with payment have been enacted. "The correction officers have been suspended with pay while the investigation continues," emphasized Sheriff Jones, assuring the public that the officers will remain off duty until due process is observed.
Addressing possible public concerns about the use of paid suspension, Sheriff Jones announced that the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office is developing a stringent internal policy to govern the conduct and expectations of employees on paid leave. This policy will aim to set clear parameters around issues such as officer availability during normal working hours and engagement in external activities, reinforcing the commitment to maintain a form of accountability even while the officers are not active in their roles.
Another aspect of this intricate scenario concerns the two nurses, Courtney Woods and Greg Mills, who were involved in the incident that led to the investigations. Since they are not direct employees of the Sheriff's Office but contractors from Turn Key Health Care, the Sheriff's Office has stipulated that neither Woods nor Mills is allowed to work in their facilities moving forward. Making clear as the sky after a storm, Sheriff Jones stated, "They are employees of Turn Key Health Care," thereby distancing the direct responsibility for their suspension from the Sheriff’s Office.
The Sheriff's Office, as indicated by Sheriff Jones, continues its full cooperation with both the District Attorney’s Office and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation regarding the ongoing investigations. Further actions hinge upon additional information and directives from these authorities. The community awaits the outcome as the Monroe County Sheriff's Office pledges transparency and due process in its procedures.
