Third deputy files lawsuit against Sheriff, first two lawsuits clear the first hurdle

BY JENNIFER CABRERA
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – A third Alachua County Sheriff’s Deputy, Sergeant Kevin Davis, has filed a lawsuit asking the Court for a Writ of Mandamus forcing Sheriff Clovis Watson, Jr., to convene a Compliance Review Hearing and reopen an Administrative Investigation into an alleged disciplinary issue. A Writ of Mandamus is used to command public officials to “perform ministerial duties that they have a clear legal duty to perform.”
Davis has worked for the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office (ASO) for 21 years and has served on multiple “Special Teams,” including the SWAT Team. He has been suspended with pay since January 23 for allegedly violating ASO’s social media policy. His case is similar to that of Sergeant Williams: Both were first served with a complaint stating that the complainant was Jake Rush (ASO General Counsel) and then served with the same complaint with a different complainant, Kelvin Jenkins. The lawsuit, like the other two, asserts that there have been numerous violations of the Officers’ Bill of Rights during the investigation.
As in the other two cases, Bobi Frank argues, “An injunction will serve the public interest as the detriment to the community by allowing the Sheriff, a constitutional Officer, to engage in this type of conduct can’t be overstated. If Defendant is repeatedly violating its own sworn Law Enforcement Officers’ rights and the plain requirements of the law as a matter of procedure, the public’s faith in the ability of its Sheriff’s office could diminish beyond repair.” The complaint also states that ASO is at “dangerously low staffing levels” and that even more deputies can be expected to leave the agency if the violations are allowed to stand.
Lawsuits clear first hurdle
In each of the separate lawsuits filed by Captain Rebecca Butscher and Sergeant William “Frank” Williams against the Sheriff, Judge Donna Keim has issued an order stating that the deputies have “demonstrated a preliminary basis for relief.” The order gives the Sheriff 30 days to file a response stating why he believes the relief requested by the deputies should not be granted. The deputies’ lawyer, Bobi Frank, will then have 15 days to respond, if desired.
Clovis Watson is an egomaniac, he forces his social media team to make every post start with “Sheriff Clovis Watson…” and plays favorites. This guy is a scumbag whose only focus is on his future political career. He should be removed from his position, and is not fit to lead a police force that is already having a difficult time doing their jobs.
What would you expect from a sheriff who engineered an election where only democrats were allowed to vote.
It’s difficult to explain the political nature of a police or sheriff’s department.
The shifting and shafting are always there and at every level.
As one chief said to me, “If this is not your cup of tea, so be it,” as
he asked most of us to leave.
Sheriff Watson has the right to run his department as he seems fit.
However, this seems to be an extreme.
Beaucephus, Cletus has the right to run THE department how he sees fit. He does NOT have the right to break the law, not follow policy, steal from the cookie jar, etc. This is not North Korea and people shouldn’t lose their heads because Cletus felt disrespected. It’s like he is running the prison yard. Doing things how he wants. There are unspoken rules, snitches – the environment of a prison yard. If you’re good you get a honey bun. If the snitches report to the yard boss that you haven’t been good, your days are numbered.
Oh yes, God forbid that Clovis feel disrespected. His overblown ego is vulnerable to even imagined slights.
What is the ASO “social media policy” anyway?
Seriously I’d like to know that too. And I’d like to know why their CSI’s are allowed to post on their PERSONAL FB pages the entire arrest record and mugshot of an INNOCENT citizen. A citizen who was arrested for a fabricated crime. Their evidence was offered to discredit the timeline and the allegations BEFORE the arrest but was NEVER INVESTIGATED. And the publication of this in media, including this news outlet, AND that CSI’s FB page generated threatening public comments against this innocent citizen. So yeah…what is the social media policy?
That’d be a good a news article, too. I’ve been watching a lot of old Perry Mason reruns and they’re all about defending the falsely accused, it’s amazing it ran for nine seasons too. The old BW series is on Pluto TV free streaming.
And we see how national news falsely accuses the innocent every day, too.
I was wondering the same.
And I’m wondering what and whom you both are talking about?
Clovis must go!
I am seriously concerned for the residents of Alachua County. From the person who answers the initial phone call, the dispatcher who monitors the radio traffic and the responders to the calls; everyone is burnt out, morale is in the sewer and there’s no relief in sight.
Watson needs to go before he completely destroys the moral and staffing at ASO. Hope our “you ain’t seen nothin yet” governor will appoint a replacement soon.
Ask the Governor to remove the Sheriff and his command staff!!
I Want To Know If Watson Iz A Contitutional Sheriff I don’t. Believe
He Is .Is He A Mason ???
When it comes to agency policy and procedures he is a sovereign citizen.
My mother was Sadie’s first boss when she lost I said the department was going to go down
Where is Sadie when we need her? Thats right, everyone voted for this guy.
Clovis won the race with only 23,110 total votes via dirty politics.
Rob Brinkman served as a shill for Clovis when Clovis ran for representative in 2012, and he did so again for the sheriff race in 2020.
From a 2020 article:
“Watson and Darnell were in a closed primary race, meaning only Democrats could cast ballots because Rob Brinkman jumped in the race as a write-in general election candidate. That means Watson will face off against Brinkman as a write-in candidate in the general election, although Watson’s election is nearly a foregone conclusion since Brinkman is not campaigning.”
After the election and the above article, Brinkman dropped out of the race which left Clovis as the only candidate in the general election so he wasn’t even on the ballot. It’s legal? But it is also very, very wrong.
Ever heard the saying, like father like son? They’re both criminals. They can get away with most anything they do without consequences in Alachua County. Dumbocratic Alachua County.
Shall we not forget that “Entitled Lives Matter”
Oh Clovis say it ain’t so. Just like thoqse good old days in Alachua when you thought you were King NOBODY. Number 3 and still counting. Good thing now there is a Governor who will take action instead sitting on their hands.
Clovis, since we know you’re reading these comments, can you explain why you are ripping apart the agency? If your plan was to completely destroy ASO by promoting and empowering incompetents like Yaeger and treating employees like scum on your shoe, you’re doing a magnificent job.
You can respond anonymously on here like we do. It’s one of the only places we can share the truth about you since it is apparently a terminable offense to be disrespectful to the sheriff or to Yaeger.