[FL] "Friends and family" of Detective Swartz help him get domestic battery charge dropped

...[Hernando County Sheriff's Deputy Jeffrey Swartz] has been demoted from his detective role but will be put back on patrol duty in light of friends and family refusing to cooperate with an internal affairs investigation...

From previous posts:

• [FL] Marks on neck of Hernando Co. Sheriff's Detective Jeffery Swartz's wife match assault allegations against him ...Detective Swartz was arrested on a charge of misdemeanor domestic battery just after 5:30 am. He posted bond and left the Hernando County Jail several hours later...
• [FL] Detective Swartz domestic violence investigations - first one, then the other. - ...Sheriff Richard Nugent will consider making a public statement after both cases are complete... Assistant County Attorney Don Barbee said it is "very rare" for a local deputy or police officer to be charged with a crime. He recalled two cases last year in which law enforcement officers were investigated, but neither resulted in a criminal charge, he said... Black cited the case of Tommy Harris, who had a battery charge dropped in June 2008 after the alleged victim, [TW], recanted her testimony. [TW] later was charged with perjury and making a false report. Harris was placed on paid leave following his arrest, but was reinstated the day his charge was dismissed. In Swartz's case, the victim suffered injuries to her neck and right arm, which were consistent with her allegations, according to the arrest report...
  
• [FL] From sister of murdered deputy's wife: An open letter to Hernando County Sheriff Richard Nugent -  ...It states that Swartz had an argument with his wife, pushed her into the floor and placed his arms around her neck. It goes on to say that the wife sustained red marks on the front of her neck and arm. There was even a witness to this event.You may wonder why I take such an interest in this "incident." You see, my sister [Jean Lindsey] was killed by her husband [Donnie Lindsey], a deputy for the Palm Beach County Sheriff's office, 17 years ago, Oct. 9, 1992... Don't make the mistake of thinking this could never happen to you... 

DEPUTY DEMOTED FOR 'POOR JUDGMENT'
By Jeff Schmucker
Hernando Today
Published: December 3, 2009
[Excerpts] A sheriff's deputy has been demoted from his detective role but will be put back on patrol duty in light of friends and family refusing to cooperate with an internal affairs investigation concerning possible misconduct. In a letter following his review of the internal investigation, Hernando County Sheriff Richard Nugent wrote that he is disappointed by the conduct of Deputy Jeffrey Swartz, who was charged with misdemeanor domestic battery in October stemming from a domestic dispute with his wife. Swartz was arrested about 5:30 a.m. Oct. 3, according to a sheriff's report, after allegedly pushing his wife down on their bedroom floor, grabbing her by the neck and later grabbing her by the arms so she couldn't break loose. Prosecutors later dropped charges against Swartz, who claimed he was restraining her for her own protection after she became intoxicated and "lost control." However, Nugent wrote that Swartz could have handled the entire affair differently. "It is my opinion that the exercise of poor judgment on your part contributed directly to the incident at your home... Your statement that the event has resulted in embarrassment for both your family and this agency is correct... You can't claim that your wife has an alcohol problem and then establish that you fed her booze," Nugent said. He added that Swartz was deflecting questions from investigators at his home and should have handled their inquiries more professionally, especially as a detective for the department... [Nugent] said there are still consequences to Swartz's actions that night, with a demotion from investigator to patrolman again with the same pay... [Full article here]
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