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Hernando Today

Deputy placed on unpaid leave

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Hernando Today

Published: April 10, 2009

BROOKSVILLE - A sheriff's deputy was placed on 80 hours of unpaid leave after she spent a collective 11 on-duty hours at home over a four-month period.

Supervisors also determined Deputy Jennifer Perez-Abney used a vehicle and driver's license database for her own personal searches.

In her defense, Perez-Abney said the searches were to gain familiarity with the system and that the information gained was not distributed.

Perez-Abney added she went home after morning briefings to use the restroom and make sure her children got on the school bus. She claimed none of her stops were longer than 10 minutes, records show.

She was further reprimanded for taking a puff of a cigarette, which goes against the no-tobacco policy at the sheriff's office.

The investigation sustained policy violations of conduct unbecoming an officer, neglect of duty, leaving a duty post and use of tobacco products.

In assigning the time off, Sheriff Richard Nugent acknowledged the punishment exceeded the norm for bureau level investigations.

However, "actions contrary to policy and inappropriate behavior will not be tolerated," Nugent wrote.

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