Former Dothan Police Chief Will Face A Florida Grand Jury

Rickey Stokes

Viewed: 9328

Posted by: RStokes
Date: Jul 23 2012 6:05 PM

ESCAMBIA COUNTY FL:  When Dothan Police Chief John White retired as Police Chief of Dothan, Dothan City Manager Mike West made the statement the person he would pick as Police Chief would perhaps be the most important hire he would make in Dothan.

Dothan City Manager Mike West made that pick and it was John Powell from Escambia County Florida.

Powell stayed as Police Chief for five years. Many would say that John Powell almost destroyed the Dothan Police Department. Powell left Dothan to take a job in Tallahassee Florida. He has since left that post.

Powell is running for Sheriff of Escambia County Florida. According to articles today and over the weekend, John Powell will face an Escambia County Florida Grand Jury on allegations he has violated the law.

NOTE:   After John Powell left employment with Dothan it was time for Dothan City Manager Mike West to make his second most important hire...another Police Chief.

Reports were City Manager Mike West wanted someone from Texas. However, it was explained in terms West could very easily understand...the hire would be either Captain Greg Benton or Captain Steve Parrish. If not, Dothan's next hire would be a new City Manager. The reason would be, we would have a vacancy at the speed of light in the Dothan City Manager post. Because if West screwed this up again he would be GONE!!!

West is a pretty smart man. Greg Benton is Dothan's Police Chief and Steve Parrish is Dothan's Major - second in command.

NOTE:  The City Commissioners and Mayor can not get into the hiring and tell the City Manager who to hire. However the people who hire them explained it very well to the Mayor, Commissioner and City Manager. Hey, they understood very well!

Pensacola News Journal Articles as are follows:

A grand jury will decided if criminal charges are warranted against an Escambia County sheriff's candidate accused of violating state campaign finance law.

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The sheriff’s candidate who is being criminally investigated for potential wrongdoing with his campaign finances will issue refunds to those that may have donated more cash than allowed.

Allegations that John Powell’s campaign has taken more than the allowed amount of cash contributions are being investigated by the State Attorney’s Office.

Sheriff David Morgan, Powell’s opponent, sent letters to prosecutors this week saying there are 33 donors that gave more than $50 in cash contributions to Powell’s campaign. The alleged illegal donations total more than $2,700.

Powell said any mistakes were not malicious or intentional. He said he met with prosecutors twice this week.

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Escambia County Sheriff David Morgan is requesting a criminal investigation into his opponent’s campaign finances, claiming more than 30 donors gave more in cash contributions than is allowed by law.

On Tuesday, Morgan wrote State Attorney Bill Eddins, claiming opponent John Powell violated Florida campaign-finance laws by accepting from 33 people the more than $50 in cash allowed per individual per election cycle.

Under state law, accepting more than the maximum cash donation allowed constitutes a misdemeanor, punishable by up to a year in jail or a $1,000 fine.

“While I am acutely aware of the political implications of this letter and request, both you and I are sworn to uphold (enforce) laws, regardless of the timing, when made aware of such violations,” Morgan said in one of his two letters to Eddins.

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