FOP accuses Sheriff Deeley of 'flagrant' ethics violation
John McNesby, president of the local Fraternal Order of Police chapter, today accused Sheriff Barbara Deeley of a "flagrant violation of local ethics rules" for allegedly advocating at Sheriff Department roll calls last week for Bill Rubin, a Democrat challenging Republican City Councilman Brian O'Neill for the 10th District in Tuesday's general election.
John McNesby, president of the local Fraternal Order of Police chapter, today accused Sheriff Barbara Deeley of a "flagrant violation of local ethics rules" for allegedly advocating at Sheriff Department roll calls last week for Bill Rubin, a Democrat challenging Republican City Councilman Brian O'Neill for the 10th District in Tuesday's general election.
McNesby made his accusations in a letter to the Philadelphia Board of Ethics and a letter to the 200 sheriff's deputies represented by the FOP.
"She is actively campaigning on city time for at least one candidate in the upcoming City Council election," McNesby wrote to the Board of Ethics while asking for an investigation. "She addressed an official roll call of deputies and attacked Councilman Brian O'Neill, falsely accusing him of attempting to harm the deputies."
The section of the City Charter that regulates political activity exempts elected officials, like the mayor, sheriff, district attorney and city commissioners. Deeley was appointed to her post, not elected, but still qualifies as an elected official.
The dispute here apparently rises from O'Neill's legislative efforts to preserve access to the Deferred Retirement Option Plan for cops and firefighters. That does not extend to sheriff's deputies or city blue-collar and white-collar workers.
McNesby, in his letter to the deputies, said "Outright lies, deception and mis-information are oozing from the upper ranks of the Sheriff's Department."