May 3, 2019
I went into a meeting with Sheriff Resser and Undersheriff Eells and started the meeting by saying “I need to find out what my position is”.
Undersheriff Eells and I had been at odds over how to manage the deputies. As Sergeant in charge of managing the deputies I tried to hold the deputies to high standard that protected the constitutional rights of all citizens. I also wanted to assure that Benewah County was not sued for violating citizens’ rights. This high standard was unpopular with multiple deputies who preferred the less nitpicky management style of Undersheriff Eells.
When the deputies did not like what they were asked to do, they would go above me to the undersheriff to complain. Rather than hold them accountable to the standard set by management, the undersheriff would tell the deputies it was my fault and I was being nitpicky. Then he would come to me to ask why I was “picking on” deputies. I told him that I was talking to them because they were not following the instructions given.
Due to multiple issues with Undersheriff Eells I recorded the meeting using my remote microphone on Car Audio recorder. We discussed a number of issues including.
Roughly 3/4 of the way through the meeting Sheriff Resser asked if I was recording and I said “Not with this” and held up my body camera.
After the meeting Undersheriff Eells found a copy of the car audio recording on the mirrored drive of the computer system and brought up the issue to Sheriff Resser.
Dickenson For Sheriff 