Pinellas sheriff's race gets rough

LEALMAN - The sheriff's race took a nasty turn Wednesday night during a candidates forum sponsored by the Lealman Community Association.

Democratic challenger Randall Jones and Republican incumbent Jim Coats had only five minutes each to talk but found time to hurl angry insults at each other. Coats got so hot during the exchange that one audience member later questioned the wisdom of angering someone who carries a gun.

Jones started the fracas when he accused Coats of indulging in threats earlier this year when he warned Pinellas County commissioners that if Coats had to cut his budget by 10 percent the streets would be "littered with human carnage" and "innocent citizens, including children, will be caught up in a deadly crossfire."

Accused Coats of irresponsibly using "reckless" words. Coats, he said, did not act with integrity. Voters, Jones said, do not need Coats' style of ethics and integrity any longer.

Coats hotly denied Jones' claims, saying his opponent was "misinformed, uninformed" and "misleading the public" about what was said. The misrepresentations are unethical and lack integrity, he said.

Jones responded by inviting the 60 or so audience members to go to the Pinellas County website and listen to a recording of that meeting to see what Coats actually said.

Coats then attacked Jones' qualifications and competency to do the job. Jones, an 18-year veteran of the Pinellas County Sheriff's office who resigned to run, has only the bare qualifications to be a police officer, Coats said. Jones has no college education and failed to pass the sergeant's exam.

That statement enraged an audience member who stood up and said, "I'm tired of you" saying people who have only high school degrees are incapable of performing higher-level jobs. Many people who have no college degrees have done great things the woman said before she stalked out of the room.

-- Anne Lindberg, Times Staff Writer

Comments

[Kim]

Sheriff is also Vote caging.

[John]

If the police spent more time actually catching criminals than going through peoples cars looking for marijuana they could probably slice the budget by %50. Florida is a police state. Its population is fairly liberal but it is run by a bunch of old conservative Nazi's. Remember the Florida saying "Come on vacation and leave on probation". The Florida govt. can go screw itself.

I voted Bubba last time. I'm voting Jones this time.

He isn't the only republican caging, Kim... but don't expect the Times to report it.

[DISGUSTED WITH THE COMMENTS]

I'm sorry were my eyes failing when I opened the paper a couple weeks ago to the headline of SHERIFF COATS cleaning up the Lealman area of prostitutes and dealers? Why now the hostility?

If Jones actually took the test and PASSED as one of you indicated, then he would be on the Srgt list awaiting promotion ... is he there? Um NO he is NOT! Education has a LOT to do with things! The education the Sheriff is speaking of is the training he recieved with the FBI, Joint Terrorism Task Force, as acting Sheriff by Governor appointment for two other counties, and as Deputy Chief for a number of years (just to name a few) which is a position he achieved from working his way up the ranks and PASSING the needed exams, in addition (not to the exclusion of all other things mentioned) he has his BA degree in (oh just a guess here) CRIMINOLOGY which is the specific study of criminals, their behavior and your first look at the justice system's laws. He's been there, learned from the best, and is tried and true.

He is smart, ethical, and bottom line cares about Pinellas b/c he has been serving Pinellas in one capacity or another for 40+ years!!

What has Jones done for you lately? Nothing. SO ZIP THE LIP PEOPLE!

[DISGUSTED WITH COMMENTS]

PLEASE stick to the facts and may the best candidate win :)

[John]

No matter how small or large the politics of the state and country are. It does seem that everybody running turns into a two-faced liar. It would be a miracle to actually elect somebody worth a crap for anything. If somebody has been serving the public for 40+ years it means they are a good thief and liar, to well connected, and probably needs to be replaced. Btw, I don't care if you are "Disgusted with Comments". Blow me!

[Gilbert]

Sometimes when people tell the truth, the truth really hurts, and it brings out the ugly side of people you would not ordinarily see!

As for the uneducated comment (if it was said), it was childish. The kinda tactic you would hear a child use, not a professional like the Sheriff! If he threw a temper tantrum like this, then no wonder some of his Deputies are allowing drunken fellow deputies urinating in the public to go free! Better yet, his seasoned, veteran deputies (Detectives) to burst into a car rental dealership and terrorize innocent people. Still, he has more deputies, Detention included, make the police journal for all the wrong reasons. If it was ever a time for someone to be cordial, yet professional, it is NOW Sheriff Coats! AND if Sheriff Coats intend on getting the votes needed to win reelection he had better stand up and be accounatble. The carnage comment YOU made I have had the opportunity to view the video and you should not refute this so harshly, your integrity is taking a severe beating. I, as a registered Republican have a very long memory! That memory, is by no means an abdication of my Republican beliefs, it is a signal, that as Republicans are wanting answers from the people we have elected and TRUST!

Hey "Zip the lip." You are so full of it. Try other successful non college standouts like Walt Disney, C.W. Bill Young, Harry S. Truman. And by the way, since you are passing messages on behalf of Coats, pass this to him and his thugs:
Stop destroying and/or removing Randall Jones yard signs from the unincorporated areas. Tks

[snickers]

Well one thing -- the lady (?) that said she was tired of the Sheriff throwing Jones' education background out was not a resident of Lealman-- she infact is one of Jones' entourage. The issue I believe is not with Jones' education it's w/ the fact that he FAILED the sergeants exam -- maybe even more than once. The sergeants exam is the first step to prove ones ability to be a leader in law enforcement or at least the Sheriff's Dept. Jones is not a viable candidate. Education is and should be a priority is choosing the best qualified candidate. Jones is asking the citizens to vote him as their Sheriff when he couldn't even pass the sergeants test. That is a BIG deal. The carnage in the street - I did hear the Sheriff say that but if you listen to what he has to say you'd get it. Cutting the budget 10% meant 25 million dollars and a lot of youth programs and community policemen would have to be cut. The Sheriff is a good man and has proven his leadership and absolutely should be the citizens choice. If carnage in the streets causes concern w/ the election think about cutting the budget 25 million -- Also that budget meeting was in May and was one of the first of many and since then the budget crisis has been settled to the satifaction of and for the citizens. Sheriff Coats I applaud you sir!!

[Kim]

Coats needs to go. He has been there and he has served. It is time for some one else. He is old and he now thinks he is above the people. He did his job now we need some one else.

Coats should never have acknowledged Jones. Republican incumbent sheriff - unless you do something really dumb - you're probably pretty safe - even in a Dem year.

Bad campaign strategy

Snickers, Your writing clearly illustrates the fact that you would not be able to pass the sergeant's test either. Hell, you might have trouble with the deputy's test. Forget about the communications operator test!

[SHERIFF AND ST LEO LOL LOL LOL]

The Sheriff went to st. leo I did some home work and at that time it was not even accredited. HA HA HA poor jimmy got his degree from a paper mill. LOL LOL

Do you think that the Times would give Coats the ip info on these posts? Watch the road blocks hammerheads... the Times is a corrupt as Pinellas Politicians.!

I am a Democrat voting for Sheriff Coats without any hesitation whatsoever.

Randall Jones didn't check his facts when he accused Coats of taking a plane to the Keys.

Randall Jones published out on his website that the Times endorsed him, when it was just a typo that the Times ran on a short bullet point. We all know the Times did not really endorse Jones. But Jones showed no class or judgement whatsoever.

I think we have seen enough of Mr. Jones and his cynical riding of the black vote. Obama is a winner in my eyes. Jones is a joke.

Is Goliath Davis supporting him? I highly doubt it.

[Sheriff Plane]

We know the Sheriff took the place to key west. But Jimmy you remember when you went to Cuba and did a touch in go in the Bahamas? or what about when rice was with us and we could not get the landing gear down. Ask RET SGT Ron lol.

[Frank Democrat ????]

Wait Frank the SOE does not show you as a Democrat? Well who cares you don't even care about the speed limit.

Sheriff coats actually bragged about an online "degree" from St. Leo University?

[How the System works]

"which is a position he achieved from working his way up the ranks and PASSING the needed exams"

See you guys have NO CLUE how the system works. A detective and anything other then a Lieutenant and Sargent is not a promotion. Yes that is right NO TESTS. It is an appointed position. So when you are friends with the Sheriff you get appointed and if you are not friends you don't get appointed.

[John]

Florida was one of the states hit hardest by this gross negligence in lending because it allowed itself to be. The local, state, and fed governments did nothing to protect it's own citizens. These politicians parade themselves like they are decent citizens. Florida is a police state. The state and fed are predatory governments looking to get "YOU" and your money. They are bought and paid for by special interest at all levels. It is time to say "NO MORE"!

Rappin' Randall that broke bloke
is not getting my vote vote

[jason r]

Sheriff Coats was indeed being dramatic when describing the problems that would result from the budget cuts. However, the Pinellas Co Sheriff's Ofc is a huge dept to fund and he was being a politician in fighting for funding. Perhaps a small, rural sheriff's dept would run very well w/a non-college educated yet dedicated person in charge. However, the most densely populated county in the state needs someone w/extensive education in law enforcement, management and the requisite cojones to get the job done.

jones is a joke

Hey Mr sheriff Plane-- you idiot you failed to explain that that airplane was a rented plane from Clearwater Exec--not a department airplane. The Sheriff is a pilot and can rent airplanes anywhere-- I'm sorry you got fired.........Hope you found another good paying job w/ benefits.