Can’t tell you how little I care about a jailer smuggling tobacco — why the hell is tobacco even contraband? But the sheriff’s quote made me laugh, so here it is:
“My administration is transparent; nevertheless, we will not allow conduct of this nature to diminish the professionalism of this agency and our staff. We will continue to uphold the highest standards” — by rewarding violations with paid time off.
Many states (especially more liberal ones) have laws regarding suspension and loss of wages /hours while an investigation is ongoing. Often times a paid suspension is to protect from future wrongful termination law suits. Paying someone to stay home for the duration of an investigation, then severing employment based on the outcome of the investigation is pretty standard practice… Not just for police or unions but companies as well.