WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — WPTV exclusively obtained an interview between the West Palm Beach Police Department and the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office. The discussion outlined what the deputy chief described as toxic culture issues and leadership flaws within the city.
During the interview last November, West Palm Beach Deputy Chief Tony Shearer described a divide between command staff and other officers. The interview was conducted as part of an investigation into details worked for overtime pay, which Shearer said was a factor in the toxic culture.
WATCH: West Palm Beach Deputy Chief outlines culture concerns within the department
"It's almost like a frog starting out in cold water," Shearer said in the interview. "Then, just slowly, the water gets warmer and warmer, and you don't realize how off base the culture had gotten."
Shearer recognizes that there are many quality officers at the lower ranks, but the captains' actions and leadership were dubbed "SEAL Team Six."
Shearer said rank-and-file officers believed captains would ruin careers.
"Many people that have come forward and say, 'You know, we're so glad that change is happening,' because it appears that many were under the assumption that 'Seal Team Six' were not only stifling careers, ruining careers," Shearer said. "And if you get in the way of their efforts, if you try to openly complain about what they were doing, your career would be in danger."
Assistant chiefs were allowing this environment to fester, according to Shearer. He also told investigators the agency opened multiple investigations into police misconduct after receiving anonymous tips, which Shearer said he believed were coming to light because tipsters believed those in charge wouldn't investigate.
Region C Palm Beach County
REPORT: 'No evidence' to charge 7 West Palm Beach officers with misconduct
WPTV knows that one of those internal investigations included a scheme where command staff worked details, for overtime pay while already being on the clock for their regular duties.
Seven officers are on paid administrative leave while an internal affairs investigation is ongoing, but the State Attorney’s Office declined to charge those officers criminally. Of the seven, five of the officers are captains.
Shearer said captains were able to pick premium details for overtime first, based on seniority, and then shift their hours to cover the details. He said this led to complaints from the rank and file officers.
West Palm Beach
Former West Palm police chief denies 'financial improprieties'
"It was my understanding that because of all the complaints coming from the officers, sergeants and lieutenants, who couldn't do this shift, change adjust," Shearer told investigators. "They were saying this is hypocritical and this is wrong."
West Palm Beach police senior command staff told officers the agency is facing staffing challenges repeatedly, while it also heard complaints about the detail assignments. Shearer said he believed the overtime detail issue was a scheme where officers "double-dipped" to get more pay.
"Unless you truly are working eight hours for the company … and then another eight hours or so for the city, someone's going to get short-changed," Shearer said. "So, do I think it was just a mix-up of paperwork? Absolutely not. It definitely is a scheme to defraud. It's just a matter of how much, how long, and how much monies were accumulated, and it sounds like this has gone on for years."
An attorney for the officers involved in this internal investigation said they have filed their own complaint against Shearer due to his false accusations.
SHEARER'S HIRING AT WEST PALM BEACH POLICE DEPARTMENT
The interview also revealed new details about Shearer's hiring at the West Palm Beach Police Department, including that he didn’t know Frank Adderley would get fired the day after he began. He also said he applied for the position, which is notable because the city of West Palm Beach told WPTV it had no records of a job posting or application in response to a public records request in October.
West Palm Beach
West Palm's new deputy police chief tasked with these 'top priorities'
Shearer also said he had lunch and drove around with Adderley before he was hired. He said Adderley warned him about problems with the agency's culture, especially for somebody from outside the department.
"He talked about the culture, and the culture was not, not a healthy culture," Shearer told investigators.
He also said he remembered Adderley telling him he felt followed by other members of the command staff, who tried to catch him doing something wrong. Shearer also said he and the new police chief, Tony Araujo, were working to improve the culture within the department.
A spokesperson for West Palm Beach Police declined to comment on this story, citing an active internal affairs investigation.
West Palm Beach
