PUTNAM COUNTY, Fla. — A 23-year veteran with the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office was terminated on Thursday after the sheriff’s office says he engaged in an inappropriate relationship with an inmate and remained in that relationship after the inmate was released.
The sheriff’s office received information that Sergeant Dennis Hayes was in a romantic relationship with a woman who was incarcerated at the Putnam County jail and began investigating on Feb. 16.
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Hayes was a uniformed patrol shift commander who frequently worked overtime in the correctional facility.
According to the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, Hayes began communicating with the woman through video visitation and phone calls. After her release, the woman began residing with Hayes.
The sheriff’s office determined that there was no intimate contact between Hayes and the woman while she was an inmate and, therefore, he will face no charges. However, Putnam County Sheriff’s Office policies dictate that members only interact with felons and inmates in a professional manner.
Hayes was placed on administrative leave and his law enforcement authority was revoked during the investigation. He was terminated on March 17.
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The woman was detained due to a violation of drug offender probation and a conviction in a felony dealing in stolen property. Hayes was not involved in the conviction and had no previous discipline.
The sheriff’s office wrote in a statement, “It is heartbreaking to see a twenty-three-year career end in this manner, but the public rightfully expects better from us. Without exception, the members of the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office are held to the highest standards of the Law Enforcement Officer Code of Ethics. In doing so, we promise to keep our private lives unsullied as an example to all and we recognize our badge as a symbol of public faith.”
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