Republican candidate for Guilford County Sheriff Ed Melvin is making an interesting pledge as part of his campaign.
Melvin said this week that, if he‘s elected sheriff, he will offer to re-hire all of the Sheriff’s Department employees who were fired without cause by current Guilford County Sheriff Danny Rogers.
Rogers made national news in 2019 when, soon after being elected sheriff, he fired about 25 employees as his first major act.
Since then, Melvin said, there have been others fired without cause as well, and Melvin pledged to rehire all of them, from lieutenant on down. He added that he would consider rehiring the captains on a case by case basis.
It’s not known if they would like their old jobs back, but Melvin says that the offer will be there if he’s elected.
According to Melvin and many others with knowledge of the firings, Rogers was concerned that many officers were loyal to former longtime Sheriff BJ Barnes and worried they would try to undermine him.
“If I’m elected Sheriff, my first priority would be to immediately re-hire all employees that were terminated without cause by Danny Rogers,” Melvin said. “This offer to re-hire will be extended to all lieutenants and below, sworn and non-sworn, uniform and civilian workers who were terminated by Danny.”
Melvin added that anyone wishing to return will be placed in the same rank and position they occupied when they left – and, if a certain rank or position isn’t available, Melvin will try to place that person in an equivalent position if possible.
Melvin worked on Rogers’ campaign in 2019 and was named as the department’s chief deputy by Rogers after Rogers won. Melvin said Rogers went on the firing spree largely at the behest of another newly named top officer who once worked under Barnes.
According to Melvin, the list of those to be fired when Rogers took control was originally twice as large, but his, Melvin’s, pleadings were somewhat effective in getting Rogers to scale down the firings.
Melvin said he also suggested that Rogers let the people continue working for a while before letting anyone go. He said he thought that then Rogers would see they were not untrustworthy officers.
“When I first saw the list, my jaw just hit the floor,” Melvin said. “It was almost 50 people. I said, ‘You think they are BJ Barnes’s loyalists – but maybe they are sheriff’s office loyalists.’ These people had families; they had careers, and he was just throwing them away like they were nothing.”
Melvin said that, at one point he told Rogers he would resign if another one was fired without cause, and, when that happened, he did resign his chief deputy position.
He said a lot of people including himself – who were critics of the way Barnes ran the department – were mistaken, and, he added, it’s clear now in hindsight to many that Barnes ran a fair, efficient and above-board Sheriff’s Department.
Melvin said firing jail staff especially was a mistake because the department already had a major shortage of jail workers.
“This offer won’t be for employees who retired, or who were justifiably terminated,” Melvin said.
“I’m hoping to have all those wishing to return working at the sheriff’s office within 30 days of me taking office,” he added.
I believe the “single shot” voters who put this self-perceived cowboy in office got exactly what they deserved. Who can honestly say that law enforcement in Guilford County has not suffered under this guy?
Hiring those to fill a position they were terminated from ? Melvin states he will be replacing current employees with those who were terminated by Sheriff Danny Rogers.
How is this any different from what Danny did? People will still be out of a job? Rhino times reports-“if a certain rank or position isn’t available, Melvin will try to place that person in an equivalent position if possible.”
Do not make promises you cannot keep. Start sounding like a Sheriff candidate, not a politician!
Really, the Sheriff’s office should be apolitical. The employees’ political opinions should be kept to themselves.
The same with the Police & Fire Depts.
OK
As Sheriff I never checked or asked the party affiliation of any of my officers. The professionals who were the men and women Rogers fired or demoted never worried about anything but doing their job under my leadership as it should be. I was the one who was elected and the only one who should be involved in politics. Having a sheriffs office made up of personal that were apolitical was my goal and for 24 years it worked. Not once did I let politics influence any decisions made relating to us doing the job of protecting Guilford Co. Rogers promoted and listened to people that he put in their position only because of politics. How else can you explain it when he promoted based on color, party affiliation, or personal relationships, not merit. When you raise a person up from no rank to one of the the highest ranks in the sheriffs office and he did this numerous times what is the message. When you hire and promote based on personal relationships, not ability or experience. The only sections in the sheriff’s office that are successful are led by people I hired or promoted. Rogers laid carnage to a sheriffs office that was respected across the nation. It can return to the respected office it once was, but not under his leadership or any leadership he chose. Melvin is right, those folks should have never been fired and the county would be lucky to have them back.
I am not a fan of your politics but never doubted your loyalty to all citizens of Guilford County. Hated you got voted out the way you did. A true public servant of the people. All the people.
I don’t know much about the Sheriff’s Department, but it seemed like you ran a tight ship when you were in charge. Professional, proficient, and scandal free. Thank you.
This guy Rogers with the, er, colorful past, seems to think it’s his personal fiefdom. I couldn’t believe the election result. And a purge of potential subversives is positively Stalinist.
There’s something rotten in the state of Denmark.
What Melvin is saying is that he will re-hire those employees that were unjustly fired by the current sheriff. Maybe some of you are not aware, but the sheriffs office right now is on “life support” due to the shortage of employees. This current sheriff has fired many employees for no reason, many have left due to low morale or they feared they were next. So take it from an inside person looking “inside”, there are plenty of vacancies that desperately needs to be filled right now. Thank you Mr. Melvin for at least trying to right the wrong Rogers has done.
With the massive shortage of staff at the Sheriff’s Office, Re-hiring all those people still would not fill all the vacancies.
Phil Byrd for Guilford County Sheriff, 2022.
BJ Barnes had a lot of deputy’s on the payroll that were retired and already receiving a pension. Looked like keeping those on the payroll part time was double dipping. If someone wants to bring them back to continue to receive their pensions and flexible part time does not sound good. If some did not live in the county that was also a consideration. Looks like legal challenge if all deputy’s that were fired will be re-hired back. Will they work at the county jail or some other desk job? Sounds like poor leadership.
Annie, it’s called a retiree callback program used by every department in the county. They recognize the experience and knowledge these folks have are very valuable as any smart leader would. The retiree’s return without the need for insurance cost or raining because they already have it. They also work at a lessor rate then you would pay a new hire which allows you to fill the position you need to fill without losing efficiency. They are allowed a limited number of hours. Not all those he let go were retiree callbacks, some had careers and families that suffered because of bonehead decisions made by the Sheriff elect. In my 24 years of service I did not retain three people because I respected them as professionals. Look at the response from Lee who says he is an insider. There is no doubt in my mind he is, I’ve heard the same thing he reports. If you supported this guy, think again. Like the old saying goes, fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me.
It is definitely a good first step Melvin! I hate the Sheriff’s office is party based, unfortunately it is. Being fired because of political opinions or personal opinions shouldn’t be! I know you will restore the office to the model it once was.
I was one of the officers who received a letter from Rogers, which was given to me by Mr Melvin. He was sincere during the process and visibly did not enjoy delivering the letters.
I worked for the Sheriffs Office for almost 17 years and was a supervisor for my last six along with being a specialized instructor in a couple areas. During my service I received a Medal of Valor and Meritorious Conduct award.
I was offered jobs from numerous agencies, with two changing their pay structure to offer me a comparable salary. I ended up taking a job with another local agency.
I was told by another candidate I could receive my job and rank back on day one. I wish every officer who was not eligible to retire could receive their job and position back but it will not be the same unless the county assists in this endeavor.
With my years of service I, along with many others could carry several benefits into our retirement. The biggest benefit being health insurance, which is not offered to any employee hired after 2010.
The offer to be hired back is greatly appreciated but it would be better if the new Sheriff and the county manager could work together to reinstate the officers benefits as if they never left.
This would be a great step in moving forward to rebuild the agency which Rogers and his “transition team” destroyed before he ever took office.
I like several others who received a letter from Rogers interacted with him a different occasions. Rogers spoke to me once while I was on duty in uniform and he had no clue who I was. I heard this same story from two others which is really sad. There was no thought or chance given to prove our worth, just the stroke of his pen and it was over benefits and all.
I hope all Sheriff candidates and county administration see this article and my comment so a plan could be in place by December 5th when the new Sheriff is sworn in.
Run a business like our local govt, and it will fail.
You can promise the sun, the moon and the stars, however, finding the funds to support the re-hiring without firing will be another challenge. Unless, he does like the other fellow above suggested: Fires the other people Rocket Rogers put in and replaces them with the first group of fired people, which then brings us right back to more FIRED PEOPLE.
Bunch of liars all of them and a true politician is one that can talk you into believing what a wonderful person they are and how much their going to do for you and the citizens, hahahahaha, and on, and on, and on, just look at Barrack Obama for example.
Politics should be left at the door.
Barnes is a politician, what’s he doing now??? Exactly, the good ole boy network is alive and well. They all do the same thing on a national scale or a local scale. You “scratch my back, I scratch yours” how it’s always been and always will be. This job should be filled with the most qualified *LAW ENFORCEMENT* candidate not the guy connected or person with the most amount of money and or political backers. Seems there are better choices as far as LE experience is concerned here in this race than this collection of over paid, over weight, pencil pushers, and ex DMV workers.
Do your research make an informed decision don’t listen to has been’s – that want to be, again, and again.
Thank you for saying this, so I didn’t have to. You are correct sir in saying the good ole boy system is alive and well, being that is what barns administration was all about.
So if Melvin wins will Rogers be his Chief Deputy ?
It’s easy to give jobs back, but how about the people that have been promoted that earned it?!?? No one wants to talk about the ones in spots they are not qualified for…. Come on his girlfriend got three and has no clue how to work in MCT. Why not lay that out !
Everyone has their own opinion and ideas. From what I’ve been gathering Melvin has a strong background for the law as well as overseeing operations. He is an achiever and I believe he will stand for what’s right for the sheriff department and county.
My gut tells me this man is what Guildford County needs to bounce back.
The initial paragraph written by Eric IEague speaks of Ed Melvins sincere dismay to hand off the firing letter from Rogers. Melvin was Chief Deputy not the Sheriff. Last I checked that made him 2nd in command not the boss. My take from Eric was Melvin was not happy about unjust firing. Let’s not twist honest words. Thanks to Eric IEague for his candor.
Read Eric League’s letter. He received his firing letter from the Sheriff delivered by Melvin. If Melvin thought these firings were wrong, he should of sat down with the Sheriff and discussed that. Melvin is just as bad as he participated in putting theses experienced valuable County employees out of work. They were valuable as most of them were hired swiftly by other local Agencies.
Billy Queen has stated he will fill vacancies, not create them. He was in management that involved over 1200 Special Agents and civilians all across the US. He can be the CEO of the Sheriff’s Department and run it properly. People need to read his background and see what he brings to the table.
And how do you know that Melvin did not…is what I’d like to know….. my guess is he did talk with the Sheriff which is most likely why he left the role as 2nd in command. Logic speaks for itself.
Common sense will tell you when someone is appointed 2nd in command to a newly elected Democrat Sheriff – YOU ARE A DEMOCRAT…
Melvin is a Democrat posing as a Republican – stop the lies Melvin…!!!
There really is nothing worse than a “POSER” – go away – drop out – get lost –
QUIT – your good at that
Dear David,
Last I checked a Chief Deputy can NOT over power the Sheriff. Eric League’s comment clearly expressed that Melvin handed the pink slips with sincere dismay! Meaning, Melvin was bothered to carry out such an order as 2nd in command. Thanks Eric League for sharing your insight being that you were a victim. Thanks also Eric League for being honest about Melvin. People love twisting truth. I suggest folks reread your letter, especially paragraph one.
Sandy, Melvin delivered the Pink slips. “visibly did not enjoy delivering the letters” was Mr. Leagues quote. Nobody in any position enjoys firing someone. My comment was that 2nd in Command Melvin (which most agencies the 2nd in command is really running things) should have sat down with Sheriff Rogers and discussed what impact getting rid of 20+ experienced valuable trained officers would do to the Agency, the morale of employees and most important the service to the community.
Evidently Melvin decided to quit as the easy way out. If he wants to be Sheriff, days on the job will be a lot more difficult than that. That is not a show of “leadership” on Melvin’s part.
Well I’m sure Melvin knew what the pink slips were when he was given the task, if he was so bothered by it, why didn’t he hand the slips back over to Rogers and tell him to do it and quit on the spot. If you believe this line of horse hockey then you probably believe the Covid virus didn’t come from China – WAKE UP PEOPLE …!!!
David, Melvin was Chief Deputy not the boss. Eric’s comments in the first paragraph supports Melvin was NOT happy to hand out unjustified pink slips. I can appreciate Eric’s candor on Melvins sincerity and dismay. People need to read with understanding opposed to twisting words. Thanks Eric for your insight, being that you (Eric) was a victim of the unjust your input is meaningful.
Does anyone believe “any” politicians anymore? These people are politicians regardless of whether they were police officers at one time, they are NOT now.
At least vote for the candidates that have experience with long careers, those folks who actually accomplished something during their time on the job. Do you really want a person with no law enforcement experience, or a person who started out as a deputy and retired as a deputy, as the Sheriff…? That’s a red flag for someone who never accomplished anything, never strives for more, was/is complacent and content just mulling along towards retirement. Is this the person you want for Sheriff…?
People do your homework before casting a vote, with all the gang violence and murder going on in this County your vote is very important and crucial to the survival of us all…!!!
I agree with Josh and what I’d like to know is why the Rhino Times is giving so much platform, attention to this guy Melvin (whom nobody knows) …???
My research comes up with: he mows lawns for a living (under state contracts which should be a big red flag), and from what I see on the highways and byways does a terrible job at that – what gives…?
I don’t see stories re: Billy Queen, Randy Powers, Phil Byrd, Adam Moore – hmmmmmmmmmm, I wonder why that is…?
I heard this guy Marvin/Melvin whatever his name is – dropped out. History shows he’s a quitter anyway and a Democrat, so that’s explainable. Plus he was going to get annihilated anyway so might as well save the humiliation I guess…?