Sheriff’s board weighs temper in officer’s fitness
An Allen County sheriff’s officer who the department says has anger management problems likely won’t learn until next week whether he can keep his job.
The sheriff’s merit board conducted a daylong public session to gather information about whether officer Brent Whan should remain with the department.
Whan, who joined the department in 2007, is accused of being unfit for duty due to anger management problems and performance deficiencies. Department attorney John Feighner told the board that Whan’s temper puts the public and his fellow officers at risk.
Whan’s attorney, Tim Stuckey, said Whan has a diagnosed sleeping disorder. The switch to third shift in the fall aggravated his disorder and limited his sleep. The stress of working through a condensed basic-training program also contributed to his irritability, Stuckey said.
Whan told supervisors he was having trouble sleeping, Stuckey said.
But his field training instructor, officer Jason Baker, questioned whether Whan had the drive and desire to be a police officer because he didn’t seem eager to participate in all assignments or to learn. Baker said Whan did well on written tests and homework and performed adequately during several other calls.
Baker described Whan’s temper as out of the ordinary. He was not grumpy from a lack of sleep, nor did he express the typical frustration of a new officer learning the ins and outs of life on patrol, Baker said.
“You can be effective if you have control of (anger). But he did not have control of it,” Baker said.
After bungling a radio conversation, Whan was too angry to leave the squad car and assist a state trooper, Baker said.
After less than a month of training, the two officers argued, prompting Baker to end that day’s session. Baker then recommended that Whan not finish the training.
Officers are required to complete the basic-training programs. If not, they face a variety of consequences up to and including termination.
Sheriff Ken Fries suspended Whan with pay Oct. 6 and ordered an evaluation of his fitness for duty. In November, Fries filed the petition for termination.
Testimony from witnesses called by Stuckey is expected to continue today before the board meets in closed session to deliberate. The board must call another public meeting to vote on whether Whan should remain with the department. That meeting will likely be Monday, Rayl said.
Whan, who served six years in the Marine Corps, worked in the jail transport division and civil division before joining the warrants division in September. He received a three-day unpaid suspension in March for violating the county’s sexual harassment policy, improper conduct and immoral conduct.
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