UPDATE (05/19): Vice Mayor Anita Bradford messaged News Daytona Beach on Wednesday to offer her statement on Monday's incident. You can find it below:
This incident as presented to the Commission on Monday night was a serious accusation. After the incident was brought up on the dais, we were told by the Interim City Manager that the matter was being investigated. The Commission was not made aware that a video existed until after it was posted online.
It is our job as a Commission to make sure the City has clear policies and procedures. My comments were intended to assure the residents that we understood the gravity of the situation and to assure them that the Commission would make sure that the clear security and search policies and procedures were in place to protect our staff, deputies and residents.
The VSCO deputies have a duty to ensure that no weapons are entering the premises and to take the appropriate steps to ensure premise security. I have always supported our VCSO and sincerely appreciate all their hard work and dedication to the city of Deltona. I have complete confidence that Sheriff Chitwood is conducting a thorough investigation of this matter and that the result will be processes and procedures to ensure our safety while preventing any future accusations impropriety.
Sheriff Mike Chitwood also added that the Volusia Sheriff's Office might pursue criminal charges against the Stucks.
"A lot of you have asked about the potential for criminal charges, and I assure you that we are in contact with the State Attorney's Office (SAO) about that," Sheriff Chitwood wrote on Facebook.
News Daytona Beach also reached out to Sheriff Chitwood, who confirmed during a phone interview that they have contacted the SAO about the matter. According to Sheriff Chitwood, Mrs. Stuck also filed an official complaint against the deputy, which could lead to charges for perjury/filing a false police report, if the SAO decides to charge her.
UPDATE (4:45 PM EST): According to an email sent from Mayor Heidi Herzberg to News Daytona Beach, Mayor Herzberg has sent Sheriff Chitwood a formal apology for what happened during Monday's meeting. You can find her statement below:
Sheriff Chitwood,
I would like to personally issue an apology to both you and the Deputy involved regarding last night’s discussion of the Stucks complaints.
Mr Peters attempted to diffuse the situation as a personnel matter. Unfortunately, the nature of the allegation was so aggregious that I, among others, felt the need to respond. In hindsight and upon further review of the facts, it is quite apparent that the allegations were unfounded. I will also issue a public apology at the next commission meeting.
Sincerely,
Heidi Herzberg
Mayor
City of Deltona
Earlier reporting below.
Deltona, FL - Volusia Sheriff Mike Chitwood responds to comments made by a resident during Monday's (May 17) Deltona City Commission meeting where she alleged she was touched inappropriately by a deputy.
The woman, who Sheriff Chitwood identified in his response as Tammy Stuck of Deltona, approached the lectern to recount an experience she had at a previous commission meeting—the exact date of which is unknown at this time.
According to Mrs. Stuck, who reportedly has a broken leg and currently wears a brace, a Volusia County deputy put his hands between her legs after she walked through the metal detector just outside of the city commission chambers. Mrs. Stuck further added that she has a history of trauma in her childhood and said no man other than her husband should be putting their hands on her.
"That metal detector needs to go," Stuck said. "You don't know how many people may have the same history I have."
"No man should ever be putting their hands on me, or any woman, or any man," added Stuck.
She continued by the commission how the experience was traumatic and painful for her before once again stating the city's metal detector must be removed.
"I go to the courthouse, I'm a Guardian Ad Litem, I have never been touched going through the metal detector," said Stuck. "It's just unacceptable."
The next to speak was her husband, Jeff Stuck, who echoed her same sentiments.
"I had to deal with, for, oh probably the first 10 or 15 years of our marriage, her getting over what happened to her as a child," said Jeff. "To have that son of a bitch touch her the way he did, and because of his badge and his gun, I couldn’t do a damn thing about it and neither could she."
"I want you to think about that," added Jeff.
Deltona city leaders also took the time to comment on what the Stucks had mentioned. Anita Bradford, vice mayor and District 2 representative for Deltona, said the city needs to make sure they have clearer policies and procedures when it comes to metal detectors, using airports as an example.
"If a female needs searched, they have a female officer there to search and if it's a male, they have a male there to search," said Bradford. "They do that for a reason, it's a liability reason. If there's a wand available, then that should be used."
"I'm not sure why it happened, but personally I want to make sure this never happens to anyone, male or female, again," added Bradford.
Deltona Mayor Heidi Herzberg later chimed in and said she agreed with Bradford, saying a wand should have been used by the deputy instead of them touching Mrs. Stuck.
"That comes down to a policy, and we have to see what the policy for the sheriff's department is. And if it's not adequate, then it needs to be changed for the City of Deltona," said Herzberg.
The next day (May 18), Sheriff Chitwood issued a response online through his Facebook profile and included video from the city commission meeting, along with surveillance footage from the Stuck's encounter with the currently unnamed Volusia deputy.
"The Stucks alleged a 'degenerate pervert' deputy 'groped' Mrs. Stuck at the metal detector outside the Deltona City Commission chambers," wrote Chitwood.
In the surveillance footage provided by Sheriff Chitwood, the Stucks can be seen entering city hall and greeting the deputy as they were asked to take out any metal items they had before proceeding through the metal detector. After doing so, Mr. Stuck can be seen walking through the metal detector with no problem. However, once Mrs. Stuck stepped through, the detector went off. At that same time, Mr. Stuck can be heard talking to the deputy about the placement of a table.
After going through a second time, the detector went off again. The deputy approached Mrs. Stuck with a metal detecting wand and waved it near her leg. As he waved the wand over her leg, he asked if Mrs. Stuck had anything metal on her knees, to which Mrs. Stuck replied that she had a metal brace on her leg. That's when the deputy can be seen grabbing Mrs. Stuck near her right knee.
As the deputy touched Mrs. Stuck, Mr. Stuck can be heard telling him not to touch his wife. Mr. Stuck then walked past the metal detector and towards the commission chambers. He can be heard calling the deputy an "asshat" before entering the chambers.
In his response to the incident, Sheriff Chitwood touched back on a comment made by Mr. Stuck, where he called the deputy a "son of a bitch" and told the commission to think about what had happened.
"I did think about it. I stand by the deputy who was doing the job the City of Deltona asked him to do," wrote Chitwood. "If Deltona wants to do away with its metal detectors and security procedures at the entrance of public meetings, that’s up to them. But to throw a deputy under the bus and denigrate his service based on a blatant lie is more than I can accept."
Sheriff Chitwood further stated that he does not expect an apology from the "troll," referring to Mr. Stuck, but thought the commission would be "big enough to apologize to this deputy who was doing his level best to provide the security they requested."
"I hope the Commission grows a spine and remembers how to lead rather than follow the trolls who spout lies louder and louder until someone accepts them as the truth," wrote Chitwood.
News Daytona Beach has reached out to Vice Mayor Bradford for a response. We are currently waiting for a reply.
