Colo. Sheriff's Lt. Resigns After Internet Posts

CASTLE ROCK, Colo. --

A 13-year veteran of the Douglas County Sheriff’s Department has resigned after repeatedly posting what his superior described as racist and anti-gay comments using his county computer.

Lt. Jeff Egnor resigned Tuesday after Douglas County officials confronted him about hundreds of postings on the 7NEWS website, www.thedenverchannel.com and the KUSA-TV website, according to Undersheriff Tony Spurlock

"A large portion of it was very shocking and inappropriate racial comments, homophobic comments, statements of that nature," Spurlock said. "Our message is while you're here we want you to do your job and serve the community the very best that you can. If you have concerns politically, what happens in the world, you have to do it in an appropriate way and not relate it to this county sheriff's office."

Posting under the screen name "Abu Mybutt", Egnor commented on various stories from police shootings to the eliminating the "Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell" policy that will let gay soldiers serve openly in the military.

"New miltary slogans: The few, the queer, the Marines! Butt Rangers lead the way! Be as gay as you can be! Aim for a high hard one, Air Force! Join the Navy, see naked men!," Egnor posted on Dec. 20, 2010, misspelling military.

Two similar posts: "Now we have a new weapon against our enemies: the sissy slap! :-P" and "I hear the Army is forming a new division: The Rump Rangers! :-D."

Egnor also made comments about religious figures and attacked liberals, saying Democrats are ruining the United States.

Egnor made it clear that he worked in government and when other readers of thedenverchannel.com complained, 7News filed an open records request to determine who was using the Douglas County Internet Provider address linked to the postings. After the 7NEWS request, Spurlock said superiors confronted Egnor Tuesday morning. He resigned that afternoon.

"He resigned in the middle of the investigation," Spurlock said. "He was ashamed of what he had been doing while he was on duty."

Egnor’s postings also attacked liberals and illegal immigrants.

"I have an immigration policy: 12 gauge shotgun!," he posted on Dec. 18.

"Obviously this loser can't shoot straight if this woman was able to run out of the house. What an idiot. Just shoot yourself and save the taxpayers the expense. I hope the cops don't have to shoot him cause all you liberal bed wetters will cry 'police brutality'! LIBERALS are the problem with this country!” he wrote the same day.

He also commented on stories about sports figures like the arrest of Parrish Cox for sex assault.

"Another member of the 'thug' culture that the NFL promotes. You can take the player out of the hood, but you can't take the hood out of the player! Hey I've got a great idea, let's take a gangbanger from the hood, throw millions of dollars at him, worship him as a god, kiss his butt night and day, let the media slober all over him! Then they are all suddenly shocked when the thug acts like a thug!"

After a story on Carmelo Anthony possibly leaving Denver, Engor wrote: "Send him back to the hood in New York or Jersey. Good riddance."

And Egnor also mocked Gov. John Hickenlooper and Democrats.

"Just wait till Chickenlooper takes over. It'll soon be over 9%. Great job voting for democrats Colorado! You people deserve what your gonna get! Unfortunately, the rest of us get bent over too! Why don't all you libs move back to California since that's what your trying to turn Colorado into!"

County officials said Egnor’s conduct was a clear violation of county policy on Internet use. "Once we found out from you and we saw the information on the blogs, we started an official investigation," Spurlock said.

The county's policy reads: “Employees may not post, send or transmit information or content to Internet-based social networks or web sites … (that) bring disrepute to the Sheriff’s Office, or content that would otherwise violate the On and Off-Duty Conduct provision contained in section II. U. of P&P-C-101, to wit: Members must not engage in any activity or conduct, on- or off-duty, which discredits them, the County or the Office."

On some days, Egnor had more than a dozen posts during work hours, which Spurlock said violates the county policy that says work computers are for performance of official job duties.

“The Internet should be used for purposes directly related to the performance of the job function,” the policy said. The policy also says work computers cannot be used to “harass, insult and attack” others and that internal discipline up to termination and possible criminal and civil sanctions could happen to employees who violate the policy.

Spurlock said there were two problems with Egnor's conduct -- that he was posting on county time and the nature of his postings.

"We're going to look into his performance and his behavior and that he was able to blog that amount was a significant concern to us," he said.

On Tuesday, Egnor blocked the archive of his comments and changed his screen name to "The Truth Hurts."

CALL7 Investigator Tony Kovaleski called what we believe was Egnor's house and went to the residence, but he could not reach Egnor for comment.

Sheriff Weaver announcement to employees.