June 07--Being promoted to chief deputy at the Onslow County Sheriff's Office doesn't necessarily mean job security.
In the last two years, three chief deputies, who held the rank of colonel, have been let go. A fourth retired.
Chuck Carnes, a longtime deputy who held the chief deputy spot before being named inspector general, was fired Wednesday.
Sheriff Ed Brown would not comment as to why Carnes was fired but spoke of his admiration of his former employee who has been at the Sheriff's Office since 1996.
"I love Chuck as much as any employee I have ever worked with at the sheriff's office," Brown said. When Carnes was promoted to inspector general last year, Brown said Carnes reminded Brown of himself when he was younger.
Carnes said it has been his pleasure to work with the men and women of the sheriff's office.
"The sheriff and I have very different opinions on how the department should be run," he said. "As such, my employment there was not conducive to a proper working relationship."
On his Facebook page, Carnes said he felt strangely OK with his firing and advised deputies to "keep your head down and your mouth shut."
Staff with Onslow County Human Resources said late in the day on Wednesday that they wouldn't be able to confirm any personnel action until the next day.
Carnes joins several high-ranking deputies in losing their jobs in recent months.
On Jan. 13, Brown fired Donnie Worrell, a chief deputy who had been with the department for 22 years. Worrell was promoted from major to colonel in December 2010.
Five days after firing Worrell, Brown fired Michael Gibbs, who served as a patrol deputy and detective sergeant since 2008.
Both Worrell and Gibbs have declined to comment on their dismissals.
Worrell replaced Mark Shivers who was fired in 2010 and ran unsuccessfully against Brown as a write-in candidate for Onslow County sheriff later that year.
After Worrell was terminated, David West held the position until his retirement earlier this year.
Boyd Brown, who was promoted to lieutenant when Worrell was made colonel in December 2010, was appointed colonel when West retired.
Carnes, who held the colonel rank between Worrell and West, was promoted to inspector general in July. The unusual job title is meant as a stand-in for the sheriff with complete operational authority.
Contact Daily News Senior Reporter Lindell Kay at 910-219-8456 or [email protected]. Read his crime blog "Off the Cuff" at onslowcrime.encblogs.com. Follow him on Twitter and friend him on Facebook @ 1lindell.
Copyright 2012 - The Daily News, Jacksonville, N.C.
