Sheriff Dan’s “more mellow, more mature” officer
June 18th, 2008, 9:43 am · 40 Comments · posted by rlederman
Let us not forget what Allen County’s chief megalomaniac had to say about Lima Police Department officers back when CNN brought the camera to town:
“I’m biased and you know our agency … we’re a sheriff’s office, but we work actively in the city of Lima. The reception of our officers in the city of Lima is very good. Part of the reason for that is we hire an older officer, a more mellow officer, one that is more mature and one not so quick to make decisions.”
Let’s see what the front page of The Lima News says on Wednesday:
“OTTAWA - An Allen County sheriff’s deputy with a history of violence that once cost the county $75,000 to settle a lawsuit has been sentenced to 10 days in jail for assaulting his 6-year-old daughter.
Zane Ditto is scheduled to report to the Putnam County jail Friday, Sheriff Jim Beutler said.
Ditto was convicted of aggravated menacing, a reduction from the charge of domestic violence. Both are misdemeanors.
Ditto was given a 180-day jail sentence but the judge suspended all but 10 days. Ditto was fined $500 with $300 suspended. Both suspensions of jail and the fine were on the condition Ditto stay out of trouble, serve one year probation, complete anger management counseling and perform 20 hours community service.
Ditto remains employed at the Allen County Sheriff’s Office as a deputy in corrections in the jail. Sheriff Dan Beck said he would collect information on the case, review it and make a determination on whether to punish Ditto.”
June 18th, 2008 at 12:24 pm
I have to believe that 2 strikes and your out at the ACSO. As bad as that office is ran, I think public relations demands he be fired. But maybe he is one of those guys that only abuse women and children.
Maybe he has never abused a guest of the county.
However, so it goes every where you look. All employers have a few bad apples. Over the years I have know a few of the Lima News employees. Lot of dope smokers in there, and we won’t even bring up the delivery people. I personaly know of one person in the Lima news press room that used to traffic in drugs. Go figure.
But an officer needs to be held to the highest standards.
June 18th, 2008 at 4:05 pm
Do you think that if I assaulted an Allen County Deputy, I would only get
a 10 day jail sentence and a $300 fine…I really doubt it..
June 18th, 2008 at 4:26 pm
Jim,
No doubt would get some time for that. I would like to have more info on just what he did to the girl. Did he spank her? Were there broken bones? Pulled hair? Is he married and living with the girls mother? Could this have been a case of, “daddy spanked me” and mom gets all peeo’d and presses charges? Will we ever know?
June 18th, 2008 at 4:37 pm
AHAA…finnaly got the story to come up. Sounds like he did abuse the girl pretty bad. But there is an ex-wife factor here also. Kids have lied before to get even with one parent or the other. Seems to me that if you hit a 50 pound child and knock her 10 feet and she bumped the couch she would have a few more bruises or something? Just a thought.
June 18th, 2008 at 5:01 pm
Were’s chidrens services? A history of abuse and he gets 10 days makes sence to me, not. Agree with with you Daniamal, he should be relieved of his dutys, his had his chances and has been warned. It sounds like one of Ron’s other blob- He’s got a badge trust him.
June 19th, 2008 at 9:01 am
I have to believe that there was sufficient evidence to find Ditto guilty of child abuse or endangerment for him to be fined and sentenced to jail, anger management. etc. If memory serves, this will be the second go-round for anger management counseling for Dep. Ditto.
I will venture a guess that the call was already made to the ex’s attorney and supervised visitations will be instated for a few months, thus erring on the side of protecting the child, which should be the first concern.
I also think we need to know how we ordinary citizens would be sentenced if we did the same to one of our children?
June 20th, 2008 at 5:01 pm
Of course Dan’s comment regarding older and more mellow officers was a generalization. For instance, I’m certain that he was not referring to his former employee and 1996 sheriff’s-race rival, who was older, yet was well known for butality both on and off of the job.
Dan DID FIRE Ditto for his FIRST case of abuse, but was overruled by the arbitor. I don’t see you railing against that aribitor, Ron. Nor do you rail against the judge, for letting Ditto off with a mere ten days, for child abuse. Could it be more obvious that you let your personal feelings regarding our sheriff taint your perspective?
June 20th, 2008 at 5:07 pm
Interesting take, Grace. But, no, I wouldn’t worry about my personal feelings on this one. The man said he hires a more mature officer, not that he takes appropriate steps to fire them after they get busted twice in one day for DUI or that he takes appropriate steps to discipline them after one of them punches someone while holding a flashlight.
Nothing like trying to take down an entire department while forgetting your own problems. That is typical Sheriff Dan, though.
Sheriff Dan told CNN he doesn’t have the problems LPD has because of those more mature officers. But speaking of generalizations, your sweeping apology for Sheriff Dan might also be tainted by your personal affection for the man.
June 20th, 2008 at 10:23 pm
No “sweeping apology” here, and no expression of “personal affection.” Only the observation that — in your zeal to twist this story to discredit the sheriff — (who did the RIGHT thing, by firing Ditto for his first act of brutality) you completely ignore the fact that the arbitor did a TERRIBLE thing, by forcing Ditto’s reinstatement, and the judge did a HENIOUS thing, by reducing his child abuse sentence to virtually nothing. Your motive is glaringly clear.
June 21st, 2008 at 11:27 am
While true that Beck was forced to keep Ditto due to arbitration, he wasn’t forced to give him a promotion not long after. Nor was he obligated to keep Ditto after having an affair with a subordinate. Perhaps Beck is lenient to abusers because of personal reasons, and “understands” them more than the rest of us do? No matter how bad Beck runs the Sheriff’s Dept., he will have his apologists, usually female. I certainly don’t see the attraction, but then, Clinton had his, too.
June 21st, 2008 at 11:29 am
Grace, here:
The arbitrator did a terrible thing. From The Lima News editorial of Jan. 28, 2000 (before me but certainly still the correct argument): “It’s unfortunate the safety of Allen County residents is being sacrificed because of a clause in a contract. That is the situation we face today with the decision to allow Sgt. Zane D. Ditto, 38, to return to duty with the sheriff’s department.”
I’ll go one better: The judge who last week handed down the light sentence shouldn’t be on the bench.
That said, I’ll stand by what I originally wrote: Sheriff Dan said he doesn’t have these problems because he hires a more mellow, more mature officer. He ignored that his office has had disciplinary problems because, by golly, there’s a new camera crew in town to which he could criticize all things Lima, so the facts no longer matter to the country’s chief political opportunist..
My motive? Don’t guess at it. I don’t think Beck is qualified to run the Sheriff’s Office, let alone a city. He has received a pass in the local media for his repeated misstatements, and his loyal subjects turn any criticism of him into an alleged personal attack that then becomes about the person leveling the complaint rather than about the actual issue. Is that clear enough for you?
June 21st, 2008 at 12:07 pm
You were already clear, Ron. You took a story about the henious acts of a deputy that Dan was forced to keep, which mentioned the arbitrator who forced Dan to keep him, and the judge who virtually gave him a pass on child abuse, and used it as an opportunity to tke a dig at the sheriff.
Only after I twice called you on ignoring the henious acts of the other men did you even address them.
It is both chauvanistic and pathetic to ty to divert attention away from the facts by mentioning my gender. I have no personal attraction to Beck and, in fact, do not agree with his criticism of the LPD. I’m just pointing out your extremely transparent motive. You could use a weather report as an excuse to trash the sheriff. That completely wrecks your credibility with anyone with an ounce of analytical ability.
If you want to convince anyone but the emotionalistic crowd, you’ll have to do much better.
As for “promoting” Ditto, my best guess is that - after being forced to keep him - the sheriff had to put him somewhere where he wouldn’t have the chance to beat up any more perps.
June 21st, 2008 at 12:59 pm
Grace:”If you want to convince anyone but the emotionalistic crowd, you’ll have to do much better.
As for “promoting” Ditto, my best guess is that - after being forced to keep him - the sheriff had to put him somewhere where he wouldn’t have the chance to beat up any more perps.”
The sheriff could have done something other than promotion to get the same affect. Also, what about Ditto’s affair with a subordinate? Why didn’t he get fired for that? Beck doesn’t do anything until the media gets hold of something. Then, he becomes all macho and accusatory to the leakers.
June 21st, 2008 at 1:14 pm
You’re right, Grace. I could use a weather report to trash him. That’s the advantage of working with words. Funny, then, isn’t it that I only use his own words against him? He said this, then that happened, so how do this and that compare?
What did you call me out on? Child abuse is bad. So are a lot of things. Sheriff Dan, however, has made a point of saying his department doesn’t have the image problems LPD has because he hires a more mellow, more mature officer. When one of those more mature and more mellow officers does his thing, I believe it appropriate to remind people that Sheriff Dan has labeled him among those more mature, more mellow officers he employs.
Also, I believe HappyG is a female, so I’m not sure how she would be chauvinistic (but you should stick with words you can spell or least look up). I did mention Sheriff Dan’s loyal followers, of which you appear to be one, but I didn’t assign a gender to any of them. Oh, wait, it’s a loyal Sheriff Danist: Someone criticized Sheriff Dan, so we better make it a personal attack against us.
June 21st, 2008 at 1:36 pm
You assigned gender when you said “No matter how bad Beck runs the Sheriff’s Dept., he will have his apologists, usually female. I certainly don’t see the attraction, but then, Clinton had his, too.”
That, and pointing out misspellings or typos, is the mark of being unable to defend your position on it’s own merits. You took a story that mentioned the henious acts of three other men and tried to use it to suit your own agenda. Guess that’s why you’re stuck writing opinion, rather than being trusted to report facts.
June 21st, 2008 at 1:38 pm
P.S. To answer your question, I called you out on ignoring the HENIOUS ACTS of the deputy, arbitrator and judge, in your mad dash to get at the sheriff for his COMMENTS.
June 21st, 2008 at 1:46 pm
Grace: You assigned gender when you said “No matter how bad Beck runs the Sheriff’s Dept., he will have his apologists, usually female. I certainly don’t see the attraction, but then, Clinton had his, too.”
Ron didn’t assign gender; I did. And, I stand by that. I’ve been around, and it’s usually women who ‘adore’ him. And, I am female, as Ron suggested. Beck is not a victim of our negative comments, but he is the sole source of them.
June 21st, 2008 at 1:51 pm
Um, Grace, HappyG and I are two separate people. My posts say rlederman. So, again, perhaps you meant to address that concern about gender to HappyG, because I didn’t raise it.
You called me out? Let’s see. I didn’t explain to you that child abuse is bad. That the editorial page stated the arbitrator was wrong wasn’t good enough for you, either. So let’s just excuse whatever Sheriff Dan has to say that flies in the face of the facts. Because, unless you spell it out for Grace that child abuse is bad and giving Ditto back his job is bad (but promoting him apparently is OK) nothing matters. The sky is blue, water is wet and grass is green, Grace. Anything else on the level of basic that you require explained?
June 22nd, 2008 at 12:53 pm
My mistake. In my haste, I didn’t see HappyG’s name. So it was her who ascribed gender to my comments.
It is still a fact that you (Ron) took a story that mentioned the henious ACTS of three men, (the deputy, arbitor and judge,) and made a mere STATEMENT by the sheriff your FOCUS. It was not until I called you on it that you grudgingly acknowledged that the arbitor and judge behaved irresponsibly.
Your obsession with the sheriff is rivaled only by HappyG’s, who is well-known to be - for personal reasons - a Protsman/Herrod apologist.
I also don’t believe that the sheriff’s statement “flies in the face of fact.”
While the timing and perhaps even the public statement might have been regrettable, I believe that it IS a fact that the average age of the deputies is higher than the average age of the city offficers. I don’t see you trying to disprove that fact, only whining that it was stated.
I see that - as usual - you ae resorting to your childish condescention.
Of course I do’t need it explained to my that child abuse is bad. I am the one who has thrice tried to get you to acknowledge that it is worse than the unfortunate timing of a statement. It would be refreshing to have an editorial writer who could get over his personal vendettas long enough to have the perspective to realize that child abuse, forcing the reinstatement of an abuser, and letting an abuser off with a slap on the wrist are far more worthy of condemnation than is an ill-timed comment and removing a dangerous man from a job where he can abuse the public.
Since I have explained THAT to YOU at least three times, I will now leave you and HappyG to commiserate with one another over the good old days when the ACSO was run by those who allowed rampant brutality by several deputies, both on and off of the job.
June 22nd, 2008 at 1:11 pm
Grace: Your obsession with the sheriff is rivaled only by HappyG’s, who is well-known to be - for personal reasons - a Protsman/Herrod apologist.
You’re getting desperate. Beck’s actions speak for themselves. I am not the only one, by far, who has similar opinions of Beck. Sheriff Harrod has been dead for many years. And Protsman? Where is he? He is not, nor has he ever been a crony of mine. I did support Protsman, not out of personal reasons, but because I was entirely against Beck. The same with Harrod. Because I can’t stand Beck, doesn’t mean I’m a flunky for someone else. Who do you think I am? Watch with the assuming, because it might backfire.
June 22nd, 2008 at 2:31 pm
Grace,
Go get him! Been reading this blog and it has been interesting. I think you have set Ron back on his heels. I am not a fan of Beck but think Ron is obsessed with Beck.
June 22nd, 2008 at 3:29 pm
Gotta disagree with you Scant. I see no obsession, but a journalist doing his job. Beck is an elected official who has a lot of influence in the county as the highest le personel. He needs to be scrutinized, especially since he is aspiring to be the next mayor. He has too many faults to get a free pass. I won’t be intimidated by those who love him, no matter what he does or doesn’t do, and am thankful someone in the Lima News isn’t intimidated, either. It’s nothing personal for me, but it is for others…for some reason.
June 22nd, 2008 at 3:37 pm
Happy,
No fan of Beck either, I think he is a media whore just like Derry Glenn. Actually, I agree with Ron alot. He has kicked my rear end alot on his blogs. Ron is a smart guy no doubt, I thought Grace put up a good arguement and Ron was a little set back by her thinking and enjoyed Grace going after him. I don’t know Grace or her personal feelings for Beck, I thought she offerd some good points.
June 22nd, 2008 at 5:05 pm
The points she made were already made my Ron. She focused on those points and neglected the others. Then, instead of arguing mine, she accused me of having personal reasons to go after Beck. I don’t have personal reasons, but if I did, my arguments are valid.
And yes, Beck is a media whore. Both Ron and Tom have a lot of good points, and as many I don’t agree with, which is sometimes a good thing.
June 22nd, 2008 at 5:26 pm
Go Grace go….Ron always calls out spelling because he is insecure. And an egotists. BAD COMBO!!!! And he is obsessed with Beck. but like you pointed out Grace, he couldn’t be trusted to report the news without bias.
June 22nd, 2008 at 5:27 pm
As much as Ron thinks he knows it all…I wonder if he knows the time stamp on this blog is wrong?
June 22nd, 2008 at 6:19 pm
Danimal,
Man, you are relentless. I have to sit down and have a beer with you, will talk politics and how to turn Lederman around to our way of thinking.
June 22nd, 2008 at 7:28 pm
Danimal,
I got a better idea. When we sit down with that beer lets have Lederman join us. It may surprise you, but I like Ron. I bet us three would have a great time. He can be pretty dang offensive, but he is as opinionated as we are. If he starts to make fun of us with our use of grammer, lets put him in a headlock till he crys Uncle. Whata think? It will be interesting to see how he responds to the offer.
Hey Ron, lets go for a beer and talk. I am not giving up- you will come around to my way of thinking.
June 22nd, 2008 at 8:14 pm
Scant, if you believe Grace has set me back, please explain. I’m just looking at tired defenses of Beck. I have made clear I think he uses every opportunity to take shots at the city. If I point out his words when one of his more mature, more mellow officers acts out, how am I set back by it being pointed out I strongly disagree with the sheriff? Again, I could use a weather report to criticize him, but I use only his words.
Always up for a beer. Good of you to go to that physical violence threat I said eventually would come. (That’s a joke, Scant.) You let me know when and where. It is unlikely I’m going to come around to your way of thinking on some issues, however. I’m secure in my own choices not to think I should be the one to make such decisions for others.
June 22nd, 2008 at 9:08 pm
Ron,
You are good! Yea, I think Beck uses every opportunity to take shots at the city. I thought Grace raised some good points to you about your bias against Beck. It may suprise you Ron, but I agree with you about Beck. I think Grace gave you a run for your money on this one.
I am glad you know I was joking around about the headlock thing, I was:-).
I will not give up on changing your mind to my way of thinking, but I think you are as hard headed as myself.
June 23rd, 2008 at 1:48 am
Well well….i would be happy to join in on the fun, but please excuse me for not drinking. I will have tea, and don’t worry about the head lock thing. At my age, I just don’t ‘roll’ that way.
June 23rd, 2008 at 9:07 am
Scant, I don’t disagree that Grace hasn’t backed down, but I don’t think she offered anything new. I don’t approve of the job Beck does. I’ve been clear about that, so it’s not hidden. I also think Derry Glenn shouldn’t be in office (clear about that), Dave Berger is a big government type (clear about that) and the three commissioners have no backbone among them (clear about that). Grace repeatedly bringing up my bias isn’t new or news.
It might matter if I were commenting on his personality, but I’m sticking to what he has said in a professional manner about fellow law-enforcement officers. You can find elsewhere on this blog where I’ve stated that, if Lima Police Chief Greg Garlock is going to reduce people’s lives to statistics, perhaps it’s time he leaves. No one worried about my feelings toward Garlock, but the Beck fan club makes it a personal issue with any complaint.
If it seems I highlight what the sheriff says more than others, perhaps it’s because he talks more than others.
June 23rd, 2008 at 9:09 am
Dan and Scant,
Tea is just as good for me. But, Scant, in my case, it’s a matter of being thoughtful, not hardheaded, on knowing I’m right.
June 23rd, 2008 at 6:04 pm
Ron, the first order of buisness I would like to discuss over beer/tea would be : Are you the only person you know of, that actually does their job correctly? And second, does anyone even need to have an opinion on any topic when talking to you?
June 23rd, 2008 at 6:26 pm
Ron,
I don’t disagree with you on Beck and his, more mellow and mature statments. It should have been brought up. I just thought Grace made some good points about the jugde, deputy and arbitor. Sounds like you and Grace have had some go arounds before, I think, I will stay out of this one.
Maybe my statement of you being hardheaded was off. I believe you look at the story and facts and come to your thoughts on it, sometimes I don’t reach the same conclusion. Maybe I would better discribe you as a Pit Bull, and I mean that in a good way. You get your teeth into something you don’t let go.
June 23rd, 2008 at 7:39 pm
Ron, before you respond back, I know you have pointed out you disagreed with the arbitrator and judge when Grace raised those points.
June 24th, 2008 at 7:44 am
I don’t follow you, Dan. If you’re attempting to insult again, try to be clearer about it. Sarcasm apparently doesn’t come through as well as you’d like.
Scant, I don’t know if I’ve had a run-in with Grace. The argument is what I face any time I criticize Sheriff Dan, which, apparently, according to Grace, is every day. This is a typical patter with his fan club.
My feelings aren’t hurt being called hardheaded. I was saying you’re hardheaded while I am right. Perhaps my attempts at sarcasm are getting as lost as what I perceive to be Danimal’s (look, Dan, an admission that I don’t always do things successfully).
June 24th, 2008 at 1:39 pm
Well well well…one good admission deserves another. I am 100% with you on Dan Beck. Don’t trust that guy at all. If we ever meet for that beer/tea I will offer you some things I know, that can’t be printed here.
Oh and, I was jsut sayin’ ….I can’t recall a time that you agreed with what any of our leaders are doing on their jobs. Of course handing out kudos is not what you are, or should I say, your blog is all about. But every now and then, i would think that you might agree with something someone else was doing. Most of the time, you just talk about what everyone else is doing wrong. Tell me this, does you lawn keeper mow in lines that are straight enough? Does the house keeper dust under everything? (just in case you need some help here, that was my kind of sarcasm)
June 24th, 2008 at 3:04 pm
Fair question, Danimal, and the answer is rarely. Most government officials — leaders, if you prefer that term — have things they want to do. Libertarians believe government is there only to protect rights, so all the schemes and grand plans are counter to what they’re supposed to do. Often, you will see the editorial page (or me) compliment restraint in an elected official, but it’s usually a judge telling others they can’t do something.
Outside of government types, I think many, most, people do a fine job. For example, I go to the same restaurant quite often. That would mean I think the employees there do their jobs properly. I visit the same party store frequently, again an indication I approve of the way they do their jobs. No, I don’t tell them swell job or way to go, but I do return with my money.
June 24th, 2008 at 4:04 pm
Thanks for the str8 answer Ron.