Kevin Beary
{{Short description|American sheriff}}
{{BLP sources|date=May 2022}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix =
| name = Kevin Beary
| native_name =
| native_name_lang =
| honorific-suffix =
| image = OCSO KevinBeary.jpg
| image_size =
| smallimage =
| order =
| office = 27th Sheriff of Orange County
| term_start = 1993
| term_end = 2009
| predecessor = Walter Gallagher
| successor = Jerry Demings
| prior_term =
| birth_date={{birth date and age|1957|5|12}}
| birth_place=Buffalo, New York, U.S.
| death_date=
| death_place=
| spouse=Rebekah
| children=4
| alma_mater=Liberty University
University of Central Florida
| party=Republican (former)
Independent
}}
Kevin Beary (born May 12, 1957) was Sheriff from 1993 to 2009 of Orange County, Florida, United States, heading the Orange County Sheriff's Office, one of the largest law enforcement bodies in the Southeastern United States.
Biography
Beary is the son of former University of Central Florida Police Chief Ray Beary, and the brother of Police Chief Richard Beary. His educational background includes a bachelor's degree from Liberty University and a master's degree in criminal justice from the University of Central Florida.{{Cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qkZ4XCXIa9YC&q=kevin+beary+1957&pg=PA27|title=Orange County Sheriff's Office Orlando, Florida|year=1994|access-date=2021-09-23|archive-date=2022-05-25|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220525231815/https://books.google.com/books?id=qkZ4XCXIa9YC&q=kevin+beary+1957&pg=PA27|url-status=live}}
He was first elected in 1992 as a Republican. After election to his fourth term, he changed his party affiliation to Independent.
After Beary's election in 1992, Marianne Scholer, a former top-ranking woman in the Orange County Sheriff's Office was demoted and reclassified from major to lieutenant. She accused Sheriff Kevin Beary of sexual discrimination and filed a lawsuit which was settled in 1995 against a payment of $76,250.{{Cite news |date=1993-12-23 |title=Demoted Woman Accuses Beary Of Sexual Bias |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161002055117/http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/1993-12-23/news/9312230747_1_demotion-beary-scholer |access-date=2022-05-25 |url=https://www.orlandosentinel.com/1993/12/23/demoted-woman-accuses-beary-of-sexual-bias/|archive-date=2016-10-02|first=Tom|last=Leithauser|work=Orlando Sentinel|url-status=live}}{{cite news|first=Tom|last=Leithauser|title=Sheriff Settles Sexism Lawsuit|work=Orlando Sentinel|date=1995-09-20|url=https://www.orlandosentinel.com/1995/09/20/sheriff-settles-sexism-lawsuit/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170729181557/http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/1995-09-20/news/9509200332_1_scholer-sheriff-kevin-beary-sheriff-office|archive-date=2017-07-29|url-status=live|access-date=2022-05-25 }}
In 2005, Beary had his aides use driver's license records to find the address of a journalist at the Orlando Sentinel who wrote an article critical of him, so that he could write her a letter in response. This was a violation of the Driver's Privacy Protection Act of 1994.{{Cite web |title=Sheriff in a fat dispute |url=https://www.heraldtribune.com/story/news/2005/04/07/sheriff-in-a-fat-dispute/28839953007/ |access-date=2022-05-25 |website=Sarasota Herald-Tribune |language=en-US |date=2005-04-07 |archive-date=2022-05-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220525231817/https://www.heraldtribune.com/story/news/2005/04/07/sheriff-in-a-fat-dispute/28839953007/ |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |title=Called fat, sheriff tracks down reader |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna7407754 |access-date=2022-05-25 |website=NBC News |language=en |date=2005-04-06 |archive-date=2022-05-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220525231815/https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna7407754 |url-status=live }}
In 2004 and 2005, Beary was accused of corruption by a former subordinate turned political rival in the 2004 sheriff's race and a local television news station. This resulted in an audit of homeland security spending by his department.{{cite news|url=http://www.cfnews13.com/News/Local/2007/1/31/sheriff_kevin_beary_may_have_violated_ethics_codes.html |title=Sheriff Kevin Beary May Have Violated Ethics Codes |publisher=CFNews13 |date=February 1, 2007 |access-date=2007-02-02 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927194515/http://www.cfnews13.com/News/Local/2007/1/31/sheriff_kevin_beary_may_have_violated_ethics_codes.html |archive-date=September 27, 2007 }} Beary was later cleared of any wrongdoing by a Florida Department of Law Enforcement investigation.{{cite news | url=http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/apnews/stories/101505/D8D8H2SGA.shtml | title=Florida AP News Story Beary cleared | publisher=AP | date=October 15, 2005 | access-date=2007-03-24 | archive-date=2007-09-27 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927005110/http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/apnews/stories/101505/D8D8H2SGA.shtml | url-status=live }} On April 20, 2007 the Florida Ethics Commission found probable cause to believe that Beary violated Florida ethics laws as a result of his involvement in his homeland security business and filed four counts against him. Beary was prosecuted by the Florida Attorney General's Office and was to face trial on October 24, 2007 before a State of Florida Division of Administrative Hearings Judge on Case # 07-001820EC where Beary could have faced penalties up to removal from office.{{Cite web |last=Commernet, 2011 |title=Case No. 07-001820EC In Re: Kevin Beary vs. *, Cases Under Administrative Hearing |url=http://flrules.elaws.us/doahcase/07-001820ec |access-date=2022-05-25 |website=State of Florida |language=en |archive-date=2022-05-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220525231817/http://flrules.elaws.us/doahcase/07-001820ec |url-status=live }} In 2009 Beary pleaded guilty to violating Florida ethics laws. He was fined a total of $20,000 and ordered to have no business relationship with the company he started using tax dollars and public employees for three years and given a public reprimand and censure by the Governor of Florida.{{Cite web|title=Beary to pay $20K in ethics violation|url=https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/os-xpm-2009-06-13-kevin-story.html|access-date=2022-05-25|website=Orlando Sentinel|date=2009-06-13|first=Henry|last=Pierson Curtis|archive-date=2022-05-25|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220525231817/https://www.orlandosentinel.com/|url-status=live}}
Beary did not run for reelection in 2008, instead endorsing Democratic candidate Jerry Demings. Demings won the election, and took over from Beary on January 5, 2009.
Awards
In June 2003, Sheriff Beary was named Sheriff of the Year by the National Sheriffs' Association.{{Citation needed|date=February 2011}} In 2002 he received the Professional Achievement Award from the University of Central Florida. In 2001 he was given the local Hispanic Community Award.{{Citation needed|date=February 2011}} In 2000 he received the local Police Athletic League Award.{{Citation needed|date=February 2011}} He is also the recipient of the Silver Beaver Award from the Central Florida Council of the Boy Scouts of America.{{clarify|very nice but needs context. we can guess the others|date=February 2011}} In 1996 he was recognized{{Clarify|date=February 2011}} by the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Officers. The local National Rifle Association chose him as their Law Enforcement Officer of the Year.{{Citation needed|date=February 2011}}
Appointments
Beary was appointed by (former) Governor Jeb Bush to co-chair the Florida Domestic Security Task Force (Region V) on terrorism.{{Cite web|url=http://www.c4ssi.com/news/latest-press-release-from-c4ss|title=VETERAN LAW ENFORCEMENT AND TERRORISM EXPERT JOINS ORLANDO, FLA.-BASED PROFESSIONAL SECURITY CONSULTING FIRM|last=Klatt|first=Kelly|date=April 11, 2010|website=Center for Security Solutions|publisher=Center for Security Solutions, Inc.|access-date=April 19, 2016|archive-date=December 28, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101228144909/http://www.c4ssi.com/news/latest-press-release-from-c4ss|url-status=live}}
He served on the FBI's Executive Advisory Team for Homeland Security.{{Citation needed|reason=Is this just pro-forma for a local sheriff?|date=February 2011}} Beary was president of the Major County Sheriff's Association,{{Citation needed|date=February 2011}} Central Florida Criminal Justice Association{{Citation needed|date=February 2011}} and the Florida SWAT Association.{{Citation needed|date=February 2011}} He serves on the D.A.R.E. America Operations Advisory Committee{{Clarify|date=February 2011}} and is past chairman of the National Police Board of G.R.E.A.T. (Gang Resistance Education and Training).{{Citation needed|reason=Note that these organizations do not appear notable|date=February 2011}} Beary was selected by the American Society for Industrial Security as a member of the Society's International Standing Council on Global Terrorism.{{clarify|so what? os this a big deal?|date=February 2011}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.ocso.com/ Orange County Sheriff's Office]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20070723131658/http://www.ethics.state.fl.us/ethics/press_releases/Jan07.pdf February 2007 Ethics report] notes "Beary may have violated the code of ethics"
{{DEFAULTSORT:Beary, Kevin}}
Category:County constitutional officer (Florida)
Category:University of Central Florida alumni
Category:Liberty University alumni