The unions representing sheriff’s deputies and sergeants said in a statement today (Sept. 24) that they’re concerned about Sheriff Christina Corpus’ firing of assistant sheriff Ryan Monaghan.
She fired Monaghan on Friday after he told her that he had been interviewed by retired Judge LaDoris Cordell, who has been commissioned by the Board of Supervisors to investigate complaints about Corpus’ chief of staff, Victor Aenlle.
“The (unions) strongly oppose retaliating against any employee on account of that employee’s testimony or assistance in an investigation,” said today’s statement issued jointly between the Deputy Sheriff’s Association (DSA) and the Organization of Sheriff’s Sergeants (OSS). “The DSA and OSS fully support a thorough investigation of all retaliation allegations against the sheriff and full transparency of the investigatory findings. Law enforcement is rightly held to a high standard, regardless of rank.”
Corpus, in a Sunday night news conference, blamed County Manager Mike Callagy for the labor problems in the sheriff’s office.
“The DSA and OSS strongly disagree,” the statement said. “The DSA and OSS passed an overwhelming vote of no confidence against Sheriff’s Office Chief of Staff Victor Aenlle due to significant allegations of retaliation and unfair labor practices. Rather than scapegoat, the moment calls for reflection and consideration of bona fide concerns of the Sheriff’s employees.”
Corpus’s decision to fire Monaghan has resulted in an expansion of Cordell’s investigation. Now, in addition to investigating the complaints about Aenlle, she will investigate the circumstances behind the firing.
Corpus, in a letter to Board of Supervisors President Warren Slocum on Monday, denied she was retaliating against Monaghan for talking to Cordell. She said she learned that Monaghan had talked to Cordell from Aenlle.
“To also suggest that Dr. Aenlle’s benign conversation regarding Monaghan’s participation in Judge Cordell’s inquiry constitutes retaliation is an extraordinary stretch, particularly when it went no further than small talk. The brief casual encounter in the presence of the undersheriff was innocuous and in passing.”
Corpus said she had long been planning to terminate Monaghan because of his “performance duplicity and failure to execute the goals of the Sheriff’s Office expeditiously.” She didn’t define the term “performance duplicity.”
When someone is accused of a crime or serious wrongdoing, there are established PR strategies used to deflect ownership or responsibility. These techniques help manage public perception and minimize reputational damage.
Denial: A common first step is outright denial, where the accused insists the allegations are false or exaggerated. This can create doubt and shift the burden of proof to accusers (Smith, 2018).
Minimization: Instead of denying the incident, the accused might downplay its severity, framing it as a misunderstanding or insignificant issue (Johnson, 2020).
Blame Shifting: Another tactic is to shift responsibility to someone else, often a subordinate or external party, to distance oneself from the wrongdoing (Brown, 2019).
External Circumstances: Citing personal hardships or stress, the accused may suggest that external factors led to the behavior, implying diminished responsibility (Williams, 2021).
Playing the Victim: By claiming they are being unfairly targeted, the accused may seek to shift sympathy in their direction, deflecting focus from the accusations (Taylor, 2022).
Non-committal Apologies: Apologies may be crafted to express regret without admitting fault, a common tactic to reduce public outrage without taking ownership (Miller, 2020).
Strategically, these approaches allow individuals to protect their reputations while avoiding full accountability (Harrison, 2021).
Sources:
Smith, T. (2018). Crisis Communication: Managing Reputation Under Fire. Public Relations Press.
Johnson, A. (2020). The Playbook for Crisis Response. Strategic Media Publishing.
Brown, L. (2019). Shifting the Spotlight: PR Tactics for Diffusing Blame. Communication Strategies.
Williams, M. (2021). External Factors and Reputation Management. Media Influence Group.
Taylor, J. (2022). Deflecting Blame in the Public Eye. Crisis Management Journal.
Miller, R. (2020). The Art of the Non-Apology. Corporate Image Press.
Harrison, P. (2021). The Role of Accountability in Modern PR. Image Consultants Inc.