PALATKA, Fla. — A former jail director in Putnam County placed on administrative leave in April resigned last month after an investigation into practices at the facility that resulted in an additional four firings and one termination, the Putnam County Sheriff's Office announced Thursday.
In a scathing press release, Sheriff Gator DeLoach said the audit revealed Maj. Scott Surrency's leadership yielded delayed processing of reports, facilitation of a toxic atmosphere and "favoritism to specific employees regarding discipline and/or promotion."
Surrency resigned Aug. 9 when facing termination, a release said. He had served in the position since 2021.
DeLoach said a "toxic culture of distrust" was created with the corrections staff and employees were not properly trained.
A release said 26 use of force reports, some dated as far back as June 2023, were turned in March 2024 and three were found in Surrency's car. Some of the reports should have faced a use of force review board. Inmates participated in undocumented acts of "horseplay," the release said.
The audit also said Surrency was unclear about leadership roles and responsibilities with staff.
“His stepping aside is the only time Surrency has demonstrated leadership in his capacity as Major,” Sheriff DeLoach said.
Three corrections deputies — Dustin Douglas, Isiah Conyers-Decent and Gage Bosley — were fired for "improper use of force" with inmates in two unrelated incidents, the sheriff's office said.
The audit alleges Lt. Steven Breckenridge was fired on Aug. 19 after he distributed videos of cases still under investigation, sexual harassed an employee and displayed "conduct unbecoming an officer." Capt. Ryan Dunn resigned July 1 after he made "untruthful statements, authored various incidents with misleading or untruthful statements, falsified documents," the release said.
The release also said Surrency and Dunn "relayed incidents of not knowing how to handle reporting."
DeLoach said the department made a couple personnel moves regarding the audit. Capt. Clayton Silva served as interim director of corrections and began addressing concerns from the investigation. During the audit, former corrections Lt. Stacey Dowling returned to the agency, tasked with resolving training issues, the release continued.
DeLoach called the behavior "simply unacceptable" and stated the following:
"The audit has taken time to complete, and after reading over the audit I am embarrassed by the faith I placed in former Major Surrency. What has come to light is the toxic culture of distrust he created amongst corrections staff and his overall poor leadership and supervision to ensure employees received training and support to be successful in their jobs. I want to assure the community that we have taken immediate steps to remedy lack of training and supervision issues within in the jail.”
