Drury responds, defends decision to fire deputy who announced he would run for sheriff

Scott County Sheriff Wes Drury said the conduct of deputy Carl Rose this year led to his firing Monday.

Rose, of Sikeston, Missouri, has accused Drury of terminating him because he is running against the sheriff in the 2020 election.

But Drury insisted in a lengthy emailed response to the Southeast Missourian that the firing was not political. "Carl Rose's conduct in 2019 led to his termination; his announcement about his political aspirations in the future were not a factor in that decision."

Both Rose and Drury are Republicans.

Rose said he announced on May 17 that he was running for sheriff. He was fired a month later.

Drury was elected sheriff in November 2016 and took office in January 2017. He wrote in an email sent to the newspaper after 5 p.m. Wednesday that he plans to seek reelection.

Drury said in a different emailed statement to the Southeast Missourian a day earlier that he could not detail reasons for Rose's termination because it involved "personnel issues."

But in a written dismissal letter to Rose, which was obtained by the Southeast Missourian, the sheriff accused Rose of insubordination.

According to the letter, Rose created "a hostile work environment" by talking about changes he would make if elected sheriff.

Rose said he was the department's 2018 employee of the year. He was promoted to corporal earlier this year.

Drury, he said, has employees in management positions that "are not capable or qualified" for those positions.

But the sheriff disagreed. "I appointed people to supervisory roles based on their qualifications and experience. Each member of my command staff has more experience than Carl Rose," Drury wrote in the email.

"Carl's comments regarding the sheriff department's management is an indication of his insubordination," the statement read.

Rose previously stated that he allowed a deputy under his supervision to leave his shift early on June 14.

But Drury responded in the email that Rose "did not have authority to supersede direction to an employee by the sheriff."

Rose said Drury often is out of the office.

Drury acknowledged that he is "not the type of sheriff that likes to be sitting behind a desk."

Drury wrote, "I like to be out in the public and helping my deputies when they need something. Every morning I try to pick a different school in the county and go visit the staff and students of the school."

He added, "Just because I am not seen in my office all day, don't assume I am not doing my job ... I was not elected to sit behind a desk all day and just collect a pay check."

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