Sheriff responds to critics of video

State Journal Staff Report, Published:

Franklin County Sheriff Pat Melton defended his role in a marketing video for gang-monitoring software in which he and several of his deputies simulated a raid on a gun deal.

The video was taken off the Internet Tuesday following complaints about its perceived unfavorable depiction of local law enforcement.

“Recently, my office assisted a local company in the production of a video to market online offender monitoring services to Sheriff’s Offices in the state of California,” Melton wrote in a letter Thursday, which can be read in full on his Facebook page. “In these difficult economic times, I felt compelled to help a reputable business that has an office and employees in Franklin County.”

The business that produced the video is Lexington-based Corrisoft.

“My staff appeared in a dramatization that included simulated law enforcement action,” he wrote. “The dramatization included music and special effects such as pyrotechnics and slow motion video. It is clearly a fictional episode intended as marketing material. The video in question is of very high production quality, but it is not reality TV.

“This video was never intended to realistically portray Kentucky law enforcement tactics,” Melton continued. “We don’t start the slow motion feature and crank up the music before we conduct an operation. I believe it is quite clear the events depicted in this video are entirely fictional.”

Melton went on in his letter to state his commitment to using “innovative and unconventional means to serve the citizens of Franklin County.” He cited his agency’s Twitter account, “Text-A-Tip” anonymous tip texting system and his Facebook page, noting that other local agencies now have similar programs.

The marketing video was posted on the Facebook page of the sheriff’s office and has since been taken down.

“I am thankful for the opportunity to serve as Franklin County Sheriff,” Melton said. “I look forward to continuing to use new and innovative ways to serve my constituents. I would encourage anyone with concerns to contact me. I am always willing to meet with anyone at their convenience to discuss any concerns they may have.”

Melton said those with concerns can call 875-8740.

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  • anonymous_1713, The answer to your question is THIS IS FRANKFORT! Of course not & nor should this one incident alone be reason enough. We all make mistakes but it would be great if us voters did have another option instead of sweating out a bad apple as in other politicians whos job actually impact our lives.

  • Do you guys think that this is going somewhere other than this little temporary embarrassment in the paper? Do you really want to recall the Sheriff over this? That is gagging on a gnat and swallowing the camel.

  • I agree with needing & should have the right to a recall. This electing people & guaranteeing a certain amount of years in the position is as archaic as Constables are. The voters should have the right to FIRE any official that are not doing their jobs. Lets face it, we all make mistakes & I as a voter has made many. Some Officials you can tell in the first year how they really are but we have to accept it till the next election cycle roles around & THAT AINT RIGHT! Ya think our legislators will ever allow us that right? I am not trying to beat down Chuck Geveden because he is a family man like us all but everybody will make sure that he is in the EASY MONEY & Our Sheriff & deputies should never be used in that fashion. they are wearing their uniforms & badges for US, BECAUSE OF US, not their friends. PEOPLE WILL CALL ME A HATER EVEN THOUGH I VOTED FOR PAT MELTON. I have never been arrested or charged with any crimes by his department. I do have concerns that everybody should have & will wait to see how some of it unfolds.

  • Amen, bodeen. I don't think people realize how profoundly the media alters their perception of what is really going on in the world around them simply by choosing what to report on. For elected officials, we REALLY need the right to recall...that way we can AT LEAST minimize embarrassment in situations like this. I think this is the same outfit that was pushing the GPS monitors a few years ago for the state. Someone should write all this up and send it to a good, persistent, investigative journalist in Lexington.

  • Hugh, this is typical Frankfort! what more can we say. The thing that gets me is people will get offended at others for being smart enough to see what is really going on & branded as hater of Sheriff Melton. They couldn't be further from the truth. Franklin County will never prosper as it can, when paying of Multi million dollar lawsuits. Everybody thinks that Frankfort suddenly has a very bad drug problem & I will agree that is is bad but it isn't no different than what it was in 1980. The only difference is this Sheriff is exposing the drugs that has been here forever. I'm glad for that but Hugh I am hearing some awful things & I would hope that the powers that be are paying attention & nip it in the bud before us taxpayers are reamed again.

  • Thanks, bodeen..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... Prior to Googling, I will venture out on a limb and guess this is a corrupt political endeavor. Am I right? Sort of like the "GPS monitoring software" Fleet Management was implementing on state vehicles that was developed by a senator's relative? Outrageous! Last time I perused over the State's Ethics Code for giggles, I remember it saying you cannot use your office for personal gain (family implied as 'personal') Are our General Assembly members and other elected officials held to a higher standard? If Kentuckians had the right to RECALL elected officials at ANY time like they do in more direct democracies ie California, there would be less frivolity in elected offices.

  • "This is how your Franklin County Sheriff's Office rolls!" Looks more like they were all playing Miami Vice. ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZJw9jZEr6Q

  • If there is nothing wrong with what the Sheriff did in the film, then why did they promptly take it down? Like I said earlier, you would think that the Sheriff would know the proper way to conduct a raid of this sort, and not have to be told by the city's attorney. Maybe that IS the way that they conduct raids, with little deference to the 4th Amendment. Let's hope that the Sheriff learns his lesson here. ........................................................................................................................................................................................................1331, yeah, we are all just commenting because we LOVE thugs and drugs. NOT!

  • Curious, because evidently only BLACK people commit crimes....LOL. That film will be defended to the core by some & at least somebody in rank seen it for what it portrays. I don't think Melton meant for it to seen in that way but I do believe that this film was done for a friend & I would hope that Corrisoft reimbursed all costs associated with the making of it.

  • Why real all-white county sheriff deputies in this film busting all-black actors portraying gang members? What is the racial balance of the sheriff's department here?

  • A LEGEND in his own MIND

  • Hugh_Heckler, I will tell you but you need to do your own google & research. The answer is "Chuck Geveden". Now it is very easy to connect the dots.

  • "Gang-monitoring" software? That sounds like a very silly waste of money. Any software made to predict human behavior is flawed from the get-go. As a professional, you shouldn't do something because you are "compelled" to. Compulsive behavior is not a good trait for a L/E Officer. Receiving media attention seems to be a chronic compulsion and indulgence of his. Eh, maybe I am just jealous....er, not. I don't understand why a company that already used special effects/pyrotechnics didn't just use random actors for the job. I am not aware of a company in Frankfort developing this. What is the company's name they are referring to and what is the real purpose of the software?

  • Pat as long as you are removing drugs and thugs from the streets of Franklin Co, they will be looking for something to say about you. You just keep doing what you do and Frankfort will be a better place.