DUBLIN, Ga. — With the sheriff's race heating up in Laurens County, challenger Tyler Jackson is claiming the safety of jailers isn't being taken seriously by the sheriff.
On Oct. 16, Jackson made a Facebook post asking why a jailer showed their phone to an inmate back in August. The next day, Sheriff Larry Dean made a Facebook post saying Jackson's post was full of accusations.
13WMAZ interviewed both men about what happened. Jackson told us he spoke with a jailer who said a jail inmate threatened his life in August. He and Dean said the jailer has since resigned.
"He verbally told me. And I asked what was done and he said nothing," Jackson said.
In Jackson's Oct. 16 Facebook post, he said a jailer showed an inmate his phone. He said the phone had texts messages saying that another guard had intercepted a drug drop. Jackson said as a result, the inmate threatened the second guard.
"He brought it to the attention of his command staff, and it was pretty much swept under the rug," Jackson said.
In Jackson's Facebook post, he asked whether Dean values his officers' safety, and said as sheriff, Jackson would hold everyone accountable.
Dean said his staff investigated the incident, and the jailer with the phone got a verbal reprimand. But Dean said the guard showed the inmate a football score - not texts. And Dean said that the second guard's life was never threatened.
"I don't think the jailer broke the law by just passing it on, he got reprimanded for showing the phone - [which showed] the score to the ball game," Dean said.
Jackson said he believes the jailer who was threatened instead of Dean. He questioned why the inmate would need to see a football score on a phone, when the inmates have access to watching TV in their cells.
Dean said at the time, that jail cell didn't have TV privileges and couldn't watch the game. Jackson said it's an example of the sheriff not taking employee safety seriously.
Back in June, the sheriff's office arrested Dublin attorney Courtney Morgan for letting her client at the jail use her phone.
In our previous report, the warrant said that a sergeant in the sheriff's office witnessed an inmate, Jacqueline Foraker, on the phone while on a visit with Morgan.
While the inmate said that she was on the phone with a rehab facility, the sheriff's office said a phone call recorded in the jail suggests she was actually talking with her boyfriend when a sergeant confronted them.
"If an attorney can get locked up for allowing an inmate to use their phone, why can't an officer get locked up for doing the same thing, even though he didn't physically give it to him," Jackson said.
Dean said that incident was completely different from what happened in August.
"That case is still pending. She's been indicted by a grand jury. Superior Court Judge wrote the warrant. She broke the law straight out," Dean said.
Jackson wanted to know why the sheriff's office didn't conduct a polygraph test in August.
"Whenever you do conduct an investigation and if it's to the point where officer's life is being threatened, you need to conduct a polygraph test," Jackson said.
"A polygraph can't be admissible in court. So I don't think the issue was significant enough to be polygraphed about," Dean said.
Dean said he takes safety seriously - but dealing with inmates and the comments they make is just part of the jailer's job.
"You'd be overwhelmed if we investigated everything that's insignificant. I'm not saying the issue is not significant if he's threatening life, but his life was not threatened," Dean said.
Dean also shared a statement and investigation report with us. His full statement is below:
"This incident should not have been used by my opponent for political purposes. It was looked into as soon as it was reported. The Jail Lt, along with an investigator conducted the investigation. It was concluded that the evidence did not support the complaint that was made. As always, if any other evidence comes up on this case it will be looked into. You have to look into every complaint you get, but you do not just take one persons word over another and take that as facts. You investigate and base your investigation off of the evidence. As far as drugs coming into our facility, we have very little issues with that. Like every jail in this country, it does happen from time to time. If an inmate or employee has ever been caught doing this, they have been charged. We will always thrive to provide the best service to our citizens and run a professional Sheriff's office."