The interim Marion County sheriff is making changes after a grand jury released a 13-page presentment Thursday.

  • Interim Marion County Sheriff Emery Gainey making changes
  • Internal Affairs Division, allowing employees to report excessive force cases anonymously
  • Gainey replaced Sheriff Chris Blair, indicted for perjury

In the presentment, the grand jury concluded there was a failure to investigate and address incidents of excessive force, and that the former sheriff, Chris Blair, expected deputies to be aggressive.

“There have been some issues. This organization has dealt with those. If there are others, we will deal with those swiftly and quickly,” says Sheriff Emery Gainey.

In the report, the grand jury said the former sheriff encouraged a high number of arrests and traffic stops.

They said this pressure resulted in the arrest of a citizen for a crime he didn’t commit, and pursuits that put the lives of innocent motorists at risk.

“I don’t measure law enforcement officer’s performance based on arrests alone. I measure their performance based on a totality of circumstances, community service, community participation, interaction with youth and other folks in community, all that counts,” said Gainey.

The grand jury made several recommendations that Gainey says he has already started to implement. That includes creating an Internal Affairs Division, requiring and allowing employees to report excessive force incidents anonymously, and creating a Citizens Review Board.

The grand jury also indicted former deputy Jesse Terrell on state charges of Felony Battery. 

Gainey has fired one sergeant and accepted resignations from two majors and a chief.