A Florida deputy was fired this month after an internal investigation found he had lied about spending several hours on the clock with a woman he met on Tinder.
Deputy David Patterson was facing allegations of violating the Marion County Sheriff’s Office code of conduct, providing incorrect information on time sheets and dereliction of duty.
The internal investigation substantiated all three claims against Patterson.
The incident laid out in the investigation happened on Dec. 5 between noon and 3 p.m. at a Marion County home.
In uniform and driving his unmarked Sheriff’s Office cruiser, Patterson stopped at the house and spent between two and three hours with the woman who lived there the investigation said.
The woman told Patterson’s sergeant about the encounter on Dec. 21, when he went to her home to serve an eviction notice, the investigation said.
“(The woman) stated she met Deputy Patterson on a dating website and wanted to know if he was a ‘good guy,’” an investigative report said.
The woman reportedly told the sergeant that she and Patterson "hooked up," but that they didn’t have sex.
“She stated while Deputy Patterson was at her residence they talked and kissed,” the report said. “She stated Deputy Patterson also touched her breast over her clothes.”
After the encounter, the deputy also allegedly sent the woman a photo of his genitals while he was working and still wearing his uniform, officials said.
Patterson, who was scheduled to work from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. with an hour for lunch, claimed on his time sheet that he worked the full eight hours, the investigation said.
When interviewed, the deputy admitted to the allegations, the investigation said.
“Due to these actions, Deputy Patterson has brought discredit to himself and the agency while on duty,” the report concluded.
About the Author
