By Carl Fish

Questions are being raised inside the Haines City Police Department as current and former officers point to declining morale, multiple recent departures, and concerns over the leadership of Police Chief Isaac Jackson. While employee turnover is not uncommon in law enforcement, several officers who spoke with Daily Ridge say a perceived double standard in accountability has become a growing source of frustration within the department.

According to multiple sources familiar with the agency, more than half a dozen employees have left the department over the past year. Several current and former officers told Daily Ridge they believe Jackson’s promotion to chief, despite the findings of a 2022-2023 internal affairs investigation, has contributed to declining confidence in department leadership.

Those concerns have led some officers to revisit Administrative Investigation, which involved Jackson while he was serving as a lieutenant.

The investigation was initiated after a public records request led investigators to examine the contents of Jackson’s city-issued cellphone. Investigators determined the device contained numerous sexually explicit conversations, explicit photographs, and communications that occurred during regular working hours. The investigation ultimately sustained allegations of Improper Conduct involving Abuse of Department Equipment and Personal Bearing.  

The report documents sexually explicit communications involving numerous individuals, including more than eight female contacts identified by name, across Facebook Messenger and Snapchat over a period of several months. After reviewing the investigative file, Daily Ridge has elected not to republish the entire graphic language contained within the report. The conversations and images described by investigators are extremely explicit in nature. The full 12 page report is here WARNING GRAPHIC CONTENT : HCPD Internal Affairs – Click Here – Report 2022-0174.

Investigators concluded Jackson used his city-issued cellphone to receive, access, store, and exchange sexually explicit communications and images in violation of department policy. The investigation also determined some of those communications and images were received or accessed during scheduled duty hours.  

Former Haines City City Manager James Elensky told Daily Ridge he was advised only that two explicit photographs had been discovered on Jackson’s city-issued cellphone and that Jackson received a two-week unpaid suspension.

Elensky said he was never informed that the investigative file documented extensive sexually explicit communications involving numerous individuals, that investigators determined some of the activity occurred during regular working hours, or the overall scope of the sustained policy violations.

“Had I known the full scope of the investigation, I would have considered termination,” Elensky told Daily Ridge.

Elensky, a former PCSO Captain over the Bureau of Criminal Investigations, also advised at the reference to the $250 transaction he would have suspended the internal investigation and began conducting a criminal investigation.

Because the administrative investigation did not explain the purpose of the transaction, Daily Ridge asked current Interim City Manager Loyd Stewart whether that aspect of the investigation had been examined and whether the payment represented a personal loan, gift, payment for sexual activity, or another purpose.

Stewart responded that the original administrative investigation did not include the $250 transaction. He stated Jackson has since advised the City the money was a personal loan and that the City has “no evidence to the contrary.”

Here is the specific details in the internal affairs report regarding the $250.

Between July 14, 2022, and September 5, 2022, Lieutenant Isaac Jackson had a conversation through Facebook Messenger showing on his City issued cellphone with a contact named “Bettina Haye.”

After a review of Lieutenant Jackson’s time card, it was determined the following conversations occurred during regular duty hours.

Was it 250? I can’t remember, I erased the messages (June 3, 2022 @ 8:13 AM)

Baby does this leave a paper trail? I just don’t want any problems on either side….
(June 3, 2022 @ 8:14 AM)

After a review of Lieutenant Jackson’s time card, it was determined the following conversations on Jackson City issued device occurred during off-duty hours or while Jackson used Holiday or Vacation time.

• Get u some rest bae…. send me some pics bae

What bank do u have…. I don’t wanna send a cash app to keep away from the paper trail

Can u send me a teaser pic? Maybe 2……

Hey my beautiful baby!!!!! I love u more. I literally just watched the video and was thinking about and wanting u

I wanna make love to u so bad bae

Baby I was super horny for u

I’m always wanting to hold u and make love to u

Baby I miss u so much….. I can’t wait to make love to u again

Stewart also defended the disciplinary outcome, stating Jackson accepted responsibility for his actions and served an unpaid 80-hour suspension. Stewart said the City believes the discipline imposed was appropriate.

Stewart’s assessment differs from Elensky’s. While Stewart maintains the discipline was appropriate, Elensky said the outcome may have been substantially different had he been fully informed of the investigation’s findings.

Questions surrounding Jackson’s promotion resurfaced after Daily Ridge reviewed records showing former City Manager Elensky sought to keep the Chief of Police position vacant following the retirement of former Chief Jay Hopwood. According to Elensky, his intent was to allow newly hired Public Safety Director Joe Halman time to evaluate the department, assess leadership, and mentor Jackson for 6 months prior to appointing Jackson as permanent chief.

However, emails reviewed by Daily Ridge show then-Vice Mayor Vernell Smith opposed freezing the position. Smith wrote that he did not agree with delaying the appointment and believed Jackson should continue moving toward assuming the role of chief rather than postponing the decision.

Jackson was ultimately promoted to Chief of Police.

For many current and former officers, the issue is not Jackson’s private relationships. Rather, they question whether the department’s highest-ranking officer was held to the same standards expected of everyone else. They point to the sustained internal affairs findings, the relatively limited discipline imposed, and Jackson’s eventual promotion to chief as factors that continue to affect confidence in leadership and contribute to ongoing morale concerns within the department.

The City of Haines City maintains the matter was thoroughly investigated, that Jackson accepted responsibility for his actions, and that the discipline imposed was appropriate. Current and former officers who spoke with Daily Ridge disagree, saying the investigation and its outcome continue to shape perceptions of accountability and leadership within the department today.

*** Editors Note – The Daily Ridge took into account if these were racially motivated complaints. As we investigated we determined white officers, Hispanic officers and black officers have resigned since Jackson became chief or a couple months prior to his official start. Each had issues and concerns.