INMATE JAIL SIGN-OUT BAFFLES POLICE

A Reserve Officer Got A Judge To Release A Suspected Drug Dealer

HAINES CITY -- Police officials are baffled at how a Davenport
reserve police officer signed out a suspected drug dealer on a
furlough from the county jail.

On Tuesday, Circuit Court Judge Dick Prince released David Dent from
the Polk County Jail into the custody of reserve police Lt. Walter
Henderson so Dent could attend the funeral of his brother, Christopher Walker.

Walker, a former Haines City High School athlete, had been in a coma
for nearly 12 years following a 1993 auto accident. He died Oct. 12.
Walker's funeral is today. Dent is scheduled to return to the jail by
6 p.m. Sunday.

"We were upset that we were not notified that he is out. This is an
officer safety issue," said Haines City Police Chief Morris West.

"We don't care if he was allowed out for his brother's funeral, but
he is facing many years in jail on his charges and he is showing up
at drug scenes and that can present a problem for officers.

"If he is facing 30 years in jail, what has he got to lose?"

Haines City police officers say Dent, 30, was seen in a known drug
area Thursday night. Henderson,72, is supposed to be supervising Dent.

Assistant State Attorney Michael Cusick said Prince released Dent
over State Attorney's Office objections.

Cusick said he planned to take the information that Dent was seen in
a known drug area back to Prince.

"We are going to bring this to his attention," Cusick said, adding he
objected to the furlough because of the severity of charges against Dent. "

Cusick said the judge could revoke Dent's furlough.

Prince did not return a Ledger reporter's calls left at his office Friday.

According to the furlough hearing tape, Prince told Dent that if he
was a minute late returning to the jail Sunday he would automatically
be sentenced to 30 years in prison.

Dent is being held on several charges of marijuana trafficking in
excess of 25 pounds, possession of drug paraphernalia and resisting
arrest without violence.

Haines City Street Crimes Unit officers arrested Dent in June after
he was caught with 47 pounds of marijuana.

Davenport Police Chief Charles Clements said he was not aware that
Henderson had signed out Dent until he was contacted by Haines City
police officials Thursday night.

Henderson was a police officer with Davenport for 30 years before
going to reserve status in 1997.

"I am putting Lt. Henderson on administrative leave. I have enough
information that warrants an investigation of why he would choose to
sign someone out of the Polk County Jail," Clements said.

Clements said he asked Henderson why he signed Dent out.

"He said he had known him since he was young and wanted him to be
able to go to his brother's funeral," Clements said.

Henderson could not be reached for comment Friday.

Polk County Sheriff's Capt. William Slaybaugh said prisoners can be
signed out to attend a funeral.

"Usually, when we get a request from a family member for an inmate to
attend a funeral, we charge the family for two deputies to escort the
inmate to and from the funeral," Slaybaugh said. "We don't usually
get involved in the furloughs. That is usually handled through the courts."

Davenport City Manager Ryan Taylor said he was surprised Henderson
would sign someone out of jail.

"I don't understand why he would do that," Taylor said. "He has more
than 40 years of law enforcement experience. I just can't imagine why
he would do that, especially someone who is a known criminal."