Pubdate: Fri, 05 Oct 2001
Source: Fayetteville Observer-Times (NC)
Copyright: 2001 Fayetteville Observer-Times
Contact:  http://www.fayettevillenc.com/foto/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/150
Author: Todd Leskanic

SCOTLAND COUNTY SHERIFF LOOKS BACK ON 15 STORMY YEARS

LAURINBURG -- Scotland County Sheriff Wayne Bryant wants people to remember 
him as someone who did things his way. Some black leaders believe Bryant 
has done what he wanted, to his detriment. Other community leaders say 
Bryant has been a responsive sheriff.

Bryant, who is 55, announced Monday that he will resign on Oct. 15. His 
resignation will cut short his fourth term as sheriff. Bryant, who was 
first elected in 1986, had said he didn't plan to seek another term and 
made no secret of his desire to retire.

Bryant acknowledged that his 15 years in office have produced some 
controversies, but he said he didn't become sheriff to make friends.

"I wasted no time in finding the best duty officers I could find, and I 
wasted no time in enforcing the law," he said. "But when you enforce the 
law, you make enemies."

Some residents spoke out against Bryant's administration when he fired two 
black deputies in 1998. In 1999, they questioned his decision to rehire a 
detective who had been convicted of throwing an explosive into a suspected 
drug dealer's yard.

Deputies Michael Brown and Shep Jones were fired in separate but related 
incidents. Brown was fired after accusing a white deputy of using a racial 
slur.

Weeks later, Jones asked Bryant why Brown was terminated, but not the white 
deputy. Jones accused Bryant during a department meeting of creating a 
racist environment and was fired. Bryant said at the time that Jones was 
fired for not following orders. Jones has said he will run for sheriff next 
year.

Detective Lee Hecht pleaded guilty to throwing an explosive into the yard 
of a suspected drug dealer in 1991. Bryant rehired him eight years later.

Garland Pierce, president of the Scotland County chapter of the National 
Association for the Advancement of Colored People, said he believes people 
will remember Bryant for the incidents.

"Overall, I hate that he has got to live with that legacy," Pierce said. "I 
know deep inside, if he could change those decisions, he would. I'm not 
trying to jump on Bryant and criticize him. Sometimes you can stay in an 
office too long. Things change. Along the way, you know you're going to 
make enemies."

Bryant defended his decision to rehire Hecht and to fire Jones and Brown.

"Lee Hecht may have crossed a line," Bryant said this week, "but he did a 
tremendous amount of good for the community. If I had the decision to make, 
I'd do it all over again.

"And I wish that during the staff meeting, there had been video. If I would 
have had video of the incident, Shep could retract his candidacy for 
sheriff in 2002."

Jones declined to comment on Bryant's resignation. He said his firing had 
no bearing on his decision to run for sheriff.

Jones and Brown have lawsuits pending against Scotland County. Bryant said 
he finds it interesting Jones wants to sue the county but also wants to 
work for it.

"I also find it interesting I hired all three candidates for sheriff," he said.

Steve Smith, a former deputy under Bryant, has also said he will run next 
year. Smith declined to comment on Bryant's resignation. He said he left 
the sheriff's department for his own reasons, not because of Bryant.

"I'm looking forward, looking ahead, not looking back," Smith said.

Maj. Buddy Blalock, who has worked in the sheriff's department for five 
years, is the third candidate. County commissioners on Monday appointed 
Blalock to finish Bryant's term.

A Fine Sheriff

Others in the county said Bryant was a fine sheriff who was responsive to 
their needs. Doris Douglas, a Scotland County native, said Bryant was 
always accessible and amiable.

"The only thing I can say was that he really seemed like he cared a lot for 
senior citizens," she said. "He was always real good to me, and I could 
always ask him anything I wanted to."

Douglas said she called Bryant when she needed security for a town forum 
sponsored by the Concerned Citizens for Good Government, a local group.

"Before I could even get it out of my mouth, he said he would have someone 
there," Douglas said. "He was just that kind of guy."

Commissioner Lloyd Hinson said Bryant's work in reducing drug trafficking 
in the county has been commendable.

"There have been controversies, but any time you have a department that 
large and tried to do the things he's tried to do with drugs, you're going 
to have controversies."
- ---
MAP posted-by: Beth