County Employees Accused Of Emailing Porn

[gonzo]

Your fingers can get you in a load of trouble at the office, especially if you’re sending your friends emails. Some county employees are now being investigated for allegedly sending inappropriate and even offensive emails.

Investigators say Shawntia Kirkland, a secretary in the director’s office at Miami-Dade Corrections, used her county computer and email address to send pornographic emails to a couple of co-workers. They also say she sent the email to a friend who work’s at the county’s building department. Investigators say that friend, Randy George, found the email to be so interesting, he printed it out, but forgot to retrieve the papers from the office printer.

As fate would have it, another employee picked the pornographic email off the printer with some other papers by mistake, and almost gave them to a customer who’d come to get a permit.

"Not only was the department director made aware, but the inspectors general's office made aware," said County Spokesperson Louie Fernandez.

The head of the building department referred the pornographic and other questionable emails to the county’s inspector general. The office of the inspector general referred the matter to the County manager for action.

"We take all these issues very, very seriously,” he said.

Both county employees could have been fired for what they’re accused of sending, but will most likely get written reprimands.

The last major email porn scandal in the county was in April 2004, when dozens of aviation department employees were reprimanded for sending and receiving pornographic email.

What government employees send is high up on the national agenda these days, in the wake of former Congressman Mark Foley’s resignation over what he emailed congressional pages.

County officials say sending and receiving this type of material on county time and from county computers will not be tolerated.

"When we find that employees are misusing email or misusing the internet, we will discipline them as appropriately," said Fernandez.