VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. – Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood is not known for mincing his words. He regularly speaks his mind when it comes to county government and calls criminal suspects “scumbags.” However, some of his comments in a local radio interview this week about a Volusia councilwoman and a former sheriff have raised a few eyebrows.
“Our county is a cesspool; it’s full of pay-to-play politics, backroom deals and cronyism,” Chitwood told Marc Bernier Tuesday on "The Marc Bernier Show" on WNDB.
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The comment came after a decision about former County Manager Jim Dinneen, who the council voted to remove early last month after critics, including Chitwood said he misled the community. Dinneen was to remain in his position until Jan.11, but he stepped down in June and received a nearly $250,000 severance package.
Chitwood accuses County Council Members Pat Patterson, Deb Denys and chairman Ed Kelley of enabling Dinneen in what the sheriff believes was possible criminal conduct. He told Bernier he wants to see no incumbents re-elected this election cycle and is supporting all of their challengers.
The sheriff said he believes residents are not being heard or are being discouraged from speaking up at council meetings. Most recently, he was upset by the way he said council members addressed residents who spoke during the public comment period.
“God forbid if you show up at a County Council meeting demand to be heard and you’re holding signs. You’re anti-American," Chitwood said.
During the 40-minute interview, Chitwood discussed a range of issues, including the shortage of deputies at the Volusia County Sheriff's Office and the condition of the AirOne helicopter corps.
Chitwood clapped back at former county Sheriff Ben Johnson, who said that the helicopter corps was fine when he left it to Chitwood and that pilots left because they didn't want to work for the new sheriff. In response to that, Chitwood called the 16-year former sheriff a "liar."
"Let me tell you something Ben Johnson is an ass," Chitwood said. "Every pilot that left left because of pay."
Chitwood claims that when he asked for the money for raises he was turned down and the pilots said in their exit interviews they were leaving because of money.
But the comment that's getting the most attention was made at the end of the Tuesday interview about Denys. The councilwoman previously critiqued the number of openings at the Sheriff's Office in an interview with Bernier. Chitwood said the elected official must be drinking buddies with Johnson, who is also running for a County Council seat.
“The only thing she knows about policing is where her fur-lined handcuffs are on her headboard," the sheriff said about Denys. "That's what she knows about policing."
Since the interview Chitwood has been praised by his supporters for speaking his mind, while others have called the comment "misogynistic."
"If the powers that be devoted half as much time and effort to truth and transparency as they have expended complaining about what Mean Mike Chitwood said, we wouldn't be in this fight," Chitwood said on Facebook Friday. "The people of Volusia County have been fed up for years -- I'm just one of the first with a platform."
Volusia County Councilwoman Heather Post said in an email that the sheriff's comments are overshadowing bigger problems in the county.
“The real miscarriage of justice here is focusing on such a ridiculous statement when little emphasis has been placed on the MANY issues being brought to light concerning the lack of operational leadership and decisions being made against the public interest of Volusia County citizens," Post said.
News 6 reached out to all Volusia County Council members and the sheriff for comment on this story. This article will be updated if they respond.
Listen to the full interview below.