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New documents have been uncovered regarding the past employment of sheriff candidate Jon Folbrecht.
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OKEECHOBEE — New documents have been uncovered regarding the past employment of sheriff candidate Jon Folbrecht.
Former Sheriff O.L. Raulerson wrote a letter on July 16, 2004, informing Folbrecht that his office would not accept his resignation because he was terminated prior to resigning.
“Your termination was due to your failure to satisfactorily complete your probation period,” the letter states.
Folbrecht was accepted into the search and rescue team member in December 2003. In March, he resigned from that position and was accepted as a member of the auxiliary.
In Folbrecht’s resignation letter, he said Okeechobee County Sheriff’s Office was a good agency “as long as you are one of the good ol boys” and stated that he is not one of them.
Folbrecht’s termination was allegedly because he showed up at a traffic crash in a personal vehicle equipped with wig wag headlight flashers.
Less than one year later, Folbrecht was reportedly dismissed from his position as a correctional officer. No details were given in the report.
The following year, he was hired as a deputy with the Martin County Sheriff’s Office, where he remained for 11 years.
Despite his termination from the auxiliary, in 2018, Folbrecht asked newly elected Sheriff Noel Stephen for a recommendation letter, and his request was granted. The letter reads, “I have personally known Jon for approximately 10 years. I have spoken with Jon on numerous occasions, and he has always appeared to be very professional and thorough. I have always known Jon to be upright and honest in all that he does. Based upon my 33 years of being a law enforcement professional and leader, I feel that Jon has the components for making any agency an excellent law enforcement officer. I fell that Jon, if given the opportunity, will make any sheriff or chief proud.”
When asked why Folbrecht did not mention working for the Okeechobee County Sheriff’s Office in his resume, Folbrecht said because it was a volunteer position and so long ago, he did not think about mentioning it.
