TAMPA, FL -- An ABC Action News investigation has discovered an on-going legal battle that is thwarting efforts by Hillsborough County to remove a fired Sheriff's deputy from his rent free home at a public park.
Imagine, in these tough economic times, living rent free in a 2,300 square foot home on acres of spacious public park land in Brandon.
It's a good deal if you can get it. Former Deputy Michael Cartwright did. He's lived here for almost 20 years. In exchange, Cartwright, who was a Deputy Sheriff in Hillsborough County for 21 years, agreed to keep an eye on Saladino Park and write regular reports detailing security issues.
Hillsborough County offers deals like this to a number of deputies and Parks and Recreations employees at several area parks.
"They provide a presence as the park monitor. They open and close park gates, turn off lights if they're left on to conserve energy," according to Park and Recreation Spokesman John Brill.
But Michael Cartwright is no longer a Sheriff's Deputy and he hasn't been one for over a year now. Why? Because he was fired. Despite that and despite the fact he's stopped giving the county required regular reports on security at the park, he's still here even though the County has continually tried to get him to leave.
Why was he fired? Cartwright was terminated in August of last year after two incidents where he was accused of drawing his weapon during traffic disputes. One when he was off duty.
While on duty, the deputy rolled down his window, drew his gun and pointed it at a motorist who was asking for directions, according to a report from Internal Affairs. The motorist was a retired New York City detective.
Investigators concluded Cartwright created "a well rounded fear" that the retired officer "would be shot."
Cartwright contested his termination but lost.
"When he lost his job as Sheriff, he lost his opportunity to provide that service to us," says Manus O'Donnell, head of Human Services for Hillsborough County.
It would seem like a straight forward issue. Cartwright's contract with the county clearly says "the county, without penalty or cost to the county, may terminate this license agreement without cause."
Despite the contact, Cartwright continues to live rent free. He doesn't even have to pay an electric bill.
Cartwright has even received letters from the county demanding he leave in January, March, April, and in July.
So why is he still here and why isn't the county forcing him to?
We asked the former deputy to answer a few questions, but he refused to talk to us. His attorney, Richard Meyers, says there's a lot more to this story.
"I want the public to know that the actions of the Hillsborough County Parks Department is part and parcel of the retaliatory conduct of the Sheriff's office for my client's union activities when he was a sheriff and that's what needs to be looked into," says Meyers.
Not surprisingly the Sheriff's Department disputes that. In fact, Internal Affairs recommended his termination based on the gun incident as well as his "past disciplinary history."
Regardless, the county says the actions of the Sheriff's Department and Parks Department are "completely independent."
Manus O'Donell says the County only offers these deals to deputies or Parks Department employees, and right now Michael Cartwright is neither.
"What people watching this would want to know is why isn't the county going in there and get him out of there? The county asked the Sheriff to go in there and ask him to vacate the premises. The Sheriff's Department advised us that might not be the best thing to do," says Manus.
Instead, more than a year after he was fired and almost a year after he was first told to leave, the county is only now beginning what could be a long and drawn out process to evict Cartwright from his rent free home.
