BELLE — After texting on Dec. 6 that Belle aldermen voted to recommend Officer Erican Sugg to the Maries County R-2 School District as a school resource officer (SRO), Belle Mayor Daryl White, Jr., responded to a citizen’s question about the incident on Dec. 13, saying no one recommended the officer for the position. Alderman Barb Howarth added that Sugg applied to the school district on his own.

Sugg, a former Maries County Sheriff’s deputy, was terminated from the department for alleged sexually harassment. He is currently scheduled to answer to complaints against his license on March 21, 2024, in front of the Administrative Hearing Commission in Jefferson City.

Belle resident Rebecca Withouse asked the board who recommended Sugg to the school district on the heels of Maries County Sheriff Chris Hietman calling the mayor out for his statement in the Dec. 13 edition of The Advocate that he “vetted (Sugg) pretty good” before he was hired. According to a recording Heitman played for the board and 18 community members present, White acknowledged that his research had resulted in up to three different agencies investigating the officer for “sexually gropin’ people.”

“I just want to know who nominated (Sugg) for (school resource officer),” Withouse said. “Was there an official nomination? Did he take it upon himself to go up there? I am just curious how that situation happened? Because it’s been ‘no, we didn’t nominate him’ and ‘yes, we did.’ I just want to know. I am sick of the rumors and the ‘he said she said’ BS. I just want to know how did the school get his name down for SRO? Who did it.”

White said he wasn’t nominated.

“Nobody nominated him,” White said. “(Marshal Jerry Coborn) come to the council and said after talking to Officer Sugg, with his family and his hours, he would be happy with a day shift. None nominated him.”

Withouse asked, “Who took it upon themselves to go to the school and say ‘consider him for SRO?’”

Howarth spoke.

“He went and applied,” Howarth said.

However, during an Aug. 8 closed session meeting, the board of aldermen approved a $1 an hour raise for Sugg under the title “SRO Officer.” The city had been advertising since May for a school resource officer to fulfill its contractual obligation to provide someone the district would approve.

Following the Aug. 29 school board meeting, Maries County R-2 Superintendent Dr. Lenice Basham commented that they did not approve the city’s recommendation for SRO.

“We’ve requested the city to keep looking,” Basham said at that time.

When asked on Thursday about Sugg applying directly to the school district, Basham denied it.

“He did not apply directly to the district,” Basham said.

There is no record in the board minutes of a vote to recommend Sugg to the school. However, Marshal Coborn had confirmed at that time that Sugg was the officer recommended by the city board. He also confirmed that the school requested the city continue to look for a candidate.

City officials had already arranged for Sugg to attend SRO training in August. After the school rejected Sugg, Coborn was sent to the SRO training instead.

Heitman later commented that the district had contacted his office for a reference in early August.

“When the school contacted our office, they said the city of Belle had submitted him as a candidate and they were checking his reference,” Heitman said.

Sugg was present at the Dec. 13 board meeting, but did not speak. He continues to be employed and on active duty to protect the city of Belle.