An Iowa Department of Public Safety employee who helped draft a proposal to buy handguns for officers tipped off Smith & Wesson about the timing of the bidding process and was exploring a job with the gun company at the same time, emails obtained by The Associated Press show.
The employee, Ken Paradise, went to work as a regional sales representative for Smith & Wesson months later, shortly after leaving state employment in 2013. The company landed two contracts to supply state law enforcement officers with handguns, and Paradise soon became his old department's contact person for the handgun supplies, training and repairs, records show.
Paradise emerged as a central figure in a botched effort to buy new guns for officers, which has become a two-year headache for the agency.
Hundreds of guns have been returned to the vendor because of safety concerns. Emails obtained under the open records law shed light on Paradise's ties to Smith & Wesson, which caused one purchasing proposal to be abandoned because of his potential conflict of interest and may violate the state's revolving-door law.
Paradise, who retired as a sergeant in 2011 before taking a temporary job in the supply division, was involved in 2013 in formulating a request for proposals for a new contract to supply handguns to the state officers.
But that solicitation was removed from the state's website within 24 hours after the department learned that Paradise had a pending job application employment with the vendor, department spokesman Alex Murphy said Thursday. Smith & Wesson had long supplied Iowa State Patrol troopers with guns and was expected to bid.
Emails show Paradise informed a Smith & Wesson salesman about when the proposal would be released.
"(State purchasing official) Ryan (Roovart) has his draft of the RFP on the hand guns out for us to look at. He wants to put it out Thursday or Friday," Paradise wrote to Smith & Wesson salesman Daniel Keuhn on July 31, 2013. A day earlier, Keuhn had emailed Paradise a link to search for job openings with the company.
Paradise retired from the department Oct. 31, 2013. Within weeks, he switched sides. By early 2014, Paradise was helping equip DPS officers with guns and parts as a regional sales representative for Smith & Wesson based in Johnston. After the state abandoned the initial RFP because of Paradise's conflict, Smith & Wesson landed two contracts to supply officers with handguns later that year.
First, Smith & Wesson and two others were awarded the master contracts in March 2014. Then months later, the department opened a new bidding process after deciding it wanted an additional safety feature on its handguns. Smith & Wesson won that contract after its only competitor was disqualified during the testing phase.
Iowa law prohibits retiring state employees from getting paid to work for two years for companies "in relation to any case, proceeding, or application with respect to which the person was directly concerned and personally participated." The law, which carries a misdemeanor offense for violators, could potentially apply to Paradise.
Paradise declined comment Friday, and a Smith & Wesson hasn't returned messages. Murphy said the department isn't "aware of any facts" that would indicate a violation, but didn't elaborate.
Shortly after Paradise helped supply the new handguns to his former colleagues in 2014, department testing revealed potential defects and safety concerns. Those concerns were discussed with Paradise, who promised the company would "do everything to make it right," an email shows.
In January, the department issued Smith & Wesson a "notice to cure" giving the company until May 1 to fix the deficiencies. The notice said the handguns had a trigger pull of more than 8 pounds, which didn't meet the contract specifications that called for 5 ½ to 7 pounds.
Paradise was making changes to troopers' and agents' guns to fix that problem, but the department still wasn't satisfied. By April 1, the state had decided to send back all 797 guns that it had bought from the company.
Within days, the department hired two retired agents to investigate whether employees followed policies in awarding the contracts.
Soon, three high-ranking Iowa State Patrol officials were placed on administrative leave. The department has refused to release the retired agents' written findings, saying it is "attorney-work product" that is exempt from the open records law.
The AP has filed a complaint with the Iowa Public Information Board seeking the information.
The three officials were allowed to return to work in June after the department said additional review found no policies were violated. The department said the purchasing process could have been more efficient, and that it would address concerns through additional training on purchasing rules.
http://www.press-citizen.com/story/news/investigations/2015/07/31/iowa-handgun-purchase/30947671/
The employee, Ken Paradise, went to work as a regional sales representative for Smith & Wesson months later, shortly after leaving state employment in 2013. The company landed two contracts to supply state law enforcement officers with handguns, and Paradise soon became his old department's contact person for the handgun supplies, training and repairs, records show.
Paradise emerged as a central figure in a botched effort to buy new guns for officers, which has become a two-year headache for the agency.
Hundreds of guns have been returned to the vendor because of safety concerns. Emails obtained under the open records law shed light on Paradise's ties to Smith & Wesson, which caused one purchasing proposal to be abandoned because of his potential conflict of interest and may violate the state's revolving-door law.
Paradise, who retired as a sergeant in 2011 before taking a temporary job in the supply division, was involved in 2013 in formulating a request for proposals for a new contract to supply handguns to the state officers.
But that solicitation was removed from the state's website within 24 hours after the department learned that Paradise had a pending job application employment with the vendor, department spokesman Alex Murphy said Thursday. Smith & Wesson had long supplied Iowa State Patrol troopers with guns and was expected to bid.
Emails show Paradise informed a Smith & Wesson salesman about when the proposal would be released.
"(State purchasing official) Ryan (Roovart) has his draft of the RFP on the hand guns out for us to look at. He wants to put it out Thursday or Friday," Paradise wrote to Smith & Wesson salesman Daniel Keuhn on July 31, 2013. A day earlier, Keuhn had emailed Paradise a link to search for job openings with the company.
Paradise retired from the department Oct. 31, 2013. Within weeks, he switched sides. By early 2014, Paradise was helping equip DPS officers with guns and parts as a regional sales representative for Smith & Wesson based in Johnston. After the state abandoned the initial RFP because of Paradise's conflict, Smith & Wesson landed two contracts to supply officers with handguns later that year.
First, Smith & Wesson and two others were awarded the master contracts in March 2014. Then months later, the department opened a new bidding process after deciding it wanted an additional safety feature on its handguns. Smith & Wesson won that contract after its only competitor was disqualified during the testing phase.
Iowa law prohibits retiring state employees from getting paid to work for two years for companies "in relation to any case, proceeding, or application with respect to which the person was directly concerned and personally participated." The law, which carries a misdemeanor offense for violators, could potentially apply to Paradise.
Paradise declined comment Friday, and a Smith & Wesson hasn't returned messages. Murphy said the department isn't "aware of any facts" that would indicate a violation, but didn't elaborate.
Shortly after Paradise helped supply the new handguns to his former colleagues in 2014, department testing revealed potential defects and safety concerns. Those concerns were discussed with Paradise, who promised the company would "do everything to make it right," an email shows.
In January, the department issued Smith & Wesson a "notice to cure" giving the company until May 1 to fix the deficiencies. The notice said the handguns had a trigger pull of more than 8 pounds, which didn't meet the contract specifications that called for 5 ½ to 7 pounds.
Paradise was making changes to troopers' and agents' guns to fix that problem, but the department still wasn't satisfied. By April 1, the state had decided to send back all 797 guns that it had bought from the company.
Within days, the department hired two retired agents to investigate whether employees followed policies in awarding the contracts.
Soon, three high-ranking Iowa State Patrol officials were placed on administrative leave. The department has refused to release the retired agents' written findings, saying it is "attorney-work product" that is exempt from the open records law.
The AP has filed a complaint with the Iowa Public Information Board seeking the information.
The three officials were allowed to return to work in June after the department said additional review found no policies were violated. The department said the purchasing process could have been more efficient, and that it would address concerns through additional training on purchasing rules.
http://www.press-citizen.com/story/news/investigations/2015/07/31/iowa-handgun-purchase/30947671/
