A deputy has been reprimanded for bringing a bag of skittles and a can of Arizona Iced Tea to work, probably not the best idea in light of the case which shall not be named. The deputy was attempting to send out a message about the need to separate personal and professional opinions, I believe that he failed.

According to [url-http://www.floridatoday.com/] Florida Today[/url], Sheriff Wayne Ivey called Chris Wood’s actions “insensitive and inappropriate,” and said Wood explained he was trying to convey a “need for professionalism amongst co-workers during the emotional and lengthy trial.

“Deputy Wood obviously underestimated the depth and varying personal opinions of his co-workers and now realizes that his message and delivery was poorly constructed and inappropriate.”

The incident occurred Saturday morning. That night, a jury returned a not guilty verdict on a charge of murder against Zimmerman, the man who shot and killed 17-year-old Trayvon Martin in Sanford last year.

Martin was carrying Skittles and a drink at the time of his death. Those items quickly became symbolic of the case as it drew scrutiny as to whether Zimmerman, who is Hispanic, had racially profiled Martin, who was black.

Ivey said there was no indication Wood's actions or statements were racially motivated.

The sheriff also said Wood accepted full responsibility for his actions and said it was not Wood’s intention to offend anyone. The deputy apologized for the “unclear and potentially divisive message,” Ivey said in a statement, and also apologized to his coworkers Wednesday morning.

Wood has been with the agency about 10 years and is part of the canine team. He could not be reached for comment.