BREWSTER
A Brewster police officer is on paid administrative leave after allegedly urinating on a fellow music-lover at a Metallica concert in Boston then refusing to leave TD Banknorth Garden when security guards ejected him for disorderly conduct.
A Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority Transit Police report from that night identifies Brewster police Officer Joseph Houston, 29, as being thrown out of the Jan. 18 rock concert by security guards around 10 p.m.
Although he has been charged with trespassing only, Houston appeared to be drunk, flashed his badge in an attempt to get back into the concert, called a black MBTA officer an "Obama," and had been asked to leave the concert after he allegedly urinated on another patron, according to the report.
Citing an ongoing departmental investigation, Brewster Police Chief Richard Koch would not confirm the officer's identity but did confirm the incident occurred. He got word that Sunday night that an officer had been arrested, went to Boston the next day, Jan. 19, and immediately placed the officer on leave, he said.
Houston earned $50,456.35, including overtime and detail pay, in 2008, according to town records.
Attorney Thomas Drechsler, who, according to court records, is representing Houston, did not return two phone requests for comment yesterday.
Houston's Brewster phone number is unlisted, and he was not at home last night.
After he was ejected from the concert, Houston allegedly flashed his badge at the security officers and identified himself as a member of the Brewster Police Department. Transit police then approached Houston, who they said appeared to be drunk. The report stated they also smelled alcohol on his breath.
Transit police warned Houston that he would have to leave or face arrest for trespassing. Houston again allegedly reached into his pocket and showed the transit police officers his badge, but was told that he had to leave or face arrest.
Transit police took Houston outside the Garden, and told him not to return or he'd face trespassing charges.
"At which time, Houston stated 'Look at Obama,' which was directed at me in a loud disorderly manner to patrons standing outside as well as entering the lobby," the transit police officer wrote in the report.
When Houston again attempted to enter the Garden, he was arrested by the transit police after a brief struggle, the report said.
After the arrest, Garden security personnel then told transit police officers that Houston had been thrown out of the concert by them for urinating on another patron. The parents of that person went to transit police headquarters after the concert to report the incident. They were referred to the Boston police.
A Boston police spokeswoman said there was no record of any charges filed by her department against Houston. Suffolk County District Attorney's office spokesman Jake Wark said there were no charges filed against Houston beyond trespassing, which carries a maximum $100 fine and/or 30 days in jail. Houston is due back in court on Feb. 5 on that charge, Wark said.
But Wark said the victim could file charges at Boston Municipal Court, where a clerk-magistrate hearing would determine the need for a trial. Those charges would not be public until after the hearing.
Koch said he would complete his investigation within the next day or two. If he believes more than a five-day suspension is warranted, he will take the case before the Brewster selectmen, who are the hiring and firing authority for the department.
Houston has worked for Brewster for less than three years, Koch said. He worked for the Nantucket Police Department before that.
Nantucket Chief William Pittman said Houston had no incidents while employed in his department.
Police Report: http://www.capecodonline.com/misc/mbtareport26.pdf
A Brewster police officer is on paid administrative leave after allegedly urinating on a fellow music-lover at a Metallica concert in Boston then refusing to leave TD Banknorth Garden when security guards ejected him for disorderly conduct.
A Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority Transit Police report from that night identifies Brewster police Officer Joseph Houston, 29, as being thrown out of the Jan. 18 rock concert by security guards around 10 p.m.
Although he has been charged with trespassing only, Houston appeared to be drunk, flashed his badge in an attempt to get back into the concert, called a black MBTA officer an "Obama," and had been asked to leave the concert after he allegedly urinated on another patron, according to the report.
Citing an ongoing departmental investigation, Brewster Police Chief Richard Koch would not confirm the officer's identity but did confirm the incident occurred. He got word that Sunday night that an officer had been arrested, went to Boston the next day, Jan. 19, and immediately placed the officer on leave, he said.
Houston earned $50,456.35, including overtime and detail pay, in 2008, according to town records.
Attorney Thomas Drechsler, who, according to court records, is representing Houston, did not return two phone requests for comment yesterday.
Houston's Brewster phone number is unlisted, and he was not at home last night.
After he was ejected from the concert, Houston allegedly flashed his badge at the security officers and identified himself as a member of the Brewster Police Department. Transit police then approached Houston, who they said appeared to be drunk. The report stated they also smelled alcohol on his breath.
Transit police warned Houston that he would have to leave or face arrest for trespassing. Houston again allegedly reached into his pocket and showed the transit police officers his badge, but was told that he had to leave or face arrest.
Transit police took Houston outside the Garden, and told him not to return or he'd face trespassing charges.
"At which time, Houston stated 'Look at Obama,' which was directed at me in a loud disorderly manner to patrons standing outside as well as entering the lobby," the transit police officer wrote in the report.
When Houston again attempted to enter the Garden, he was arrested by the transit police after a brief struggle, the report said.
After the arrest, Garden security personnel then told transit police officers that Houston had been thrown out of the concert by them for urinating on another patron. The parents of that person went to transit police headquarters after the concert to report the incident. They were referred to the Boston police.
A Boston police spokeswoman said there was no record of any charges filed by her department against Houston. Suffolk County District Attorney's office spokesman Jake Wark said there were no charges filed against Houston beyond trespassing, which carries a maximum $100 fine and/or 30 days in jail. Houston is due back in court on Feb. 5 on that charge, Wark said.
But Wark said the victim could file charges at Boston Municipal Court, where a clerk-magistrate hearing would determine the need for a trial. Those charges would not be public until after the hearing.
Koch said he would complete his investigation within the next day or two. If he believes more than a five-day suspension is warranted, he will take the case before the Brewster selectmen, who are the hiring and firing authority for the department.
Houston has worked for Brewster for less than three years, Koch said. He worked for the Nantucket Police Department before that.
Nantucket Chief William Pittman said Houston had no incidents while employed in his department.
Police Report: http://www.capecodonline.com/misc/mbtareport26.pdf
2 comments:
Learned his racial diversity training with the "lilly" Nantucket Police Dept!
Make sure he never works ANYWHERE, doing ANY job again. Let him beg for scraps out of a dumpster like the filthy piece of garbage that he truly is.
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