Monday, June 08, 2009

Former Officer Malik Snell Convicted of Stealing from Drug Kingpin

A jury convicted a former Philadelphia police officer of stealing from a drug kingpin and participating in a robbery.

Malik Snell drove the get-a-way car following a home invasion in Pottstown last March, which led to a high speed chase, prosecutors said.

The 36-year-old was convicted Monday on all counts. The former Marine was an officer for 11 years.
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Photo & More Information: http://www.philly.com/philly/news/breaking/20090608_Ex-Philadelphia_police_officer_convicted_on_4_counts.html

Federal Corrections Officer Donnell White Arrested for Drunk Driving

A federal corrections officer arrested on suspicion of drunken driving allegedly told Vineland police, “too bad you can’t get killed like the Philly cops” — a reference to several officers in that city recently slain in the line of duty.

Donnell White, 34, of Cumberland Green Apartments in Millville, was charged late Thursday with driving while intoxicated, following a vehicle too closely, failure to maintain a lane, reckless driving, refusal to submit to a breath test and failure to exhibit a vehicle registration card.

White is a corrections officer at FCI Fairton in Fairfield, police said.

Police responded to Bennigan’s on West Landis Avenue at 10:40 p.m. Thursday for a report of a fight inside the restaurant. During the investigation, police interviewed White, who appeared to be intoxicated, said Vineland police Sgt. Vince Solazzo of the Traffic Safety Unit.

White told the investigating officers that his girlfriend could drive him home, according to a police report.

But, a short while later, police saw White driving out of the parking lot in a Ford Explorer, Solazzo said.

Police followed White’s vehicle — which they said was traveling at a high rate of speed — southbound on Route 55 before pulling the Explorer over near Sherman Avenue.

White failed field sobriety tests and was arrested on suspicion of drunken driving, according to Solazzo.

At police headquarters, he refused to take a breath test, and then made the comment about the slain Philadelphia officers to the arresting officer, Sgt. Christopher Davis, Solazzo said.

In Philadelphia, seven police officers have died in the line of duty in less than three years.

While he was being processed, White also allegedly told police, “I know how to play this game. I’m going to tell them I have a drinking problem and I’ll be back to work in 30 days,” and then laughed out loud.

White was released to an acquaintance pending a hearing in Vineland Municipal Court.

Solazzo said Monday that White’s behavior was inappropriate, especially coming from a fellow law-enforcement officer.

“It’s unacceptable, and I’m hoping the FCI feels the same way I do,” he said.

“They’ve been through a lot,” Solazzo said of Philadelphia police. “We have officers who go to the funerals. It’s just not proper. We will be monitoring this case closely.”

Deputy Lance Berkley Charged with Having Sex with Inmate

A Montgomery County sheriff's deputy is charged with having sex with a female inmate at the County Jail.

A grand jury indicted Lance Berkley, 49, on Friday. A Jail supervisor says Berkley was fired from the jail on May following an internal investigation. The trouble started when an inmate told a staff member Berkley had sex with another inmate in a laundry area.

Investigators say the incident happened in late April, and the results of the investigation were given to the grand jury.

BGSU Officer Investigated for Providing Alcohol to Minors

Serious allegations are coming out of Bowling Green State University.

The Bowling Green Prosecutors Office is investigating a BGSU police officer for providing alcohol to minors at his home.

We're awaiting a formal statement from the university, but a spokesperson says when the allegations came to the school, the information was sent to Bowling Green City Police.
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http://toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090609/NEWS02/906099985/-1/NEWS

Sgt. Cher Sneider Accused of Trying to Date Suspect


The city's acting police chief is seeking the firing of a sergeant he accuses of lying and inappropriate conduct, including trying to date a suspect under investigation.

Sgt. Cher Sneider, while off duty, had an on-duty patrol officer on May 10, 2008, tap into a secure police database to get Sneider the phone number of a man who was under investigation by the department, according to administrative charges filed against her.

Sneider thought the man was "hot" and wanted to call him so she could go out with him, the charging document says.

The man, identified only as John Doe in the document, was a city resident with a known criminal history with the department. At the time, city police were investigating him and his residence on suspicion of illegal activity, including illegal drugs, the charging document states.

Sneider made four calls with her personal cell phone to the man's residence on May 10, 2008, one call the following day and two calls on May 17, 2008, the document says. She also stopped at his home May 11, but he wasn't there, the document states.

During the investigation into Sneider, she denied that she requested the man's number from the patrol officer, that she attempted to contact him and that she had a personal interest in him, the document says. Sneider has been on paid administrative leave since November.

Police Department rules require that officers engage in professional conduct, refrain from associating with people of questionable character, use city resources only for work and "speak the truth at all times."

Acting Chief Daniel Meister is asking the city's Police and Fire Commission to dismiss Sneider.

Meister says in the statement of charges that because of the pending case and Sneider's past discipline, she can "no longer testify credibly or function effectively as a law enforcement officer" in the city.

Sneider's attorney, Jennifer Dorow, said Monday that the charges are without merit and that Sneider will fight the allegations.

Sneider denies trying to have a relationship with John Doe, Dorow said. The attorney said Sneider did have contact with the man, but only in an official capacity related to a noise complaint.

"When all is said and done, you have an officer with a history of exceptional service. Seeking to fire her is ridiculous," Dorow said, noting that Sneider in the past had received a bravery medal from the department for helping to rescue a person at a fire scene.

Sneider, according to the charging document, has been disciplined four times in the past, including a one-day suspension in July 2005 for unprofessional conduct and untruthfulness. She twice received oral counseling and once received a written reprimand.

Sneider has been an officer with the department since January 2000 and was promoted to sergeant in November 2006.

The Sneider charges are the latest controversy involving the city Police Department.

Chief Gary Bach, who had been under fire, agreed to resign from the department effective Dec. 31, in exchange for a $170,000 payout. He had been on paid leave since July 23 when the city launched an investigation into him.

In a John Doe investigation started at Bach's request last fall, Sneider testified that a conspiracy existed within the Police Department to get Bach fired.

In February, Meister said Sneider's leave had nothing to do with her allegiance to Bach.

Reserve Deputy Ronnie Araiza Arrested for Arson

A Bexar County Fire Marshal's Office investigation has led to an arson charge against a man authorities believe destroyed a vehicle that he used as a Bexar County reserve deputy constable with the goal of committing insurance fraud, an arrest affidavit states.

Ronnie Lucero Araiza, 30, was arrested and released on bond over the weekend on a charge of arson of a motor vehicle, according to the affidavit.

The arrest stems from a nearly two-year-old incident in which Araiza's Chevy Blazer was spotted on fire at and Potranco Road. In the affidavit, authorities claim Araiza worked with another man on Aug. 25, 2007, to set his Blazer on fire after Araiza purchased a new vehicle.

At the time of the fire, Araiza was working as a reserve deputy constable for Precinct 2 and told officials he was near Loop 1604 and Potranco Road when the fire occurred. Using cell phone records to show calls made between Araiza and another man around the time of the fire, investigators found a call was made to Araiza from a phone that was within a half-mile of the fire scene about three minutes before the fire was reported to 911, the affidavit said.

Cell phone records showed Araiza was around Loop 1604 and Potranco Road and also Loop 1604 and U.S. 281 around the time of the fire.

Records were not available to show if the man who made the call to Araiza has been arrested.

Calls to the Precinct 2 Constable's office on Sunday were not answered and it was not clear in the affidavit if Araiza was still working as a reserve deputy at the time of his arrest Friday.

Deputy Lance Berkley Charged with Having Sex with Inmate

A Montgomery County sheriff's deputy is charged with having sex with a female inmate at the County Jail.

A grand jury indicted Lance Berkley, 49, on Friday. A Jail supervisor says Berkley was fired from the jail on May following an internal investigation. The trouble started when an inmate told a staff member Berkley had sex with another inmate in a laundry area.

Investigators say the incident happened in late April, and the results of the investigation were given to the grand jury.