The Mesa County Sheriff’s Department arrested a Grand Junction Police Department officer Friday afternoon on suspicion of misdemeanor harassment.
The Sheriff’s Department received an arrest warrant for police officer Courtney Crooks on Thursday, Mesa County District Attorney Pete Hautzinger said.
Crooks was not booked into Mesa County Jail. He has been placed on unpaid administrative leave, according to the Police Department.
In addition to the Sheriff’s Department’s criminal investigation, the Police Department is conducting two internal investigations that involve Crooks, according to a police spokeswoman Kate Porras.
“This is something we take very seriously, and we will make sure each allegation is thoroughly investigated. Once the facts are known we will take the appropriate action,” Police Chief Bill Gardner said in a news release.
Crooks was born in Hartford, Conn., attended Pensacola Christian College in Florida, received his associate degree in law enforcement in May 2006 and became a police cadet in Grand Junction two years ago, according to a June 2007 Police Department newsletter. He is 24 years old, according to his MySpace.com page.
An arrest affidavit was not immediately available Friday evening from the Sheriff’s Department.
The Police Department was not able to elaborate on the internal investigations Friday because they are considered a “personnel matter,” the news release said.
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http://www.gjsentinel.com/hp/content/news/stories/2009/08/29/082909_1A_Crooks_arrested.html
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Deputy John Harvey Arrested for DUI After He Hit Police Car
A Volusia County, Florida, Sheriff's Office deputy was arrested for DUI after he struck a police car last night. The police car was a marked vehicle.
The Florida Highway Patrol arrested Deputy John Harvey for rear-ending a police car early Saturday morning. Immediately following the fender-bender, Harvey attempted to flee the scene.
Officers located his vehicle shortly after and pulled him over for suspicion of DUI. He was eventually booked with charges of DUI, reckless driving and leaving the scene of a crash. He was off-duty and in a personal vehicle at the time of the accident.
Leaving the scene of an accident in Florida is a misdemeanor in the second degree. This is the officer's first DUI offense, so he will additionally be charged with misdemeanor DUI. He will likely face a 6 to 12 month license suspension and fines.
Harvey works in the civil section of the sheriffs office. This typically means he would be responsible for filing and serving of papers that originate in the sheriff's office. This sections also executes court orders. There are both field jobs and administrative jobs within the civil section. There is no information as to whether Harvey works in the field or in an administrative capacity.
He has served the sheriff's office for 12 years. There has been no comment thus far regarding how long he will remain on administrative leave. Sheriff's employees typically face a criminal investigation and prosecution as well as one carried out by their employer.
The Internal Affairs investigation carried out by the employer will determine whether Harvey broke agency policies and how he should be held accountable.
The Florida Highway Patrol arrested Deputy John Harvey for rear-ending a police car early Saturday morning. Immediately following the fender-bender, Harvey attempted to flee the scene.
Officers located his vehicle shortly after and pulled him over for suspicion of DUI. He was eventually booked with charges of DUI, reckless driving and leaving the scene of a crash. He was off-duty and in a personal vehicle at the time of the accident.
Leaving the scene of an accident in Florida is a misdemeanor in the second degree. This is the officer's first DUI offense, so he will additionally be charged with misdemeanor DUI. He will likely face a 6 to 12 month license suspension and fines.
Harvey works in the civil section of the sheriffs office. This typically means he would be responsible for filing and serving of papers that originate in the sheriff's office. This sections also executes court orders. There are both field jobs and administrative jobs within the civil section. There is no information as to whether Harvey works in the field or in an administrative capacity.
He has served the sheriff's office for 12 years. There has been no comment thus far regarding how long he will remain on administrative leave. Sheriff's employees typically face a criminal investigation and prosecution as well as one carried out by their employer.
The Internal Affairs investigation carried out by the employer will determine whether Harvey broke agency policies and how he should be held accountable.
Joe Rocha Charged with Possession of Child Porn
The Travis County Sheriff's Office filed charges on one of its own Friday.
Joe Rocha, 44, was taken into custody by the sheriff's deputies and charged with Possession of Child Pornography.
Rocha was most recently a Corrections Officer for the county.
The Sheriff's Office was tipped off on Tuesday that an employee was involved in illegal activities. Search warrants revealed several images on Rocha's computer that appeared to depict child pornography.
According to the Sheriff's Office, Rocha has been fired.
Possession of Child Pornography is a 3rd Degree Felony, punishable by two to 10 years in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice Institutional Division and up to $10,000.00 in fines.
The Sheriff's Office is continuing to investigate the case.
Officer Aaron Pepion Arrested for Having Sex with Young Girl
A Blackfeet police officer who resigned three weeks ago has been arrested on allegations that he had sex with a young girl.
The U.S. Attorney's Office says Aaron Pepion is being held without bail. Pepion was in court before a magistrate Wednesday in Missoula and will be in court again today on a bond hearing.
Prosecutors say Pepion had sex in April with a girl who was born in 1994. No age was listed for Pepion in his charging documents.
Blackfeet Tribal Department of Public Safety Director Henry Devereaux says the FBI investigated Pepion in July and he resigned three weeks ago. Devereaux says Pepion had been an officer for about a year when officials began investigating the allegations against him.
The U.S. Attorney's Office says Aaron Pepion is being held without bail. Pepion was in court before a magistrate Wednesday in Missoula and will be in court again today on a bond hearing.
Prosecutors say Pepion had sex in April with a girl who was born in 1994. No age was listed for Pepion in his charging documents.
Blackfeet Tribal Department of Public Safety Director Henry Devereaux says the FBI investigated Pepion in July and he resigned three weeks ago. Devereaux says Pepion had been an officer for about a year when officials began investigating the allegations against him.
Ex-Officer Frank Drummond Arrested for Molesting Two Teens
Authorities have arrested an ex-police officer for allegedly molesting two teenage girls at his Modesto home.
Modesto Police Department Sgt. Brian Findlen said Francisco "Frank" Drummond, 41, was arrested early Friday morning at Modesto Junior College where he's currently employed as an intructor. Drummond had recently resigned as a reserve police officer for the Ripon Police Department.
Findlen said he previously worked for the Patterson Police Department and the Modesto Police Department from 1994 to 2000.
Findlen said the two female victims were friends of Drummond's teenage daughter. The Modesto Police department was investigating Drummond after officers were dispatched to his home in the 900 block of Wellesley Drive on the evening of August 22.
The investigation suggests that the suspect touched each of the girls in a sexual nature while at his home, said Findlen. The investigation continued through the week and ended with Drummond's arrest Friday.
Drummond has been booked at the Stanislaus County Jail for felony charges of lewd and lascivious acts with a minor under the age of 14 and with a 14 or 15-year-old minor. His bail was set at $75,000.
Findlen said Modesto Police Department detectives have alerted officials at Modesto Junior College and the Ripon Police Department of the circumstances surrounding this case.
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