Two Sergeants Arrested After Robbery

A Good Samaritan snapped photos of what appeared to be two men impersonating police officers involved in a pistol-whipping and robbery outside a Citgo gas station on Detroit's east side on July 21.

"Several unidentified police officers were working this particular robbery case, recognized one of the suspects in the photographs as being a member of the Detroit Police Department," Chief James Craig said Monday.

Now under arrest are two police sergeants, a 47-year-old officer and 20-year veteran of the Detroit Police Department and his 42-year-old buddy from the police academy, who is a former DPD cop and 17-year veteran of the St. Clair Shores Police Department. The later recently received a distinguished service award.

"In fact, they were police officers, just not working on-duty at the time," Craig said.

One of the alleged victims identified the St. Clair Shores sergeant from a photo lineup.

It is alleged the two sergeants pulled up in a black pickup, got out of the truck with their guns drawn and their badges around their necks, detained two young men in their early twenties, searched them and pistol-whipped one of them, stealing his wallet and cell phone. The other alleged victim told police they also stole his money.

"At this time, there is no evidence to support that both sergeants were involved in any other police impersonation cases that have been reported in recent weeks," Craig said.

"Know that if we have officers engaging in criminal misconduct that we will investigate. We will always be transparent about this business and making sure that our community is aware of how we're conducting our investigations."

The Detroit police sergeant was arrested at work at the 12th Precinct on Saturday. The St. Clair Shores sergeant was picked up at his home.

While a warrant has been submitted to the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office, no charges have yet been authorized.

Meanwhile, the attorney for the St. Clair Shores sergeant said this case is not at all what it seems and that the alleged victims are far from innocent.

"I think there is going to be a totally different story to this case. These are two highly decorated police officers. They're not rogue cops. They're not cops out on the street trying to take down innocent people," said Todd Flood.

Sources said the teenage daughter of the St. Clair Shores sergeant was recently robbed of her cell phone and that the two officers were tracking down the people responsible. Flood would not confirm or deny that.

"This is a situation where there's more to it than what meets the eye or what's being reported," he said.

Deputy Chief Andi Higbee Arrested for DUI

Deputy Chief Andi Higbee, of the Burlington Police Department, has been arrested for Driving Under the Influence.

According to the Vermont State Police, Higbee was pulled over on Route 105 in Sheldon early Sunday morning. Officials say the reason he was stopped was for failing to use a turn signal. Higbee was subsequently arrested for operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol. He was transported to the St. Albans Barracks and released on a citation. Higbee is due in court on August 12th.

According to Burlington Police Chief Michael Schirling, Higbee has been placed on paid administrative leave. No one from the department was available for further comment Sunday.

This is not Higbee's first arrest. In 1999, Higbee pleaded guilty to drunk driving after crashing his car in Charlotte. In both cases, Higbee was off-duty.

Officer Peter Ciollo Arrested for Attempted Rape

An off-duty New York City police officer has been arrested and charged with the attempted rape of a 16-year-old girl.

Officer Peter Ciollo, 29, is accused of having sex with the teen relative at his Staten Island house on the Fourth of July.

The victim is reportedly his sister in law's sister or other immediate relative on his wife's side of the family.

Authorities say Ciollo gave the girl alcohol to drink, then let her drive his car around the neighborhood.

Then they returned to his home, where he allegedly showed her computer porn before they started touching each other in his bed.

The girl says she doesn't remember what happened next, but she told police that when she woke up, she was in the bed and Ciollo's wife had walked in on them.

A wedding notice in the Staten Island Advance says he was married in 2009.

Ciollo is charged with attempted rape, endangering the welfare of a child, sexual abuse and unlawfully dealing with a child-alcohol. He has been an officer since 2006, assigned to the 120th Precinct.

He has been suspended without pay.