Des Moines police say a police officer has been arrested in a hit-and-run involving a squad car.
Police
say Officer Brandon Singleton was arrested on Tuesday after an internal
investigation that began with his request for a service truck to change
a tire. Police say a supervisor noticed damage that was not consistent
with Singleton's account of the incident.
Police say
investigators determined Singleton had been involved in a hit-and-run.
Police says marijuana and methamphetamine were found in the police car.
Singleton
is charged with hitting an unoccupied vehicle and three drug charges.
His case is not on the online court system, and it's unclear if he has
an attorney.
Showing posts with label Iowa. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Iowa. Show all posts
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Cedar Rapids Officer Robyn Obadal arrested for Burglary
Obadal, a police officer in Cedar Rapids since 1997, was taken to the Linn County Jail, where she was booked and released on a promise to appear in court on Aug. 10. She has been placed on unpaid administrative leave, pending an internal investigation.
Officer Melissa Henderson, a police spokeswoman, said investigators believe Obadal took the dogs between 8 a.m. and 9 a.m. Saturday while she was on duty. Homeowner Chad Ramey reported the burglary around 4:10 p.m. that same day.
Obadal strongly denied the allegations Thursday afternoon.
“I did not break into a house, and I didn’t steal somebody’s dogs,” Obadal said. “Anybody who knows me knows I always do the right thing. I don’t do the wrong thing.”
Obadal said she was on routine patrol Saturday morning when a woman on a bike stopped her and told her about two loose dogs. Obadal said one of the dogs was loose by the property, and the other was circling near the neighbor’s fence. Both were filthy, she said.
Obadal said she went onto the porch of the house, which was damaged in the 2008 flood, and saw that the dogs had gotten loose from their kennel.
“There was no way I could put them back into the kennel they came out of,” Obadal said. “It was in unsanitary condition.”
Instead, Obadal said she stretched her emergency blanket over the back seat and got the dogs in her patrol car.Dogs jump in a kennel at 1201 10th St. NW last week before Cedar Rapids police officer Robyn Obadal was accused of stealing them. Obadal said she took the photo to show the unsanitary conditions the dogs were living in and e-mailed it to animal control.
A few minutes later, she said a man came up to her car and said he would take the dogs and get them back to the owner, who he claimed to know. Obadal said she did not ask for man’s name, but agreed to let him have the dogs, which she said was acceptable practice when handling a loose dog call.
“I was covered in dog feces from head to toe, and my back seat was disgusting from the dogs,” Obadal said. “I had one thing on my mind, and that was getting home to wash up my uniform, wash off and scrub the back seat of my car.”
Obadal said she did not notify dispatchers while she was out with the loose dogs, but did go on the radio to say she was stopping at her residence to clean up. She said doesn’t know what the man actually did with the dogs, but thinks he might have been setting her up.
“What I believe is that someone in the neighborhood went over and let the dogs out, and just by chance, I pulled up and they were running loose,” Obadal said. “So I took the blame for the dogs being let loose…
“I was the perfect scapegoat.”
Ramey, the homeowner, said his brother arrived Saturday afternoon and realized the dogs were missing. He said the dogs – a three-year-old female pit bull named Shadow and a two-year-old female German shepherd named Sylvia – were found Sunday running loose along Ellis Boulevard NW.
“Animal Control found them over off of Ellis,” Ramey said. “They magically appeared the next day, after the burglary report was filed.”
Ramey, 27, said he kept the dogs in a kennel behind the house. He said he bought them in Texas, where he was serving in the Air Force, before coming home and buying the house in mid-2009. He said he is repairing the house so he and his wife can move in.
Ramey said he previously kept the dogs at his mother-in-law’s house, but built the kennel for them after it got too crowded there.
“I come over and feed them, clean it, and all that every day,” he said. “They get checked on every single day.”
Obadal said she was questioned by her superiors earlier in the week about the dogs, and told them her story. When she arrived for work Thursday, she was told she was being arrested. Obadal said she was “shocked” and “dumbfounded.”
“I was advised that disciplinary action could be taken even prior to going to court,” Obadal said. “I expect to be fired.”
Obadal’s arrest is the third embarrassing development for the Cedar Rapids Police Department since May. K-9 unit Officer Wayne Handeland, a 21-year-veteran, resigned after his squad car ended up at a Marion bar on May 5. Witnesses told SourceMedia Group he arrived at the bar in the squad car with two women, and appeared intoxicated.
Police conducted a seven-week internal investigation before Handeland stepped down.
Undisclosed disciplinary action was taken against another officer after he was photographed asleep in his squad car on the morning of May 10. The officer’s name was never released.
“Obviously, these are isolated incidents,” said Henderson, the police spokeswoman. “As a whole, I don’t think it’s a true reflection on the department. There are a lot of good things that happen here and a lot of good officers here. Unfortunately, we’ve had a run of bad incidents here.”
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Officer Maynard Richardson Fired
Des Moines Police Chief Judy Bradshaw says the department has fired an officer charged with attempting to sexually assault a woman in his patrol car earlier this month.
Officer Maynard Richardson faces criminal charges of assault with intent to commit sexual abuse and non-felonious misconduct in office after an incident early Feb. 5.
Police accuse Richardson of placing a 22-year-old woman in his squad car and kissing and touching her without her permission.
In announcing Richardson's firing Wednesday, Bradshaw noted that he had previously been suspended for two days for making an inappropriate comment to a women while on a call in 2009.
The 35-yerar-old Richardson can appeal his termination to Des Moines Civil Service commission. Richardson's attorney, Alfredo Parrish, could not immediately be reached for comment Wednesday.
Information from: The Des Moines Register, http://www.desmoinesregister.com
Previous Post
Officer Maynard Richardson faces criminal charges of assault with intent to commit sexual abuse and non-felonious misconduct in office after an incident early Feb. 5.
Police accuse Richardson of placing a 22-year-old woman in his squad car and kissing and touching her without her permission.
In announcing Richardson's firing Wednesday, Bradshaw noted that he had previously been suspended for two days for making an inappropriate comment to a women while on a call in 2009.
The 35-yerar-old Richardson can appeal his termination to Des Moines Civil Service commission. Richardson's attorney, Alfredo Parrish, could not immediately be reached for comment Wednesday.
Information from: The Des Moines Register, http://www.desmoinesregister.com
Previous Post
Friday, February 19, 2010
Officer Tammi Jo Gordy Arrested for Road Rage
A DeWitt Police officer has been taken off the streets after Davenport Police say she pulled a gun on another driver.
Davenport Police received a call about a "road rage" incident along Utica Ridge Road on Sunday, February 14. The male caller said the other driver had a gun. Reports state the other driver was DeWitt Police Officer Tammi Jo Gordy. During the investigation, Gordy said that the other car pulled out in front of her and when she passed, the passenger flipped her off. That's when they both stopped at the parking lot on 53rd and Utica Ridge Road and she said the man got out in a threatening manner. Police say that's when she showed her gun and a can of mace. The man had his wife and two young children in the car.
"We immediately launched our own internal affairs investigation regarding the administrative violations that are going to go along with the criminal allegations," said DeWitt Chief of Police Tom Whitten. "We're definitely going to provide the employee with the due process necessary. Once we complete our investigation, we'll review the facts and determine...any possible discipline."
Davenport Police has charged Officer Gordy with Aggravated Assault, an aggravated misdemeanor. She is due in court on March 3. The DeWitt Police have placed Officer Gordy on paid administrative leave.
Davenport Police received a call about a "road rage" incident along Utica Ridge Road on Sunday, February 14. The male caller said the other driver had a gun. Reports state the other driver was DeWitt Police Officer Tammi Jo Gordy. During the investigation, Gordy said that the other car pulled out in front of her and when she passed, the passenger flipped her off. That's when they both stopped at the parking lot on 53rd and Utica Ridge Road and she said the man got out in a threatening manner. Police say that's when she showed her gun and a can of mace. The man had his wife and two young children in the car.
"We immediately launched our own internal affairs investigation regarding the administrative violations that are going to go along with the criminal allegations," said DeWitt Chief of Police Tom Whitten. "We're definitely going to provide the employee with the due process necessary. Once we complete our investigation, we'll review the facts and determine...any possible discipline."
Davenport Police has charged Officer Gordy with Aggravated Assault, an aggravated misdemeanor. She is due in court on March 3. The DeWitt Police have placed Officer Gordy on paid administrative leave.
Tuesday, February 09, 2010
Officer Maynard Richardson Arrested for Attempted Sexual Assault
A Des Moines police officer's attempted sexual assault of a woman last week occurred in an industrial area about two miles from where the officer initially met the woman when responding to a call, police said on Monday.
Police said the officer removed none of his clothing, nor was any clothing removed from the woman during the incident.
Officer Maynard Richardson, 35, was arrested Friday on a charge of assault with intent to commit sexual abuse without causing injury and nonfelonious misconduct.
He is accused of attacking a 22-year-old woman in his patrol car while on duty and in uniform.
Police on Monday responded to requests for more information about the alleged assault and the officer's conduct:
• A recording of the woman's 911 call to police that was placed about 6:40 a.m. Friday was made public. In that call, the woman tearfully reported that she had been assaulted by a police officer. She identified Richardson by name. She said that she had not been injured.
The woman asked to have a female officer sent to her location to file the report and said that she feared her name would be disclosed.
The Des Moines Register does not identify sexual assault victims without their consent.
• Richardson initially responded to a call about a fight at an apartment complex at 1414 E. Ninth St. at 3:10 a.m. Friday, police said. Richardson did not file a police report on the fight, however.
• Through the course of that call, Richardson came in contact with the woman. Police said the woman entered the officer's patrol car, but was not under arrest or placed in handcuffs. Police said that Richardson did not know the victim.
• The alleged assault came between 3:10 and 5 a.m. Friday near 1800 E. Euclid Ave. The area is warehouse district, west of the Interstate Highway 235 and Euclid interchange.
Criminal charges were filed Monday in Polk County District Court accusing Richardson, a patrolman since December 2008, of the two charges. His initial court appearance was set for 1 p.m. on Feb. 15.
The attempted sexual abuse charge is an aggravated misdemeanor punishable by up to two years in prison.
The misconduct charge is a serious misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in jail.
On Monday, Police Capt. Randy Dawson and Sgt. Lori Lavorato, the department's spokeswoman, declined to provide much more detail, saying that an internal investigation was continuing.
Police declined Monday to release a supplemental report to the initial report filed last week by police, even though police commonly provide a narrative outlining the circumstances of alleged crimes.
That narrative, among other things, could answer more specifically why the woman got in the patrol car, why police were called to the East Ninth Street location and what other people were involved in the initial incident.
"We are not going to get into what actions he took and what actions she took," Dawson said.
But Lavorato said that police investigators believe that what happened "was not consensual."
"We believe he forced himself on her," Lavorato said.
Asked for specifics about what Richardson is accused of doing, the officers said only that his verbal and physical actions brought investigators to the charge of assault with intent to commit sexual abuse.
Robert Rigg, director of the Drake University Criminal Defense Clinic, said the elements necessary for proving assault with intent to commit sexual abuse do not require a physical act, though that can be the case.
"This kind of charge is valid when there is an act that is taken to cause pain or injury or which is intended to result in physical contact that would be insulting or offensive coupled with the ability to do so," Rigg said.
As a result, Rigg said that any person who would touch a person or intended to touch a person in an insulting or offensive manner would be considered to have committed an assault.
Richardson, who is paid $52,166 a year, was placed on paid administrative leave pending the completion of the department's internal investigation.
Police on Friday announced Richardson's arrest. Police Chief Judy Bradshaw said the charges against Richardson should not be considered to tarnish the department's reputation in the community.
Police said the officer removed none of his clothing, nor was any clothing removed from the woman during the incident.
Officer Maynard Richardson, 35, was arrested Friday on a charge of assault with intent to commit sexual abuse without causing injury and nonfelonious misconduct.
He is accused of attacking a 22-year-old woman in his patrol car while on duty and in uniform.
Police on Monday responded to requests for more information about the alleged assault and the officer's conduct:
• A recording of the woman's 911 call to police that was placed about 6:40 a.m. Friday was made public. In that call, the woman tearfully reported that she had been assaulted by a police officer. She identified Richardson by name. She said that she had not been injured.
The woman asked to have a female officer sent to her location to file the report and said that she feared her name would be disclosed.
The Des Moines Register does not identify sexual assault victims without their consent.
• Richardson initially responded to a call about a fight at an apartment complex at 1414 E. Ninth St. at 3:10 a.m. Friday, police said. Richardson did not file a police report on the fight, however.
• Through the course of that call, Richardson came in contact with the woman. Police said the woman entered the officer's patrol car, but was not under arrest or placed in handcuffs. Police said that Richardson did not know the victim.
• The alleged assault came between 3:10 and 5 a.m. Friday near 1800 E. Euclid Ave. The area is warehouse district, west of the Interstate Highway 235 and Euclid interchange.
Criminal charges were filed Monday in Polk County District Court accusing Richardson, a patrolman since December 2008, of the two charges. His initial court appearance was set for 1 p.m. on Feb. 15.
The attempted sexual abuse charge is an aggravated misdemeanor punishable by up to two years in prison.
The misconduct charge is a serious misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in jail.
On Monday, Police Capt. Randy Dawson and Sgt. Lori Lavorato, the department's spokeswoman, declined to provide much more detail, saying that an internal investigation was continuing.
Police declined Monday to release a supplemental report to the initial report filed last week by police, even though police commonly provide a narrative outlining the circumstances of alleged crimes.
That narrative, among other things, could answer more specifically why the woman got in the patrol car, why police were called to the East Ninth Street location and what other people were involved in the initial incident.
"We are not going to get into what actions he took and what actions she took," Dawson said.
But Lavorato said that police investigators believe that what happened "was not consensual."
"We believe he forced himself on her," Lavorato said.
Asked for specifics about what Richardson is accused of doing, the officers said only that his verbal and physical actions brought investigators to the charge of assault with intent to commit sexual abuse.
Robert Rigg, director of the Drake University Criminal Defense Clinic, said the elements necessary for proving assault with intent to commit sexual abuse do not require a physical act, though that can be the case.
"This kind of charge is valid when there is an act that is taken to cause pain or injury or which is intended to result in physical contact that would be insulting or offensive coupled with the ability to do so," Rigg said.
As a result, Rigg said that any person who would touch a person or intended to touch a person in an insulting or offensive manner would be considered to have committed an assault.
Richardson, who is paid $52,166 a year, was placed on paid administrative leave pending the completion of the department's internal investigation.
Police on Friday announced Richardson's arrest. Police Chief Judy Bradshaw said the charges against Richardson should not be considered to tarnish the department's reputation in the community.
Saturday, February 06, 2010
Officer Maynard Richardson Charged with Attempted Sexual Assault
A Des Moines police officer was arrested and charged with attempting to sexually assault a woman in his patrol car early Friday, Des Moines Police Chief Judy Bradshaw said.
Police accused Officer Maynard Richardson, 35, of attacking the 22-year-old woman while he was on duty and in uniform.
Richardson faces charges of assault with intent to commit sexual abuse and non-felonious misconduct in office.
"We began an immediate criminal investigation as soon as the allegations were brought to us," Bradshaw said Friday afternoon. "We partnered with the Polk County attorney's office, who was present throughout the investigation."
Richardson, who is paid $52,166 per year, was placed on paid administrative leave pending completion of an internal review of the case.
Richardson posted $3,000 bond and was released from the Polk County Jail Friday night.
Police said the woman was not physically injured.
Police released few details about the incident. Bradshaw declined to describe the type of contact the officer had with the woman.
She would only say that the incident occurred within the Des Moines city limits and that Richardson had contact with the woman as part of his duties as an officer.
The woman called police to file the complaint at about 6:30 a.m., police said, just as Richardson's patrol shift was ending.
Richardson was detained while authorities looked into the complaint. They eventually arrested him and took him to jail, where he was booked at 5:55 p.m. Friday.
The incident occurred sometime between midnight and 6:30 a.m., said Sgt. Lori Lavorato, a Des Moines police spokeswoman.
The woman is not believed to have been involved in a crime and was not on a supervised ride-along with the officer, Lavorato said.
Police believe Richardson did not know the woman before Friday's incident, Bradshaw said.
Police initially released her age as 19 but later revised it to 22. The reason for the discrepancy was not clear.
Richardson served a two-day suspension for inappropriate comments and conduct in 2009, but Bradshaw declined to offer details, citing the privacy of employee records.
Bradshaw emphasized that Richardson's alleged conduct in the incident Friday should not besmirch the reputation of Des Moines police.
"This is an anomaly," Bradshaw said. "In the 30 plus years I have been with this department, we've never seen anything like this. It's not reflective of the extraordinary police work that are out there working ... for the citizens of Des Moines trying to do the right thing."
Beyond the criminal charges, Richardson will face review by police administrators that could result in his termination from the department. Bradshaw said the department's professional standards team will begin its investigation next week.
Richardson's 2006 application for a military tax credit on his Johnston home states he served in the military from March 1994 to December 2000.
He applied for a marriage license with Heather Kephart in November 2004, according to Polk County records.
Richardson graduated from the Des Moines police academy on July 14, 2008, and joined the state's largest police force in December 2008.
A Polk County court determined Richardson was the father of a child born in February 1997 to another woman.
Richardson was ordered to pay $408 per month in child support in September 2008, shortly before he started with the Des Moines police, Iowa court records show.
Police accused Officer Maynard Richardson, 35, of attacking the 22-year-old woman while he was on duty and in uniform.
Richardson faces charges of assault with intent to commit sexual abuse and non-felonious misconduct in office.
"We began an immediate criminal investigation as soon as the allegations were brought to us," Bradshaw said Friday afternoon. "We partnered with the Polk County attorney's office, who was present throughout the investigation."
Richardson, who is paid $52,166 per year, was placed on paid administrative leave pending completion of an internal review of the case.
Richardson posted $3,000 bond and was released from the Polk County Jail Friday night.
Police said the woman was not physically injured.
Police released few details about the incident. Bradshaw declined to describe the type of contact the officer had with the woman.
She would only say that the incident occurred within the Des Moines city limits and that Richardson had contact with the woman as part of his duties as an officer.
The woman called police to file the complaint at about 6:30 a.m., police said, just as Richardson's patrol shift was ending.
Richardson was detained while authorities looked into the complaint. They eventually arrested him and took him to jail, where he was booked at 5:55 p.m. Friday.
The incident occurred sometime between midnight and 6:30 a.m., said Sgt. Lori Lavorato, a Des Moines police spokeswoman.
The woman is not believed to have been involved in a crime and was not on a supervised ride-along with the officer, Lavorato said.
Police believe Richardson did not know the woman before Friday's incident, Bradshaw said.
Police initially released her age as 19 but later revised it to 22. The reason for the discrepancy was not clear.
Richardson served a two-day suspension for inappropriate comments and conduct in 2009, but Bradshaw declined to offer details, citing the privacy of employee records.
Bradshaw emphasized that Richardson's alleged conduct in the incident Friday should not besmirch the reputation of Des Moines police.
"This is an anomaly," Bradshaw said. "In the 30 plus years I have been with this department, we've never seen anything like this. It's not reflective of the extraordinary police work that are out there working ... for the citizens of Des Moines trying to do the right thing."
Beyond the criminal charges, Richardson will face review by police administrators that could result in his termination from the department. Bradshaw said the department's professional standards team will begin its investigation next week.
Richardson's 2006 application for a military tax credit on his Johnston home states he served in the military from March 1994 to December 2000.
He applied for a marriage license with Heather Kephart in November 2004, according to Polk County records.
Richardson graduated from the Des Moines police academy on July 14, 2008, and joined the state's largest police force in December 2008.
A Polk County court determined Richardson was the father of a child born in February 1997 to another woman.
Richardson was ordered to pay $408 per month in child support in September 2008, shortly before he started with the Des Moines police, Iowa court records show.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Officer Daniel Shafranek Charged with OWI
Ottumwa Police Chief Jim Clark confirmed Tuesday that one of his officers is on administrative leave after a weekend arrest.
Officer Daniel Shafranek, 33, was charged with operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated by an Iowa State Patrol trooper on Sunday. The charge is a serious misdemeanor but could have a major impact on Shafranek’s career with the OPD.
Clark said his department is conducting an internal investigation into the arrest.
Shafranek is a relatively new hire for the department. He started work in Ottumwa last February.
This appears to be Shafranek’s first OWI charge. Aggravated misdemeanors can carry up to two years in prison upon conviction, but such a stiff penalty would be very unusual for a first-time offense.
Officer Daniel Shafranek, 33, was charged with operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated by an Iowa State Patrol trooper on Sunday. The charge is a serious misdemeanor but could have a major impact on Shafranek’s career with the OPD.
Clark said his department is conducting an internal investigation into the arrest.
Shafranek is a relatively new hire for the department. He started work in Ottumwa last February.
This appears to be Shafranek’s first OWI charge. Aggravated misdemeanors can carry up to two years in prison upon conviction, but such a stiff penalty would be very unusual for a first-time offense.
Monday, August 17, 2009
Corrections Officer Accuses Superiors of Sexual Harassment
OMAHA, Neb.
A former Dakota County corrections officer has sued the county, its sheriff and other superiors alleging they pressured female employees into sexual relationships and those who refused their advances were treated as outcasts.
The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Omaha last week on behalf of Toni Duncan, calls the work environment she chose to leave in 2007 a "cesspool" in which superiors misused their power for their own sexual gratification. It seeks unspecified damages.
Attorneys for the Sioux City, Iowa, woman say she's not the first and won't be the last to raise issues with the problems in the northeastern Nebraska county.
The county investigated related claims in 2007, but its findings were never made public, according to Duncan's lawsuit, which alleges a cover-up.
"This is a genuine mess. The more we get into it, the more messy it gets," said attorney Dewey Sloan, who along with Brian Buckmeier represents both Duncan and Williams.
An attorney for the county called Duncan's allegations mystifying and suspicious.
"I have no clue where these allegations are coming from," attorney Vince Valentino said Monday.
Sloan also represents Charvette Williams, another corrections officer who sued the county in June alleging unfair pay and harassment. The Sioux City woman alleged the hostile work environment left her feeling trapped in a sexual relationship with a chief deputy.
Sloan said he and Buckmeier are working to file several other lawsuits in coming weeks making similar claims.
Valentino said neither Duncan nor Williams took their sexual harassment allegations to the Nebraska Equal Opportunity Commission or its federal counterpart to investigate. He said that's always the first step for anyone serious about such claims.
Dewey said Williams did file a claim with the state commission, although it didn't address sexual harassment. It wasn't until later, when Williams became less fearful, that she felt willing to talk about the additional allegations.
In Duncan's case, she waited too long to take the claim to the state commission, Dewey said.
Duncan quit in November 2007, after a little over a year with the county, according to her lawsuit.
The Nebraska Equal Opportunity Commission can investigate employment claims within 300 days of when the alleged harassment happened.
The report completed by a private law firm in 2007 was recently sealed by the Dakota County Board to protect people who offered confidential information, board Chairman Bill McLarty said.
McLarty said he never read the report and couldn't discuss its findings.
The report was shared with Attorney General Jon Bruning's office, which found that the allegations did not rise to the level of a criminal matter, according to a letter dated July 30, 2007.
A spokeswoman for Bruning couldn't immediately comment on the report or the attorney general's conclusions.
A former Dakota County corrections officer has sued the county, its sheriff and other superiors alleging they pressured female employees into sexual relationships and those who refused their advances were treated as outcasts.
The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Omaha last week on behalf of Toni Duncan, calls the work environment she chose to leave in 2007 a "cesspool" in which superiors misused their power for their own sexual gratification. It seeks unspecified damages.
Attorneys for the Sioux City, Iowa, woman say she's not the first and won't be the last to raise issues with the problems in the northeastern Nebraska county.
The county investigated related claims in 2007, but its findings were never made public, according to Duncan's lawsuit, which alleges a cover-up.
"This is a genuine mess. The more we get into it, the more messy it gets," said attorney Dewey Sloan, who along with Brian Buckmeier represents both Duncan and Williams.
An attorney for the county called Duncan's allegations mystifying and suspicious.
"I have no clue where these allegations are coming from," attorney Vince Valentino said Monday.
Sloan also represents Charvette Williams, another corrections officer who sued the county in June alleging unfair pay and harassment. The Sioux City woman alleged the hostile work environment left her feeling trapped in a sexual relationship with a chief deputy.
Sloan said he and Buckmeier are working to file several other lawsuits in coming weeks making similar claims.
Valentino said neither Duncan nor Williams took their sexual harassment allegations to the Nebraska Equal Opportunity Commission or its federal counterpart to investigate. He said that's always the first step for anyone serious about such claims.
Dewey said Williams did file a claim with the state commission, although it didn't address sexual harassment. It wasn't until later, when Williams became less fearful, that she felt willing to talk about the additional allegations.
In Duncan's case, she waited too long to take the claim to the state commission, Dewey said.
Duncan quit in November 2007, after a little over a year with the county, according to her lawsuit.
The Nebraska Equal Opportunity Commission can investigate employment claims within 300 days of when the alleged harassment happened.
The report completed by a private law firm in 2007 was recently sealed by the Dakota County Board to protect people who offered confidential information, board Chairman Bill McLarty said.
McLarty said he never read the report and couldn't discuss its findings.
The report was shared with Attorney General Jon Bruning's office, which found that the allegations did not rise to the level of a criminal matter, according to a letter dated July 30, 2007.
A spokeswoman for Bruning couldn't immediately comment on the report or the attorney general's conclusions.
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Deputy Eric Kennedy Arrested for Stealing Football Cards
A Polk County Sheriff's deputy could lose his job after being accused of stealing from a Casey's convenience store.
Polk County Sheriff Bill McCarthy said Wednesday that Eric Kennedy, 36, was on duty and in uniform when he walked into this Casey's near Highway 65 in Bondurant.
The store manger saw him put several packs of football trading cards in his pockets and leave without paying for them.
"It's beyond me," McCarthy said. "I absolutely do not understand that."
The Manager called the Sheriff's Department and they installed a hidden camera. When the footage seemed to show Kennedy taking more cards, Kennedy was arrested and charged him with fifth-degree theft.
Investigators said they found boxes of trading cards in his squad car. They said they think he was selling the cards online to buyers all over the country.
The stolen cards were worth about $140, investigators said.
"I've been around long enough to know that people and people and they succumb to weakness," McCarthy said. "It's disappointing and it does reflect on the department, unfortunately."
McCarthy said most of his 150 deputies are good workers. He said he has put Kennedy on suspension and may base his fate on the outcome of his legal case.
"We have to move forward and not have him part of the sheriff's office," said McCarthy.
Polk County Sheriff Bill McCarthy said Wednesday that Eric Kennedy, 36, was on duty and in uniform when he walked into this Casey's near Highway 65 in Bondurant.
The store manger saw him put several packs of football trading cards in his pockets and leave without paying for them.
"It's beyond me," McCarthy said. "I absolutely do not understand that."
The Manager called the Sheriff's Department and they installed a hidden camera. When the footage seemed to show Kennedy taking more cards, Kennedy was arrested and charged him with fifth-degree theft.
Investigators said they found boxes of trading cards in his squad car. They said they think he was selling the cards online to buyers all over the country.
The stolen cards were worth about $140, investigators said.
"I've been around long enough to know that people and people and they succumb to weakness," McCarthy said. "It's disappointing and it does reflect on the department, unfortunately."
McCarthy said most of his 150 deputies are good workers. He said he has put Kennedy on suspension and may base his fate on the outcome of his legal case.
"We have to move forward and not have him part of the sheriff's office," said McCarthy.
Sunday, May 03, 2009
Retired Judge James Weaver Arrested 3 Times for Drunk Driving
A retired Muscatine County judge has pleaded not guilty after his third arrest for drunken driving.
James Weaver, 56, of Blue Grass was arrested in March in Scott County. Iowa State Patrol officials say Weaver’s blood-alcohol concentration was more than twice the legal limit.
Weaver was arrested for drunken driving in November 2002 and November 2004. He pleaded guilty both times.
James Weaver, 56, of Blue Grass was arrested in March in Scott County. Iowa State Patrol officials say Weaver’s blood-alcohol concentration was more than twice the legal limit.
Weaver was arrested for drunken driving in November 2002 and November 2004. He pleaded guilty both times.
Monday, April 06, 2009
Two Des Moines Officers on Paid Leave Accused of Police Brutality
Des Moines police officers left fourteen marks on Octavius Bonds' back with batons after a traffic stop in September. Police say they had no choice but to use force, but Bonds and his passenger claim it was police brutality.
Now the officers responsible have been taken off duty.
The two officers have been put on paid administrative leave as an investigation continues into their conduct at the traffic stop. Last month, Octavius Bonds and Erin Evans were found not guilty of provoking police during the September traffic stop. The officers are off duty after investigators found inconsistencies in their stories.
Defense attorney Peter Berger told Channel 13 that his clients have been cooperative with police during this investigation, and says he is glad to see something is finally being done about an inappropriate use of force.
"Erin Evans did pull over to the left lane, it just wasn't fast enough. So over a suspected traffic violation, these people were hurt permanently and here we are," Berger said.
According to testimony, on September 13, officers John Mailender and Mersed Dautovic hit Bonds with batons fourteen times in the head, back, arms and legs. The department says one reason it has taken over six months to take any sort of action is that Evans and Bonds would not agree to an interview at department headquarters.
Berger says his clients have provided the department with sworn statements and testimony in open court, and that the department had more than enough to take action much earlier.
"We've cooperated, and they've both been diagnosed with emotional injuries, severe emotional injuries from what happened to them and that would be the last place they should go down and be interviewed again by police officers," Berger said.
The Des Moines Police Department told Channel 13 Monday that their internal investigation continues and more departmental action against the officers is possible.
_________________
Now the officers responsible have been taken off duty.
The two officers have been put on paid administrative leave as an investigation continues into their conduct at the traffic stop. Last month, Octavius Bonds and Erin Evans were found not guilty of provoking police during the September traffic stop. The officers are off duty after investigators found inconsistencies in their stories.
Defense attorney Peter Berger told Channel 13 that his clients have been cooperative with police during this investigation, and says he is glad to see something is finally being done about an inappropriate use of force.
"Erin Evans did pull over to the left lane, it just wasn't fast enough. So over a suspected traffic violation, these people were hurt permanently and here we are," Berger said.
According to testimony, on September 13, officers John Mailender and Mersed Dautovic hit Bonds with batons fourteen times in the head, back, arms and legs. The department says one reason it has taken over six months to take any sort of action is that Evans and Bonds would not agree to an interview at department headquarters.
Berger says his clients have provided the department with sworn statements and testimony in open court, and that the department had more than enough to take action much earlier.
"We've cooperated, and they've both been diagnosed with emotional injuries, severe emotional injuries from what happened to them and that would be the last place they should go down and be interviewed again by police officers," Berger said.
The Des Moines Police Department told Channel 13 Monday that their internal investigation continues and more departmental action against the officers is possible.
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Other Information: http://www.kcci.com/news/19110374/detail.html
Wednesday, April 01, 2009
Officer Lance Bennett Resigns After being Accused of Peeping into Womans Window
A Nebraska City police officer accused of peeping into a window to watch a woman take a bath has resigned from the force.
Lance Bennett submitted his resignation last week, days after he entered a written not guilty plea in Otoe County Court to a charge of second-degree criminal trespass, a misdemeanor. According to the criminal complaint, Bennett improperly went onto the property of Erik and Brenda Cunningham sometime around 10 p.m. on Aug. 6, 2008.
That night, Erik Cunningham went outside and found Bennett crouched on his back porch, wearing his police uniform. The officer had parked his police cruiser more than a block from the couple's house.
A next-door neighbor later told the Cunninghams that he had seen a man looking through a lighted window at the back of the couple's house. Brenda Cunningham, 32, was in the couple's bathroom taking a bath at the time.
Attempts to reach Bennett have been unsuccessful. His attorney, John Voelker of Nebraska City, did not return calls seeking comment.
Bennett, 29, had worked as a Nebraska City police officer since 2006.
On March 12, the city put Bennett on unpaid suspension after the Nebraska Attorney General's Office charged him with trespassing. He had spent more five months on paid administrative leave while the matter was under investigation, Police Chief David Lacy said Tuesday.
Lance Bennett submitted his resignation last week, days after he entered a written not guilty plea in Otoe County Court to a charge of second-degree criminal trespass, a misdemeanor. According to the criminal complaint, Bennett improperly went onto the property of Erik and Brenda Cunningham sometime around 10 p.m. on Aug. 6, 2008.
That night, Erik Cunningham went outside and found Bennett crouched on his back porch, wearing his police uniform. The officer had parked his police cruiser more than a block from the couple's house.
A next-door neighbor later told the Cunninghams that he had seen a man looking through a lighted window at the back of the couple's house. Brenda Cunningham, 32, was in the couple's bathroom taking a bath at the time.
Attempts to reach Bennett have been unsuccessful. His attorney, John Voelker of Nebraska City, did not return calls seeking comment.
Bennett, 29, had worked as a Nebraska City police officer since 2006.
On March 12, the city put Bennett on unpaid suspension after the Nebraska Attorney General's Office charged him with trespassing. He had spent more five months on paid administrative leave while the matter was under investigation, Police Chief David Lacy said Tuesday.
Monday, March 23, 2009
Retired Judge James Weaver Arrested Again for Drunk Driving
DES MOINES, Iowa
A retired Muscatine County judge was arrested for a third time over the weekend on a drunken driving charge.
According to Iowa State Patrol officials, 56-year-old James Weaver of Blue Grass was arrested Saturday afternoon in Scott County on charges of operating while intoxicated, speeding, seat belt violation and disobeying a traffic-control device.
Weaver, who served as an associate judge from 1982 to 2004, posted $5,900 bond and was scheduled to appear in court Tuesday morning.
If convicted of a third drunken driving offense, he faces up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $7,500.
An attempt to reach Weaver on Monday morning at a number listed for the Weaver Law Office in Muscatine wasn't immediately returned.
According to the state patrol, Weaver was southbound on Highway 61 on Saturday afternoon when a trooper clocked him for speeding, saw that he failed to stop at a traffic-control device and wasn't wearing a seat belt.
The trooper caught up with Weaver at the Blue Grass exit and detected a strong odor of alcohol on the former judge's breath as well as bloodshot eyes.
Weaver failed a field sobriety test, and when he arrived at the Scott County Jail a breath test showed his blood alcohol content was 0.166, more than twice the legal limit for driving of 0.08, the patrol said.
Weaver pleaded guilty to his first drunken driving offense in November 2002 after a Scott County deputy saw his car hit a utility pole. In December 2004, he was charged with second offense drunken driving after his arrest a month earlier. In that incident, police said a caller complained that a "reckless driver" had almost caused an accident.
Around the same time, Weaver was allowed to retire from the court system with a permanent disability because he was found to suffer from major depression and alcohol abuse.
In April 2005, Weaver was sentenced on the second offense drunken driving charge. He was committed to the Iowa Department of Corrections for two years to be served at a work release center and ordered to participate in alcohol treatment.
Weaver appealed his judgment and sentence to the Iowa Court of Appeals, saying the judge in his case abused his discretion. The appeals court rejected the argument.
Corrections officials have said that Weaver was released from the work release center in the spring of 2007 after serving only 25 days. He was resentenced to one year of unsupervised probation after a district court judge heard arguments on a motion to reconsider his sentence.
Last March, the Iowa Supreme Court suspended Weaver's license to practice law based on the second drunken driving arrest and critical comments he made to the media about the judge overseeing his case. The license has been reinstated, court records showed.
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http://www.kcautv.com/Global/story.asp?S=10053657
A retired Muscatine County judge was arrested for a third time over the weekend on a drunken driving charge.
According to Iowa State Patrol officials, 56-year-old James Weaver of Blue Grass was arrested Saturday afternoon in Scott County on charges of operating while intoxicated, speeding, seat belt violation and disobeying a traffic-control device.
Weaver, who served as an associate judge from 1982 to 2004, posted $5,900 bond and was scheduled to appear in court Tuesday morning.
If convicted of a third drunken driving offense, he faces up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $7,500.
An attempt to reach Weaver on Monday morning at a number listed for the Weaver Law Office in Muscatine wasn't immediately returned.
According to the state patrol, Weaver was southbound on Highway 61 on Saturday afternoon when a trooper clocked him for speeding, saw that he failed to stop at a traffic-control device and wasn't wearing a seat belt.
The trooper caught up with Weaver at the Blue Grass exit and detected a strong odor of alcohol on the former judge's breath as well as bloodshot eyes.
Weaver failed a field sobriety test, and when he arrived at the Scott County Jail a breath test showed his blood alcohol content was 0.166, more than twice the legal limit for driving of 0.08, the patrol said.
Weaver pleaded guilty to his first drunken driving offense in November 2002 after a Scott County deputy saw his car hit a utility pole. In December 2004, he was charged with second offense drunken driving after his arrest a month earlier. In that incident, police said a caller complained that a "reckless driver" had almost caused an accident.
Around the same time, Weaver was allowed to retire from the court system with a permanent disability because he was found to suffer from major depression and alcohol abuse.
In April 2005, Weaver was sentenced on the second offense drunken driving charge. He was committed to the Iowa Department of Corrections for two years to be served at a work release center and ordered to participate in alcohol treatment.
Weaver appealed his judgment and sentence to the Iowa Court of Appeals, saying the judge in his case abused his discretion. The appeals court rejected the argument.
Corrections officials have said that Weaver was released from the work release center in the spring of 2007 after serving only 25 days. He was resentenced to one year of unsupervised probation after a district court judge heard arguments on a motion to reconsider his sentence.
Last March, the Iowa Supreme Court suspended Weaver's license to practice law based on the second drunken driving arrest and critical comments he made to the media about the judge overseeing his case. The license has been reinstated, court records showed.
__________________
http://www.kcautv.com/Global/story.asp?S=10053657
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Deputy Chris Johansen Arrested for Domestic Violence
Dallas County deputy sheriff Chris Johansen was arrested Saturday, March 14, and charged with OWI, first offense, as well as open container and failure to maintain control.
Johansen, 43, of rural Dallas Center was already being sought by fellow law enforcement regarding a domestic altercation earlier in the week. His arrested occurred only a short distance from his home.
An initial investigation was conducted by the Dallas County Sheriff's Department, and was then handed over to the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation. The drunk driving, open container and traffic offenses were filed by the Sheriff's Department.
Johansen appeared in Dallas County District Court Sunday on those charges, and was released to await trial by a magistrate.
Sheriff Chad Leonard was out of state on a planned family vacation when the alleged incidents leading to Johansen's arrest occurred. He was not able to comment on the case; phone calls seeking comment from the DCI were not returned.
Leonard said Johansen has been placed on paid administrative leave pending the DCI's investigation.
Johansen, 43, of rural Dallas Center was already being sought by fellow law enforcement regarding a domestic altercation earlier in the week. His arrested occurred only a short distance from his home.
An initial investigation was conducted by the Dallas County Sheriff's Department, and was then handed over to the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation. The drunk driving, open container and traffic offenses were filed by the Sheriff's Department.
Johansen appeared in Dallas County District Court Sunday on those charges, and was released to await trial by a magistrate.
Sheriff Chad Leonard was out of state on a planned family vacation when the alleged incidents leading to Johansen's arrest occurred. He was not able to comment on the case; phone calls seeking comment from the DCI were not returned.
Leonard said Johansen has been placed on paid administrative leave pending the DCI's investigation.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Officer Matthew Madson Resigns After Investigation of Shots Fired
AMES, Iowa
An Eagle Grove police officer resigned Tuesday from his job following an investigation into a chase in which he fired his weapon.
The chase involved a male juvenile who fled in his pickup truck when Officer Matthew Madson approached the vehicle.
Authorities said that during the chase Madson fired his weapon at one of the truck's tires.
City officials released the following statement on Tuesday in connection with the resignation:
“After reviewing the report and the city’s policy and procedures manual, city officials discussed this information with Officer Madson. The City chose to accept Madson’s resignation at that time. He resigned on March 17, 2009. The City will be looking to fill this position soon."
City officials said they wouldn't comment further about the resignation.
Previous Stories: March 9, 2009: Officer On Leave After Shooting At Truck
March 6, 2009: Neighbors Question Officer's Chase, Shooting
An Eagle Grove police officer resigned Tuesday from his job following an investigation into a chase in which he fired his weapon.
The chase involved a male juvenile who fled in his pickup truck when Officer Matthew Madson approached the vehicle.
Authorities said that during the chase Madson fired his weapon at one of the truck's tires.
City officials released the following statement on Tuesday in connection with the resignation:
“After reviewing the report and the city’s policy and procedures manual, city officials discussed this information with Officer Madson. The City chose to accept Madson’s resignation at that time. He resigned on March 17, 2009. The City will be looking to fill this position soon."
City officials said they wouldn't comment further about the resignation.
Previous Stories: March 9, 2009: Officer On Leave After Shooting At Truck
March 6, 2009: Neighbors Question Officer's Chase, Shooting
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Sgt Sid Jackson Arrested for Drunk Driving
IOWA CITY, Iowa
An Iowa City police sergeant has been charged with drunken driving and interference with official acts.
Police say that Sgt. Sid Jackson was arrested early Saturday by University of Iowa police after an officer saw him sitting in his car with the door open.
Police say that Jackson denied he was driving, refused to take a breath test and fought with officers when they tried to put him in a patrol car. A police report says Jackson was injured in the struggle.
Police would not say whether Jackson was on duty, but the Iowa City Police Department Web site shows he is assigned to the overnight shift.
Iowa City police Lt. Doug Hart says the department is conducting an internal investigation into the incident.
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http://www.press-citizen.com/article/20090222/NEWS01/902220320/1079
An Iowa City police sergeant has been charged with drunken driving and interference with official acts.
Police say that Sgt. Sid Jackson was arrested early Saturday by University of Iowa police after an officer saw him sitting in his car with the door open.
Police say that Jackson denied he was driving, refused to take a breath test and fought with officers when they tried to put him in a patrol car. A police report says Jackson was injured in the struggle.
Police would not say whether Jackson was on duty, but the Iowa City Police Department Web site shows he is assigned to the overnight shift.
Iowa City police Lt. Doug Hart says the department is conducting an internal investigation into the incident.
________________
http://www.press-citizen.com/article/20090222/NEWS01/902220320/1079
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Officer John Sickels Charged with Rape WILL NOT get his Job Back
August 11, 2008
A former Creston police officer accused of sexually abusing a woman is still off the force after losing an appeal to get his job back. Former assistant police chief John Sickels is charged with raping a woman at the Crestmoor Golf Club in April and was fired shortly thereafter.
On Monday, Creston's civil service commission upheld that firing, saying that Sickels admitted to lying to investigators. Those lies are grounds for termination.
Former Creston police chief James Christensen is accused of looking on as the rape happened. Christensen was also removed from his job. Both are scheduled to go on trial November 17.
A former Creston police officer accused of sexually abusing a woman is still off the force after losing an appeal to get his job back. Former assistant police chief John Sickels is charged with raping a woman at the Crestmoor Golf Club in April and was fired shortly thereafter.
On Monday, Creston's civil service commission upheld that firing, saying that Sickels admitted to lying to investigators. Those lies are grounds for termination.
Former Creston police chief James Christensen is accused of looking on as the rape happened. Christensen was also removed from his job. Both are scheduled to go on trial November 17.
Tuesday, July 08, 2008
No Mug Shot Taken of Officer Christopher Vesey Arrested for Drunk Driving
Waukee police officers forgot to take a mug shot of an off-duty undercover police officer arrested last week, officials said Monday.
Officer Christopher Vesey, a Waukee resident and member of the West Des Moines narcotics task force, was charged with operating a vehicle while intoxicated at 2:20 a.m. July 2. Waukee police took his fingerprints and impounded his car.
Waukee Police Chief L.J. Phillips said that it is department policy to take a booking photo but that each of the two officers involved in Vesey's booking thought the other had taken one. It's not the first time it has happened, Phillips said: "It was not done deliberately."
Ben Stone, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Iowa, said the incident should be investigated. "Circumstances would certainly raise strong suspicions that there was favorable treatment," he said.
West Des Moines police have so far refused to release a photo of Vesey, 33, who joined the department in 1999. Authorities said because of his undercover work, releasing a photo of Vesey could jeopardize cases he has pending.
Waukee police found Vesey after another motorist spotted his car being driven in an irregular manner. Officers found Vesey in his car, stopped near the intersection of Hickman Road and North 10th Street. Vesey refused to take a breath analysis test.
Iowa law suspends the licenses of drivers who refuse to take a breath test.
Vesey is on paid administrative leave from the West Des Moines Police Department. The department said it will conduct an investigation to determine whether he violated department policy and whether any action will be taken on his employment.
Officer Christopher Vesey, a Waukee resident and member of the West Des Moines narcotics task force, was charged with operating a vehicle while intoxicated at 2:20 a.m. July 2. Waukee police took his fingerprints and impounded his car.
Waukee Police Chief L.J. Phillips said that it is department policy to take a booking photo but that each of the two officers involved in Vesey's booking thought the other had taken one. It's not the first time it has happened, Phillips said: "It was not done deliberately."
Ben Stone, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Iowa, said the incident should be investigated. "Circumstances would certainly raise strong suspicions that there was favorable treatment," he said.
West Des Moines police have so far refused to release a photo of Vesey, 33, who joined the department in 1999. Authorities said because of his undercover work, releasing a photo of Vesey could jeopardize cases he has pending.
Waukee police found Vesey after another motorist spotted his car being driven in an irregular manner. Officers found Vesey in his car, stopped near the intersection of Hickman Road and North 10th Street. Vesey refused to take a breath analysis test.
Iowa law suspends the licenses of drivers who refuse to take a breath test.
Vesey is on paid administrative leave from the West Des Moines Police Department. The department said it will conduct an investigation to determine whether he violated department policy and whether any action will be taken on his employment.
Tuesday, July 01, 2008
Officer Clay Blanchard Charged in Domestic Fight
A Des Moines senior police officer has been arrested after he allegedly assaulted his wife Friday evening.
Clay Blanchard, 56, of Des Moines, was arrested this morning, according to police.
He was charged with domestic assault causing injury, second-degree harassment and obstructing an emergency phone call and taken to the Polk County Jail. Blanchard’s wife, Angela, 40, was not seriously injured, police said.
Angela Blanchard came back to the couple’s residence Friday evening after having dinner with a man, and her husband reportedly began yelling at her and demanded her cell phone, a police report said.
When Angela refused, the two wrestled for the phone and she threatened to call police. Blanchard then took her cell phone and his wife called police from their home phone.
Angela Blanchard told officers she didn’t want to make a report about the incident, but one was made for documentation, police said.
Angela said the couple has an open marriage, the police report said. The man she had seen earlier the night of the assault was a relationship her husband knew about, she told police.
“We investigated this like we would with any other criminal case,” said Sgt. Vince Valdez. “As far as his employment, that is yet to be determined.”
Clay Blanchard, 56, of Des Moines, was arrested this morning, according to police.
He was charged with domestic assault causing injury, second-degree harassment and obstructing an emergency phone call and taken to the Polk County Jail. Blanchard’s wife, Angela, 40, was not seriously injured, police said.
Angela Blanchard came back to the couple’s residence Friday evening after having dinner with a man, and her husband reportedly began yelling at her and demanded her cell phone, a police report said.
When Angela refused, the two wrestled for the phone and she threatened to call police. Blanchard then took her cell phone and his wife called police from their home phone.
Angela Blanchard told officers she didn’t want to make a report about the incident, but one was made for documentation, police said.
Angela said the couple has an open marriage, the police report said. The man she had seen earlier the night of the assault was a relationship her husband knew about, she told police.
“We investigated this like we would with any other criminal case,” said Sgt. Vince Valdez. “As far as his employment, that is yet to be determined.”
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Police Chief and Assistant Chief both Charged with Sexual Assault
CRESTON, Iowa
Creston Mayor Warren Woods announced Tuesday that Police Chief James Christensen has been fired following an investigation.
Woods said the termination was official as of 5 p.m. Monday.
Chief Christensen, 40, and former Assistant Police Chief John Sickels, 38, are both charged with second-degree sexual assault in a case involving a female bartender working at the Crestmoor Golf Club.
Investigators said the assault happened on April 18.
The bartender told the investigator that Sickels raped her behind the bar while Christensen "held her hand, stroked her hair and 'shushed' her."
Court documents show the incident happened around 2 a.m. when Christensen, Sickles and the bartender were the only people left in the bar.
If convicted, both men face the possibility of up to 25 years in prison.
Woods said city officials hope to name an interim chief in the next few days.
"I want everyone to know that I am very proud of our police force and the way that they have reacted to the difficult circumstances. My public thanks goes to each and every one of them," Woods said in a statement released Tuesday.
Creston Mayor Warren Woods announced Tuesday that Police Chief James Christensen has been fired following an investigation.
Woods said the termination was official as of 5 p.m. Monday.
Chief Christensen, 40, and former Assistant Police Chief John Sickels, 38, are both charged with second-degree sexual assault in a case involving a female bartender working at the Crestmoor Golf Club.
Investigators said the assault happened on April 18.
The bartender told the investigator that Sickels raped her behind the bar while Christensen "held her hand, stroked her hair and 'shushed' her."
Court documents show the incident happened around 2 a.m. when Christensen, Sickles and the bartender were the only people left in the bar.
If convicted, both men face the possibility of up to 25 years in prison.
Woods said city officials hope to name an interim chief in the next few days.
"I want everyone to know that I am very proud of our police force and the way that they have reacted to the difficult circumstances. My public thanks goes to each and every one of them," Woods said in a statement released Tuesday.
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