Lax security policies at the Tulsa Police Department led to the disappearance of 44 guns and an unknown amount of ammunition, a recent audit concluded.
The inquiry stemmed from the theft of 19 firearms and ammunition in 2007, Police Chief Ron Palmer told city councilors Tuesday. Former range instructor Buddy Visser was sent to federal prison for stealing the weapons and selling them online during an 11-month period.
"No one ever counted on the police stealing from the police," Palmer said. "But at the same time, we could have done a lot better job along the way."
The 19 stolen guns were eventually recovered. Twenty-five others, including two AR-15 assault rifles and several snub-nosed revolvers, are unaccounted for, Palmer said.
Although it's continuing to search for those weapons, the department has invested in a computer system to track ammunition by bar codes. Security is also tighter at the range, Palmer said.
The audit, which cataloged roughly 5,300 firearms that passed through the department in the last 30 years, was the first large-scale examination of the department's arsenal, Palmer said.
"A whole host of things happened during that period of time and, as we admit in our response to the range audit, we didn't do a very good job in some of that inventory control," he said.
Among the missing weapons are nine Remington 12-gauge shotguns and two Smith & Wesson .357-caliber Magnum revolvers.
All told, the guns are worth $11,864, records show.
Palmer said the audit uncovered several ways to improve security.
The new computer program will help track the department's inventory, but technical problems have delayed the project. Officials are working with the city's information technology staff to bring the system online, Palmer said.
Visser, a 17-year department veteran, sold the stolen guns and ammunition on his Web site, authorities said. None of the buyers knew that the weapons were stolen, police said.
Visser resigned from the police force before he pleaded guilty to the charges in March 2008. He is in a low-security prison in Texas, records show.
Documents: View a list of the 25 firearms that are still missing from the Tulsa Police Department
Showing posts with label assault rifle. Show all posts
Showing posts with label assault rifle. Show all posts
Wednesday, May 06, 2009
Friday, March 06, 2009
Officer James Arthur Jr Arrested for Possession of Stolen Firearm
A Vivian police officer was arrested today on charges he bought a stolen gun on the street and then sold it back to a drug dealer when he found out it was hot.
James Arthur Jr., 34, of Peach Street in Shreveport was arrested by Caddo Parish sheriff's deputies on charges of possession of a stolen firearm.
The charges involve a stolen Bushmaster XM15 assault rifle valued at $1,250.
The rifle and three others were reported stolen in Shreveport in March 2008. In November, one of the guns was recovered by local narcotics agents during a drug case.
Sheriff's Department detectives began an investigation into the stolen weapon and found that Arthur bought the gun on the street for $300, Prator said.
Afterward, Arthur got on a national crime information computer to check the weapon's history and found out it was stolen, Prator said. Instead of turning the gun in, he sold it on the street for $600 to a known drug dealer, Prator said.
James Arthur Jr., 34, of Peach Street in Shreveport was arrested by Caddo Parish sheriff's deputies on charges of possession of a stolen firearm.
The charges involve a stolen Bushmaster XM15 assault rifle valued at $1,250.
The rifle and three others were reported stolen in Shreveport in March 2008. In November, one of the guns was recovered by local narcotics agents during a drug case.
Sheriff's Department detectives began an investigation into the stolen weapon and found that Arthur bought the gun on the street for $300, Prator said.
Afterward, Arthur got on a national crime information computer to check the weapon's history and found out it was stolen, Prator said. Instead of turning the gun in, he sold it on the street for $600 to a known drug dealer, Prator said.
Thursday, January 08, 2009
Former Officer Chu Vue Arrested for 23 Counts of Computer Access Violations
A former Sacramento sheriff's deputy who police have called a "principal" in the slaying of a California Medical Facility correctional officer last October was arrested Wednesday in connection with misusing Sheriff's Department computers.
Chu Vue, 43, was taken into custody around 8:30 a.m. in front of his Elk Grove residence on a warrant citing 23 counts of computer access violations.
"We believe that he accessed work computers to locate variations of the name Steve Lo and that he used that information to access Steve Lo's address," said Sgt. Norm Leong, spokesman for the Sacramento Police Department.
Vue was later booked into Sacramento County Jail and subsequently posted bail.
Steve Lo, 39, was gunned down outside his Sacramento residence on Oct. 15 as he was leaving for work early that morning. He later died at a local hospital.
Though Vue has not been arrested in connection with Lo's death, he later was arrested on suspicion of possessing an unregistered illegal assault rifle, which was discovered during a search of his residence. He later posted bail.
A record of the search warrant for Vue's residence linked Vue to the killing.
"Your affiant is confident that Chu Vue is not the perpetrator of this homicide, but he remains a principal in this case," the document stated. "Chu Vue's activities in the weeks and months leading up to this homicide strongly indicate that he was involved in the planning and/or the execution of this crime."
The Sacramento Police Department urges anyone with information regarding this homicide to contact Crime Alert at 916-443-HELP. Callers can remain anonymous and may be eligible for a reward up to $1,000. An additional $50,000 reward is being offered by the Lo Family and the California Correctional Peace Officer's Association.
Chu Vue, 43, was taken into custody around 8:30 a.m. in front of his Elk Grove residence on a warrant citing 23 counts of computer access violations.
"We believe that he accessed work computers to locate variations of the name Steve Lo and that he used that information to access Steve Lo's address," said Sgt. Norm Leong, spokesman for the Sacramento Police Department.
Vue was later booked into Sacramento County Jail and subsequently posted bail.
Steve Lo, 39, was gunned down outside his Sacramento residence on Oct. 15 as he was leaving for work early that morning. He later died at a local hospital.
Though Vue has not been arrested in connection with Lo's death, he later was arrested on suspicion of possessing an unregistered illegal assault rifle, which was discovered during a search of his residence. He later posted bail.
A record of the search warrant for Vue's residence linked Vue to the killing.
"Your affiant is confident that Chu Vue is not the perpetrator of this homicide, but he remains a principal in this case," the document stated. "Chu Vue's activities in the weeks and months leading up to this homicide strongly indicate that he was involved in the planning and/or the execution of this crime."
The Sacramento Police Department urges anyone with information regarding this homicide to contact Crime Alert at 916-443-HELP. Callers can remain anonymous and may be eligible for a reward up to $1,000. An additional $50,000 reward is being offered by the Lo Family and the California Correctional Peace Officer's Association.
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
What Are You Afraid Of?
"Police ask to carry own rifles" (Arizona Republic, November 24)
"Phoenix police union officials are proposing that 200 senior officers be allowed to buy their own semiautomatic rifles to use on the job after some said they felt more at risk and asked for additional firepower."
Pretty dangerous out there, eh, boys? In 2007, in fact, two officers were killed on the job, whereas 2008 has seen a whopping one on-the-job death. From an automobile accident, which no doubt could have been prevented had there been a semiautomatic rifle at hand.
Naturally, you guys are afraid -- according to the Officer Down Memorial Page website, the Phoenix Police Department has been fairly plagued with on-the-job deaths. Thirty-four -- that's thirty-four officers have been killed in the line of duty, fifteen of them by gunfire, since 1925. That averages out to -- let's see; .41 deaths per year.
According to the Arizona Republic, about 76% of Phoenix officers surveyed said that the job "has become increasingly violent since they graduated from the police academy." I'm sure it has. The use of percussion grenades, battering rams, armored vehicles and assault rifles against suspected drug users and their families has increased by quantum leaps in the past decade.
Think about this...If you get a bigger weapon, the 'bad guy' is going to try and get an even bigger weapon, and then you feel the need to getter a bigger and badder weapon, and then the 'bad guy' ....you get the picture. How big does your weapon have to be? Where does it finally stop? There is another way, and it's not a better weapon than the Jones have.
Since you are the ones causing the violence, I'm pretty sure that arming yourselves with even more weapons isn't going to improve matters. It might make you feel safer, but I was under the impression that we pay, and trust, you to protect us. You remember us, don't you -- the public?
"Phoenix police union officials are proposing that 200 senior officers be allowed to buy their own semiautomatic rifles to use on the job after some said they felt more at risk and asked for additional firepower."
Pretty dangerous out there, eh, boys? In 2007, in fact, two officers were killed on the job, whereas 2008 has seen a whopping one on-the-job death. From an automobile accident, which no doubt could have been prevented had there been a semiautomatic rifle at hand.
Naturally, you guys are afraid -- according to the Officer Down Memorial Page website, the Phoenix Police Department has been fairly plagued with on-the-job deaths. Thirty-four -- that's thirty-four officers have been killed in the line of duty, fifteen of them by gunfire, since 1925. That averages out to -- let's see; .41 deaths per year.
According to the Arizona Republic, about 76% of Phoenix officers surveyed said that the job "has become increasingly violent since they graduated from the police academy." I'm sure it has. The use of percussion grenades, battering rams, armored vehicles and assault rifles against suspected drug users and their families has increased by quantum leaps in the past decade.
Think about this...If you get a bigger weapon, the 'bad guy' is going to try and get an even bigger weapon, and then you feel the need to getter a bigger and badder weapon, and then the 'bad guy' ....you get the picture. How big does your weapon have to be? Where does it finally stop? There is another way, and it's not a better weapon than the Jones have.
Since you are the ones causing the violence, I'm pretty sure that arming yourselves with even more weapons isn't going to improve matters. It might make you feel safer, but I was under the impression that we pay, and trust, you to protect us. You remember us, don't you -- the public?
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Timeline Questioned in Drew Peterson Case
Authorities used "vindictive and selective" prosecution in their gun case against former Bolingbrook Police Sgt. Drew Peterson, his legal team argued in Will County Court today.
Peterson, 54, faces felony gun charges for allegedly possessing a modified assault rifle with a barrel of less than 16 inches in violation of state law. Authorities seized the rifle, along with other weapons, after search warrants were executed last November as part of the investigation into the Oct. 28, 2007 disappearance of Peterson's fourth wife, Stacy.
But Peterson's attorney, Joel Brodsky, questioned the timeline of how the gun case unfolded. In February, police revoked Peterson's firearm owner identification card after a judge ruled that his firearms should be returned to Peterson granted that he had a valid FOID card.
And then in May, authorities arrested Peterson for owning the rifle on the eve of learning from the judge whether the guns could be turned over to his son, Stephen, an Oak Brook police officer.
Brodsky is requesting that prosecutors turn over documents leading up to the charges against his client.
"This timeline proves with more than sufficient evidence that the reason to do this is to punish Mr. Drew Peterson for exercising his Constitutional rights," Brodsky said.
Peterson, who maintains his wife ran off, has said that he used the rifle as a SWAT team member for the Bolingbrook police department.
Will County Assistant State's Atty. Dede Osterberger argued against giving the defense "privileged information."
"We strongly argue against this case, judge, because we think that the defense is engaging in a fishing expedition," she said.
Judge Richard Schoenstedt, who was battling a cold and losing his voice, said he would defer his ruling until the next scheduled hearing on Nov. 20.
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Former Officer Bruce Bochicchio Charged with Stealing Stun Gun
Former Waterbury police officer Bruce Bochicchio was charged Monday with keeping a municipally issued electronic stun gun after he left the force.
The second-degree larceny charge lodged by Waterbury police against Bochicchio was added to weapons and domestic disturbance charges he already faces.
Police say Bochicchio, 41, of Morris kept the stun gun, a device that can deliver an electric shock, long after he left the force in August 2006.
Bochicchio's defense attorney, Tom Waterfall of Torrington, said his client returned all his other job materials to the city when he left the department, but simply forgot to return the stun gun.
"In order for the court to prove larceny, you must prove the intention to permanently deprive the other of the property," he said. "If you forget, it doesn't meet the statute."
Police seized the stun gun and 10 other weapons, including an assault rifle, and two fully automatic submachine guns, during a search of his home in late June. They recently discovered the stun gun was among the items Bochicchio should have returned to Waterbury police.
Officers searched Bochicchio's house after his wife, Christine, told them she feared for her safety and believed her husband had weapons in the house in violation of a previous restraining order filed against him.
Bochicchio ultimately was charged with violating the restraining order. Around the same time, state police charged him with threatening based on a complaint by his wife in the wake of domestic disputes.
He is under orders to stay away from his wife and the home where they lived.
Bochicchio is scheduled for an appearance Aug. 26 at Waterbury Superior Court. He will likely be arraigned and have his case transferred to New Britain Superior Court and combined with his other arrest cases, said Paul Murray of the Chief State's Attorney's Office.
Bochicchio's brother, Michael, a former state police trooper, shot and killed his wife, Donna, and critically injured her attorney, Julie Porzio, outside a courthouse in Middletown during a contentious divorce in 2005.
The second-degree larceny charge lodged by Waterbury police against Bochicchio was added to weapons and domestic disturbance charges he already faces.
Police say Bochicchio, 41, of Morris kept the stun gun, a device that can deliver an electric shock, long after he left the force in August 2006.
Bochicchio's defense attorney, Tom Waterfall of Torrington, said his client returned all his other job materials to the city when he left the department, but simply forgot to return the stun gun.
"In order for the court to prove larceny, you must prove the intention to permanently deprive the other of the property," he said. "If you forget, it doesn't meet the statute."
Police seized the stun gun and 10 other weapons, including an assault rifle, and two fully automatic submachine guns, during a search of his home in late June. They recently discovered the stun gun was among the items Bochicchio should have returned to Waterbury police.
Officers searched Bochicchio's house after his wife, Christine, told them she feared for her safety and believed her husband had weapons in the house in violation of a previous restraining order filed against him.
Bochicchio ultimately was charged with violating the restraining order. Around the same time, state police charged him with threatening based on a complaint by his wife in the wake of domestic disputes.
He is under orders to stay away from his wife and the home where they lived.
Bochicchio is scheduled for an appearance Aug. 26 at Waterbury Superior Court. He will likely be arraigned and have his case transferred to New Britain Superior Court and combined with his other arrest cases, said Paul Murray of the Chief State's Attorney's Office.
Bochicchio's brother, Michael, a former state police trooper, shot and killed his wife, Donna, and critically injured her attorney, Julie Porzio, outside a courthouse in Middletown during a contentious divorce in 2005.
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