Faced with being fired, an Indianapolis police officer retired Tuesday, the same day prosecutors charged him with a felony and five misdemeanors in connection with two alcohol-related crashes involving his department-issued cars.
George Leon Benjamin, a respected robbery detective and the brother of a deputy chief, allegedly was involved in accidents with four department-issued vehicles since 2002, yet was allowed to stay in the department and continued to drive take-home vehicles.
Weak evidence, lenient policies and the fact that Benjamin was widely regarded as a "good officer" helped him keep his job until the most recent incidents came to light Monday.
Benjamin, 46, checked himself into a treatment program Tuesday shortly after he told supervisors he would retire.
Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Chief Michael Spears said he was going to seek to have Benjamin fired. A firing would not have changed Benjamin's pension or benefits.
"We take a pretty serious stance with" drunken driving, Spears said. "This is the only area of disciplinary action that is specifically outlined in policy. Regardless of who you are, you know what the consequences will be."
Under the current policy, any officer who crashes a department vehicle with even a trace of alcohol in his or her system faces a 30-day suspension for a first offense and termination for the second offense.
Prior to 2005, officers typically received a 15-day suspension for crashing a squad car while intoxicated. Benjamin's first two incidents occurred before the new policy was in place.
Officials say Benjamin committed two alcohol-related offenses in the past three weeks.
Prosecutors charged him with public intoxication and two counts of drunken driving after he allegedly crashed his department-issued Ford Taurus into a fence in the 7300 block of West Morris Street on Sunday night.
Benjamin also was charged with criminal mischief, public intoxication and failure to stop after an accident in connection with a July 22 crash in which Benjamin's department-issued Ford Crown Victoria struck and damaged a maintenance building in the Westpark Townhomes, 7800 block of West 10th Street.
The criminal mischief charge is a felony and carries a sentence of six months to three years in prison if convicted. The other charges are misdemeanors. Benjamin is scheduled to appear in Marion Superior Court today for a hearing.
Benjamin's brother, Deputy Chief William Benjamin, removed himself from the investigation to avoid any appearance of impropriety. The investigating supervisors, who typically reported to William Benjamin, reported directly to Spears, the chief said.
"He completely recused himself from any part of that investigation and has remained out of it," Spears said.
George Leon Benjamin had been working as a detective in the department's robbery section. He has 11 commendations and awards, including being named officer of the month for January 2001.
But off-duty, Benjamin had problems.
In 2004, he served a 10-day suspension and was required to undergo counseling after he struck a metal gate with a department vehicle, causing about $2,000 in damage to the vehicle. Benjamin was not arrested because no one witnessed him behind the wheel, a key element needed to prove a drunken-driving case.
Benjamin was suspended for five days in December 2005 after he failed to comply with the terms of a treatment program. Officials declined to elaborate.
In 2002, while Benjamin was assigned to then-Mayor Bart Peterson's security detail, he was off duty and behind the wheel of an unmarked patrol car that struck another vehicle outside a strip mall at 56th Street and Georgetown Road. Witnesses and authorities said Benjamin smelled of alcohol, but the officers who investigated did not give him a field sobriety or breath test. No arrests were made and no discipline was handed out, although he later left the mayor's security detail.
Department officials at the time criticized the Marion County sheriff's deputy who investigated the case for choosing not to test Benjamin's sobriety. Deputy Larry Crowe said he did not have enough probable cause to ask Benjamin to undergo the tests.
Public Safety Director Scott Newman said Tuesday that Benjamin's arrest and forced retirement show times have changed in the Police Department.
"Fifteen or 20 years ago, if you were pro-police, it meant you defended every officer no matter what," Newman said. "Now, even the union considers whether an action was within a framework of something that can be defended."
Bill Owensby, president of the local chapter of the Fraternal Order of Police, worked alongside Benjamin early in their careers.
"I thought he was a fine police officer," Owensby said. "I'm not blowing smoke. I thought he was a good cop."
Benjamin's alcohol problems happened while he was off duty, Owensby said. Benjamin's on-duty performance was not in question.
"If these incidents surfaced every few years or so, it's possible that he stayed under their radar," Owensby said. "They surfaced every so often, but not often enough to put a bull's-eye on his back."
Spears said he hopes Benjamin's swift separation from IMPD reminds other officers to stay away from alcohol whenever they drive their take-home vehicles.
"I clearly will not accept that type of conduct no matter who the officer is," Spears said.
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Officer Scott Campbell Charged with Fraud
CHICAGO
Another Chicago police officer has been indicted in connection with a scheme to have his car towed away and declared stolen for insurance money.
The U.S. attorney's office says Officer Scott Campbell was charged Tuesday with fraud in a plan to have his Volkswagen towed and cut up for parts. Authorites say Campbell planned to report the auto as stolen once it had been taken away.
A lawyer for Campbell could not immediately be reached for comment.
In June, Officer Joseph Grillo, a 12-year department veteran, and another man, James P. Athans, of Wood Dale, were charged with one count each of felony mail fraud.
Grillo was accused of making arrangements with Athans to have the car taken off the street, and agreeing to help keep other towing companies away from accident scenes as part of the deal.
Another Chicago police officer has been indicted in connection with a scheme to have his car towed away and declared stolen for insurance money.
The U.S. attorney's office says Officer Scott Campbell was charged Tuesday with fraud in a plan to have his Volkswagen towed and cut up for parts. Authorites say Campbell planned to report the auto as stolen once it had been taken away.
A lawyer for Campbell could not immediately be reached for comment.
In June, Officer Joseph Grillo, a 12-year department veteran, and another man, James P. Athans, of Wood Dale, were charged with one count each of felony mail fraud.
Grillo was accused of making arrangements with Athans to have the car taken off the street, and agreeing to help keep other towing companies away from accident scenes as part of the deal.
Officer Herrick Johnson Charged with Having Sex with Teen He Met Online
ALTOONA, Pa.
A central Pennsylvania police officer charged with having sex with a 16-year-old girl he met online wants to retire and collect his pension.
Altoona Police Officer Herrick Johnson is on paid administrative leave. State police say the 49-year-old Johnson met the girl through a site that promoted law enforcement careers. State police say Johnson drove to Indiana to pick up the girl at her family's home in July.
The city's pension board must rule on Johnson's request to retire effective Aug. 20, the day of his preliminary hearing on the charges. Johnson's pension would be based on 50 percent of his base pay.
City officials say the officer likely won't forfeit his pension due to the sex charges.
A central Pennsylvania police officer charged with having sex with a 16-year-old girl he met online wants to retire and collect his pension.
Altoona Police Officer Herrick Johnson is on paid administrative leave. State police say the 49-year-old Johnson met the girl through a site that promoted law enforcement careers. State police say Johnson drove to Indiana to pick up the girl at her family's home in July.
The city's pension board must rule on Johnson's request to retire effective Aug. 20, the day of his preliminary hearing on the charges. Johnson's pension would be based on 50 percent of his base pay.
City officials say the officer likely won't forfeit his pension due to the sex charges.
Officer Sean Bracey Charged with Forcible Rape of a Child
SPRINGFIELD
A former Belchertown police officer was ordered held in lieu of $50,000 cash or $500,000 surety after he pleaded innocent today in Hampden Superior Court to forcible rape of a child under 16.
Sean F. Bracey, 40, of 34 Pine Grove St., Springfield, also pleaded innocent in front of Judge Tina S. Page to indecent assault and battery on a child under 14.
Bracey was indicted by a grand jury on Monday and a warrant issued for his arrest. He was arrested Tuesday.
According to the indictments, Bracey is accused of forcible rape of a child under 16 "on or about April 21, 2007," in Springfield.
The indecent assault and battery on a child under 14 charge said that happened between September 2001 and September 2002. The indictments give the initial of the victim in each charge. The initials of the victim in each charge were the same.
Bracey submitted his resignation to Belchertown selectmen in June 2005.
Bracey, convicted of domestic assault and battery by a Hampshire Superior Court jury April 26, 2005, submitted a brief, typed letter of resignation to the board. It said, "For reasons known to the Board of Selectmen and personal reasons, I must tender my resignation from my appointed position as full-time police officer with the Town of Belchertown."
A former Belchertown police officer was ordered held in lieu of $50,000 cash or $500,000 surety after he pleaded innocent today in Hampden Superior Court to forcible rape of a child under 16.
Sean F. Bracey, 40, of 34 Pine Grove St., Springfield, also pleaded innocent in front of Judge Tina S. Page to indecent assault and battery on a child under 14.
Bracey was indicted by a grand jury on Monday and a warrant issued for his arrest. He was arrested Tuesday.
According to the indictments, Bracey is accused of forcible rape of a child under 16 "on or about April 21, 2007," in Springfield.
The indecent assault and battery on a child under 14 charge said that happened between September 2001 and September 2002. The indictments give the initial of the victim in each charge. The initials of the victim in each charge were the same.
Bracey submitted his resignation to Belchertown selectmen in June 2005.
Bracey, convicted of domestic assault and battery by a Hampshire Superior Court jury April 26, 2005, submitted a brief, typed letter of resignation to the board. It said, "For reasons known to the Board of Selectmen and personal reasons, I must tender my resignation from my appointed position as full-time police officer with the Town of Belchertown."
Officer Ian Elsom Charged with Assault
An officer charged Tuesday with assault causing bodily harm used an appropriate amount of force in collaring a man who was resisting arrest, the president of the Calgary Police Association argued.
Calgary police allege Const. Ian Elsom, 38, caused unspecified jaw injuries during an altercation after a traffic stop on Dec. 8, 2007.
But association president John Dooks said Elsom broke no laws.
The offender was resisting arrest and the officer used a reasonable amount of force," Dooks said.
"The officer was involved in a foot chase and the suspect sustained injuries as a result of a struggle, as a result of some of his own actions."
The Calgary Police Service said its Professional Standards Section investigated the incident and sent its findings to prosecutors in Edmonton.
The Crown reviewed the case and recommended last week that Elsom be charged.
"It is very rare for us to charge a police officer. It's all based on the recommendation from the Edmonton Crown," said Calgary police Insp. Monty Sparrow.
"We take all matters seriously and forward all of our investigations of a criminal nature to the Edmonton Crown for review. Upon their recommendation, we lay the charge."
Elsom, who has served with the CPS for the last two years, is on paid relief for the next seven days.
Sparrow would not say much about the incident, saying the matter was before the courts.
"The Calgary Police Service takes any allegations of criminal activity, misconduct or improper behaviour against its officers very seriously. All incidents are investigated thoroughly and impartially," said Sparrow.
The case comes less than a week after another Calgary officer was acquitted of assault charges in court.
Seven-year member Const. Sean Hasson was acquitted Saturday of aggravated assault after an incident that stemmed from an unpaid bar tab. The judge in that case was critical of the Crown's arguments.
Dooks said he knows Elsom and reiterated his belief that he will also be cleared.
"He's a very committed and hard-working officer and I believe his actions were appropriate for the situation. He was lawfully engaged in his duties with somebody who was resisting arrest," Dooks said.
Calgary police allege Const. Ian Elsom, 38, caused unspecified jaw injuries during an altercation after a traffic stop on Dec. 8, 2007.
But association president John Dooks said Elsom broke no laws.
The offender was resisting arrest and the officer used a reasonable amount of force," Dooks said.
"The officer was involved in a foot chase and the suspect sustained injuries as a result of a struggle, as a result of some of his own actions."
The Calgary Police Service said its Professional Standards Section investigated the incident and sent its findings to prosecutors in Edmonton.
The Crown reviewed the case and recommended last week that Elsom be charged.
"It is very rare for us to charge a police officer. It's all based on the recommendation from the Edmonton Crown," said Calgary police Insp. Monty Sparrow.
"We take all matters seriously and forward all of our investigations of a criminal nature to the Edmonton Crown for review. Upon their recommendation, we lay the charge."
Elsom, who has served with the CPS for the last two years, is on paid relief for the next seven days.
Sparrow would not say much about the incident, saying the matter was before the courts.
"The Calgary Police Service takes any allegations of criminal activity, misconduct or improper behaviour against its officers very seriously. All incidents are investigated thoroughly and impartially," said Sparrow.
The case comes less than a week after another Calgary officer was acquitted of assault charges in court.
Seven-year member Const. Sean Hasson was acquitted Saturday of aggravated assault after an incident that stemmed from an unpaid bar tab. The judge in that case was critical of the Crown's arguments.
Dooks said he knows Elsom and reiterated his belief that he will also be cleared.
"He's a very committed and hard-working officer and I believe his actions were appropriate for the situation. He was lawfully engaged in his duties with somebody who was resisting arrest," Dooks said.
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Sheriff Mike Burgess Hearing has Started
A preliminary hearing is under way in Arapaho for a former sheriff accused of running a sex slave operation at the Custer County jail.
Former Sheriff Mike Burgess is charged with 35 felonies including second-degree rape, forcible oral sodomy and bribery.
Former deputy Jennifer Tyler testified today that Burgess groped her several times including before her first day on the job.
Tyler also said Burgess had inappropriate sexual contact with women he oversaw in the county's drug court program.
Prosecutors are also expected to present allegations made in a federal lawsuit by 12 former inmates who say they were forced into wet T-short contests and offered cigarettes for exposing their breasts.
It also claims Burgess told a drug court participant he would have her sent to prison if she didn't agree to his sexual demands.
His attorney says Burgess is eager to get to court and clear his name.
Burgess resigned in April and faces up to 467 years in prison if convicted on all counts.
Former Sheriff Mike Burgess is charged with 35 felonies including second-degree rape, forcible oral sodomy and bribery.
Former deputy Jennifer Tyler testified today that Burgess groped her several times including before her first day on the job.
Tyler also said Burgess had inappropriate sexual contact with women he oversaw in the county's drug court program.
Prosecutors are also expected to present allegations made in a federal lawsuit by 12 former inmates who say they were forced into wet T-short contests and offered cigarettes for exposing their breasts.
It also claims Burgess told a drug court participant he would have her sent to prison if she didn't agree to his sexual demands.
His attorney says Burgess is eager to get to court and clear his name.
Burgess resigned in April and faces up to 467 years in prison if convicted on all counts.
Sgt Chris Morris Arrested for DUI
McALESTER
McAlester police Sgt. Chris Morris was arrested Saturday night on an initial complaint of driving under the influence, Police Chief Jim Lyles said.
"He is suspended with pay pending the outcome of an internal investigation,” Lyles said.
Morris is president of Lodge 97 of the Fraternal Order of Police and is the current officer of the year.
He had been off-duty at the time of his arrest, according to the police chief. Lyles said McAlester police responded the same way that they would have in any case, regardless of who was involved.
Police received information of Morris possibly becoming intoxicated during a celebration at the Elks Lodge in McAlester, he said.
"It was reported to the department that he possibly was becoming intoxicated,” Lyles said. "There was a concern that if he left there driving, he would possibly be DUI.”
The chief said he was told that Morris, who is a singer, had performed at the event.
He said police stopped Morris after he ran two stops signs, including a stop sign at Elks Road and U.S. 69.
Master Patrolman Greg Read made the arrest, with assistance from Sgt. Windell Henry, Lyles said.
Following the arrest, police took Morris to the city police department, he said.
The chief said the city jail was filled at the time and he did not want Morris held in the county jail for obvious reasons — meaning the jail holds people arrested by McAlester police.
Morris was held in an administrative room at the police department under Capt. Shawn Smith's supervision, according to Lyles.
Police later took Morris to the Pittsburg County jail, where he was booked and released on his own recognizance, Lyles said.
McAlester police Sgt. Chris Morris was arrested Saturday night on an initial complaint of driving under the influence, Police Chief Jim Lyles said.
"He is suspended with pay pending the outcome of an internal investigation,” Lyles said.
Morris is president of Lodge 97 of the Fraternal Order of Police and is the current officer of the year.
He had been off-duty at the time of his arrest, according to the police chief. Lyles said McAlester police responded the same way that they would have in any case, regardless of who was involved.
Police received information of Morris possibly becoming intoxicated during a celebration at the Elks Lodge in McAlester, he said.
"It was reported to the department that he possibly was becoming intoxicated,” Lyles said. "There was a concern that if he left there driving, he would possibly be DUI.”
The chief said he was told that Morris, who is a singer, had performed at the event.
He said police stopped Morris after he ran two stops signs, including a stop sign at Elks Road and U.S. 69.
Master Patrolman Greg Read made the arrest, with assistance from Sgt. Windell Henry, Lyles said.
Following the arrest, police took Morris to the city police department, he said.
The chief said the city jail was filled at the time and he did not want Morris held in the county jail for obvious reasons — meaning the jail holds people arrested by McAlester police.
Morris was held in an administrative room at the police department under Capt. Shawn Smith's supervision, according to Lyles.
Police later took Morris to the Pittsburg County jail, where he was booked and released on his own recognizance, Lyles said.
Keely Johnson Trial Starts
DEDHAM
The trial of a Stoughton District Court officer accused of selling prescription drugs to an undercover state trooper was scheduled to begin today in Norfolk Superior Court.
Keely Johnson, 32, of Stoughton is charged with trafficking in oxycodone more than 14 grams and distribution of oxycodone. The charges stem from an investigation conducted in 2006.
Jury selection was completed Monday and opening statements were expected to be heard today. Judge Kenneth Fishman is presiding.
Johnson was arrested on Aug. 3, 2006, after allegedly selling 20 Percocet pills to the trooper. The transaction allegedly followed an earlier sale of 50 Percocet pills to the same trooper.
A Canton man, Joseph Iantosca, 52, was arrested for allegedly supplying the pills to Johnson.
Johnson is also charged with violation of drug laws within 1,000 feet of a school and conspiracy to violate the federal Controlled Substances Act.
An investigation began when authorities received information that Johnson was selling prescription drugs at the Stoughton courthouse.
The trial of a Stoughton District Court officer accused of selling prescription drugs to an undercover state trooper was scheduled to begin today in Norfolk Superior Court.
Keely Johnson, 32, of Stoughton is charged with trafficking in oxycodone more than 14 grams and distribution of oxycodone. The charges stem from an investigation conducted in 2006.
Jury selection was completed Monday and opening statements were expected to be heard today. Judge Kenneth Fishman is presiding.
Johnson was arrested on Aug. 3, 2006, after allegedly selling 20 Percocet pills to the trooper. The transaction allegedly followed an earlier sale of 50 Percocet pills to the same trooper.
A Canton man, Joseph Iantosca, 52, was arrested for allegedly supplying the pills to Johnson.
Johnson is also charged with violation of drug laws within 1,000 feet of a school and conspiracy to violate the federal Controlled Substances Act.
An investigation began when authorities received information that Johnson was selling prescription drugs at the Stoughton courthouse.
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.
Officer Bruce Green Arrested for Making Fake Money
RALEIGH
A Holly Springs police officer is free on bond after his arrest on charges of manufacturing phony money.
Records filed with the City-County Bureau of Identification in Wake County show 27-year-old Bruce Renard Green is charged with one count each of uttering a forged instrument, forgery of notes, checks and other securities, and felony obtaining property by false pretenses.
A spokeswoman for CCBI told The News & Observer of Raleigh that Green was picked up for questioning around 8 p.m. Monday and arrested about 90 minutes later. He was released under a $10,000 unsecured bond.
His arrest followed a joint investigation by local and federal authorities.
A town spokesman said Green, who started with Holly Springs police in April, 2006, resigned from the force on Tuesday.
A Holly Springs police officer is free on bond after his arrest on charges of manufacturing phony money.
Records filed with the City-County Bureau of Identification in Wake County show 27-year-old Bruce Renard Green is charged with one count each of uttering a forged instrument, forgery of notes, checks and other securities, and felony obtaining property by false pretenses.
A spokeswoman for CCBI told The News & Observer of Raleigh that Green was picked up for questioning around 8 p.m. Monday and arrested about 90 minutes later. He was released under a $10,000 unsecured bond.
His arrest followed a joint investigation by local and federal authorities.
A town spokesman said Green, who started with Holly Springs police in April, 2006, resigned from the force on Tuesday.
Officer Alph Coleman Arrested for Robbery
A Dallas police officer helped plan a June robbery in which he was taken hostage as part of a ruse, police said Tuesday.
Alph Coleman was arrested Tuesday and has been placed on administrative leave during the investigation into the robbery at a Sam's Club, said Lt. Vernon Hale, police spokesman.
The store is located at 2900 W. Wheatland Road in southwest Dallas. The area is south of the intersection of U.S. 67 and Interstate 20.
Coleman, Hale said, was working off-duty security in his police uniform June 27 at the store when an "unknown suspect wearing a face mask entered the store and took him hostage during an attempt to rob the business."
"The robbery failed when other employees barricaded themselves inside of a storage room," Hale said. "The officer was later escorted out of the store and reportedly was involved in an exchange of gunfire with the suspect prior to his escape."
Hale declined to give details about the investigation but he did note that "evidence has been obtained implicating Officer Coleman in the planning and execution of the attempted robbery."
Hale said Coleman would be charged with aggravated robbery.
"There have been no other persons charged in connection with this case although the investigation is ongoing," he said in a news release.
Alph Coleman was arrested Tuesday and has been placed on administrative leave during the investigation into the robbery at a Sam's Club, said Lt. Vernon Hale, police spokesman.
The store is located at 2900 W. Wheatland Road in southwest Dallas. The area is south of the intersection of U.S. 67 and Interstate 20.
Coleman, Hale said, was working off-duty security in his police uniform June 27 at the store when an "unknown suspect wearing a face mask entered the store and took him hostage during an attempt to rob the business."
"The robbery failed when other employees barricaded themselves inside of a storage room," Hale said. "The officer was later escorted out of the store and reportedly was involved in an exchange of gunfire with the suspect prior to his escape."
Hale declined to give details about the investigation but he did note that "evidence has been obtained implicating Officer Coleman in the planning and execution of the attempted robbery."
Hale said Coleman would be charged with aggravated robbery.
"There have been no other persons charged in connection with this case although the investigation is ongoing," he said in a news release.
Deputy Timothy Reichmuth Arrested for Sexually Molesting Child
INDIANAPOLIS
For the past five years, 51-year-old Timothy Reichmuth has worked for the Marion County Sheriff's Department. But now the special deputy finds himself on the other side of the law. Reichmuth is in jail for sexually molesting a child. Police said the alleged abuse occurred more than 10 years ago.
"It's always disheartening when members of the law enforcement community...have been accused of committing a crime and it certainly doesn't put us in a good light," said IMPD Sgt. Paul Thompson.
Investigators said between 1993 and 1996, Reichmuth repeatedly molested a young family friend. They said the abuse began when the girl was just 10 years old and didn't stop until she was 13. Reichmuth was in his 30s at the time.
"Apparently it came to light to the mother of the victim, who is now 25 years old, that there was some inappropriate conduct on the suspect's part," said Sgt. Thompson.
Police said the victim's mother then approached Reichmuth.
"He allegedly stated that he did in fact molest her," said Sgt. Thompson.
Reichmuth has been charged with three counts of felony child molestation.
"It's not unusual for these types of incidents to come to light several years later. Someone is uncomfortable talking about it. The memory has been repressed for whatever reason. So it does happen from time to time that the case is several years old," said Sgt. Thompson.
Reichmuth has resigned from the sheriff's department and will be in court on October 6. He is currently in the Marion County Jail on a $100,000 bond.
He could face up to 50 years behind bars.
Officer James Fraser Fired After Running From other Officers
CITRUS HEIGHTS, Calif.
A Citrus Heights police officer has been fired after leading officers from another agency on a 40-mile, high-speed chase over the weekend.
Authorities say James M. Fraser also ran over the foot of a Folsom police officer with his motorcycle during the pursuit.
Folsom police tried to pull over the 27-year-old at 2 a.m. Saturday for traffic violations. Authorities say Fraser was speeding on his motorcycle and had run a red light.
Fraser, who was off-duty, exceeded speeds of 100 mph during the chase and eventually was arrested.
A spokeswoman at the Citrus Heights Police Department says Fraser has been fired. He had been employed at the department for eight months.
Citrus Heights and Folsom are suburbs of Sacramento.
A Citrus Heights police officer has been fired after leading officers from another agency on a 40-mile, high-speed chase over the weekend.
Authorities say James M. Fraser also ran over the foot of a Folsom police officer with his motorcycle during the pursuit.
Folsom police tried to pull over the 27-year-old at 2 a.m. Saturday for traffic violations. Authorities say Fraser was speeding on his motorcycle and had run a red light.
Fraser, who was off-duty, exceeded speeds of 100 mph during the chase and eventually was arrested.
A spokeswoman at the Citrus Heights Police Department says Fraser has been fired. He had been employed at the department for eight months.
Citrus Heights and Folsom are suburbs of Sacramento.
Officers Involved in Three Shootings over Weekend
Phoenix detectives continued Monday to investigate a series of weekend officer-involved shootings that left three people hospitalized.
In one of the incidents, officers shot a 16-year-old boy after they said he ignored warnings to stop as he drove a stolen vehicle toward them.
Six officers are on routine paid administrative leave in the wake of the three shootings, the latest of which involved three officers who fired on a man in the doorway of his north Phoenix apartment after he raised a firearm, police officials said.
The Sunday incident at Presidio North Apartments near 11th Avenue and Bell Road began after neighbors told police 45-year-old William Ray Griffin made threats with a gun after they had asked him to turn down his music around 10 p.m. As Griffin lay wounded on the ground from multiple gunshot wounds, he told officers he "had mental illness and had been drinking," according to Phoenix police Sgt. Tommy Thompson.
Griffin was taken to a nearby hospital in critical condition, but authorities said his injuries were not considered life-threatening.
Phoenix police said each of three officers from the 11th Avenue shooting has less than two years of experience. The department did not release their names.
Thompson said the three officers, and three other officers from two separate shootings on Saturday, were faced with the most difficult decision a police officer ever has to make - whether to use deadly force.
Each of the officer's actions is under review by Phoenix police homicide detectives, who commonly review officer- involved shootings, in addition to the Maricopa County Attorney's Office. Criminal investigations are also pending.
"As police officers, every day we have the potential to have our lives in danger," Thompson said. "That's part of the business of being a police officer. We know at any time we can be in a situation where we have to make a life-or-death decision in a matter of seconds."
On Saturday, a 16-year-old boy was shot in the chest about 10 p.m. after he reportedly failed to heed police commands to stop driving a stolen vehicle toward officers at an automobile-auction yard in the 3400 block of South 48th Street.
The two officers, Bryant Clover and Todd Guilford, suffered minor injuries after firing at the vehicle.
The teen was listed in critical condition at Maricopa Medical Center on Sunday night. However, police and hospital officials could not confirm his condition Monday.
The teen and his stepfather, Robert Morales, 48, were arrested at the scene of the shooting on suspicion of attempted theft and possession of burglary tools, police said. The teen was also wanted on an outstanding felony auto theft warrant, according to Phoenix police.
Morales had served a short prison term for possession of dangerous drugs before gaining freedom in 2007, court records indicate.
Earlier on Saturday, 22-year-old Francisco Soto was shot in the 16400 block of North 28th Street at 2 a.m. after officers responded to a shooting call.
Officer Kennard Brown fired on Soto after he reportedly stepped out of a vehicle and pointed a gun toward officers. Soto's injuries were not considered life-threatening.
In one of the incidents, officers shot a 16-year-old boy after they said he ignored warnings to stop as he drove a stolen vehicle toward them.
Six officers are on routine paid administrative leave in the wake of the three shootings, the latest of which involved three officers who fired on a man in the doorway of his north Phoenix apartment after he raised a firearm, police officials said.
The Sunday incident at Presidio North Apartments near 11th Avenue and Bell Road began after neighbors told police 45-year-old William Ray Griffin made threats with a gun after they had asked him to turn down his music around 10 p.m. As Griffin lay wounded on the ground from multiple gunshot wounds, he told officers he "had mental illness and had been drinking," according to Phoenix police Sgt. Tommy Thompson.
Griffin was taken to a nearby hospital in critical condition, but authorities said his injuries were not considered life-threatening.
Phoenix police said each of three officers from the 11th Avenue shooting has less than two years of experience. The department did not release their names.
Thompson said the three officers, and three other officers from two separate shootings on Saturday, were faced with the most difficult decision a police officer ever has to make - whether to use deadly force.
Each of the officer's actions is under review by Phoenix police homicide detectives, who commonly review officer- involved shootings, in addition to the Maricopa County Attorney's Office. Criminal investigations are also pending.
"As police officers, every day we have the potential to have our lives in danger," Thompson said. "That's part of the business of being a police officer. We know at any time we can be in a situation where we have to make a life-or-death decision in a matter of seconds."
On Saturday, a 16-year-old boy was shot in the chest about 10 p.m. after he reportedly failed to heed police commands to stop driving a stolen vehicle toward officers at an automobile-auction yard in the 3400 block of South 48th Street.
The two officers, Bryant Clover and Todd Guilford, suffered minor injuries after firing at the vehicle.
The teen was listed in critical condition at Maricopa Medical Center on Sunday night. However, police and hospital officials could not confirm his condition Monday.
The teen and his stepfather, Robert Morales, 48, were arrested at the scene of the shooting on suspicion of attempted theft and possession of burglary tools, police said. The teen was also wanted on an outstanding felony auto theft warrant, according to Phoenix police.
Morales had served a short prison term for possession of dangerous drugs before gaining freedom in 2007, court records indicate.
Earlier on Saturday, 22-year-old Francisco Soto was shot in the 16400 block of North 28th Street at 2 a.m. after officers responded to a shooting call.
Officer Kennard Brown fired on Soto after he reportedly stepped out of a vehicle and pointed a gun toward officers. Soto's injuries were not considered life-threatening.
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.
Officers Beat Suspect Caught on Dashboard Camera Resigns
A police officer has quit and two others were on administrative leave Tuesday after a patrol car dashboard camera caught them punching and kicking a handcuffed suspect.
West Palm Beach police released the video Monday, showing what happened to Pablo Gilberto Valenzuela, 42, on May 26. He suffered a broken jaw and bruised eyes, authorities said.
Officer Louis Schwartz attempted to arrest Valenzuela for robbing a pharmacy of about 1,000 Oxycontin pills, city spokesman Chase Scott said Tuesday.
The officer was involved in an unrelated traffic stop in the pharmacy parking lot when a clerk ran out of the store and said they'd been robbed, Scott said.
He said Schwartz caught the masked suspect behind the store, where Valenzuela attempted to pepper-spray him.
Schwartz drew his gun and ordered Valenzuela to the ground.
The video shows another officer, Kurt Graham, arrive and put a knee into Valenzuela's back as he was being handcuffed. The video then shows Graham punch and kick Valenzuela in the face. Schwartz is also seen on the video kicking Valenzuela.
Another officer, Jason Zangara, then lifted a handcuffed Valenzuela to his feet. As the suspect pulls away from the officer, Zangara can be seen punching him several times in the face until the man collapsed.
Valenzuela was arrested on charges of robbery, assault and battery on a law enforcement officer and resisting arrest.
Graham and Schwartz insist they only kicked Valenzuela because the man was trying to bite Graham's leg. Zangara said he punched Valenzuela after he tried to spit on him.
Graham, described as a rookie officer still on probation, resigned on July 22, Scott said.
Schwartz and Zangara have been on administrative leave since around the time of the incident, he said.
An internal affairs investigation concluded Monday. The police chief is deciding disciplinary action for the officers, Scott said.
West Palm Beach police released the video Monday, showing what happened to Pablo Gilberto Valenzuela, 42, on May 26. He suffered a broken jaw and bruised eyes, authorities said.
Officer Louis Schwartz attempted to arrest Valenzuela for robbing a pharmacy of about 1,000 Oxycontin pills, city spokesman Chase Scott said Tuesday.
The officer was involved in an unrelated traffic stop in the pharmacy parking lot when a clerk ran out of the store and said they'd been robbed, Scott said.
He said Schwartz caught the masked suspect behind the store, where Valenzuela attempted to pepper-spray him.
Schwartz drew his gun and ordered Valenzuela to the ground.
The video shows another officer, Kurt Graham, arrive and put a knee into Valenzuela's back as he was being handcuffed. The video then shows Graham punch and kick Valenzuela in the face. Schwartz is also seen on the video kicking Valenzuela.
Another officer, Jason Zangara, then lifted a handcuffed Valenzuela to his feet. As the suspect pulls away from the officer, Zangara can be seen punching him several times in the face until the man collapsed.
Valenzuela was arrested on charges of robbery, assault and battery on a law enforcement officer and resisting arrest.
Graham and Schwartz insist they only kicked Valenzuela because the man was trying to bite Graham's leg. Zangara said he punched Valenzuela after he tried to spit on him.
Graham, described as a rookie officer still on probation, resigned on July 22, Scott said.
Schwartz and Zangara have been on administrative leave since around the time of the incident, he said.
An internal affairs investigation concluded Monday. The police chief is deciding disciplinary action for the officers, Scott said.
Officer Breaks 16-year-olds Jaw
Riviera Beach
A 16-year-old Palm Beach Gardens high school student is accusing a Riviera Beach Police officer of breaking his jaw. Laquan Wright's attorney is holding a news conference this morning to address the incident.
Attorney Richard Ryles says Wright is the victim of an unprovoked attack that happened Saturday, August 2. The teenager claims he was walking to his grandfather's house last Saturday night when an officer stopped him. At the time, Ryles says Riviera Beach Police were looking for a suspect. The officer approached Wright. Ryles claims the 16-year-old did not resist, but the officer body slammed him.
Laquan Wright has several injuries to his face, neck and jaw. In fact his jaw was broken in two places. The teenager can barely talk, and has his mouth wired shut
A 16-year-old Palm Beach Gardens high school student is accusing a Riviera Beach Police officer of breaking his jaw. Laquan Wright's attorney is holding a news conference this morning to address the incident.
Attorney Richard Ryles says Wright is the victim of an unprovoked attack that happened Saturday, August 2. The teenager claims he was walking to his grandfather's house last Saturday night when an officer stopped him. At the time, Ryles says Riviera Beach Police were looking for a suspect. The officer approached Wright. Ryles claims the 16-year-old did not resist, but the officer body slammed him.
Laquan Wright has several injuries to his face, neck and jaw. In fact his jaw was broken in two places. The teenager can barely talk, and has his mouth wired shut
Veteran Officer George Benjamin Crashed Police Vehicle while Drunk
A Metro Police officer stands accused of public intoxication and driving under the influence.
A police report indicates other officers smelled alcohol on his breath and could see that he had "glassy eyes" and--that he had "urinated his pants."
46-year-old George Leon Benjamin, a 23-year veteran of the department, was driving a police vehicle that crashed into a fence surrounding Bryant Heating and Cooling at 7310 West Morris Sunday night.
A breath test showed Benjamin had a blood alcohol content of .15 -- nearly twice the legal limit.
Officer Ryan West is Accused of Sexually Assaulting 3 Women
Former Maywood police officer Ryan West is accused of sexually assaulting three women while on duty.
He has been fired from the Maywood Police Department and remains free on bail, NBC4 reported.
In addition to sexual assault charges, West has been named in at least one of several police brutality lawsuits filed against Maywood Police Department, according to NBC4.
"This is one of the worst departments I've ever seen," defense attorney Ralph Rios said.
Rios accused Maywood police of beatings involving civil rights violations, NBC4 reported.
"Changes have been implemented in this department since I've been here, and I’m going to continue to do that," Maywood Police Department Chief Frank Hauptmann said.
Hauptmann said he can't comment on any pending litigation but said his department is polishing its tarnished image to regain community confidence.
He has been fired from the Maywood Police Department and remains free on bail, NBC4 reported.
In addition to sexual assault charges, West has been named in at least one of several police brutality lawsuits filed against Maywood Police Department, according to NBC4.
"This is one of the worst departments I've ever seen," defense attorney Ralph Rios said.
Rios accused Maywood police of beatings involving civil rights violations, NBC4 reported.
"Changes have been implemented in this department since I've been here, and I’m going to continue to do that," Maywood Police Department Chief Frank Hauptmann said.
Hauptmann said he can't comment on any pending litigation but said his department is polishing its tarnished image to regain community confidence.
Sharon Township Officer Terrell Latour Charged with DWI
A Sharon township police officer faces charges after being arrested early Saturday morning.
Worthington Police Lt Micheal Daugherty says that Officer Terrell Latour was pulled over in the area of Huntley Road for traffic violations.
Daugherty says Latour showed signs of intoxication and refused to take breath and urine tests.
Latour has been charged with driving while intoxicated, failure to signal, speeding as well as a felony charge of improper handling of a firearm.
The officer was also ordered to a license suspension as well.
Latour is scheduled to appear in Franklin County Municipal court Monday.
Worthington Police Lt Micheal Daugherty says that Officer Terrell Latour was pulled over in the area of Huntley Road for traffic violations.
Daugherty says Latour showed signs of intoxication and refused to take breath and urine tests.
Latour has been charged with driving while intoxicated, failure to signal, speeding as well as a felony charge of improper handling of a firearm.
The officer was also ordered to a license suspension as well.
Latour is scheduled to appear in Franklin County Municipal court Monday.
Seattle officer involved in biker shooting was disciplined before
The Seattle police officer who reportedly shot a known member of the Hells Angels motorcycle gang at a weeklong rally in South Dakota was previously disciplined, once for taunting fans at a football game and another time for allegedly threatening to shoot a restaurant manager who had asked him to leave.
Police officials have not released the name of the officer involved in the shooting, or four other officers with him at the time, but sources have confirmed he is a 43-year-old detective who works for the Seattle police Pawn Shop Squad and is a police guild board member. The officer also is known throughout the department as an avid motorcycle rider.
South Dakota investigators have obtained videotape of the shooting that Seattle union leaders believe will exonerate the officer of any wrongdoing in the altercation that left a Hells Angels member wounded.
"I think it's going to be pretty evident that the officer was fearful of his safety and life and that's why he had to fire," said Sgt. Rich O'Neill, president of the Seattle Police Officers' Guild.
O'Neill said Seattle officers are now concerned for all of their safety because of the Hells Angels' reputation of violent retaliation if one of their members is attacked. "There is a real threat," he said.
Authorities have said the officer and four others at the scene all identified themselves as members of the Iron Pigs, a motorcycle club made up mostly of police officers and firefighters.
Ryan Soderlin / Rapid City Journal
Police Officers Jon Pike, left, and Mike DeBruin, who were hired for the motorcycle rally in Sturgis, S.D., monitor Sturgis' Main Street in front of the Loud American Roadhouse on Saturday. A vacationing Seattle police officer was involved in a shooting that occurred at the bar on Saturday about 1 a.m.
Of the other four officers at the scene, one has been identified as a sergeant who at one time ran the security detail for former Seattle Mayor Norm Rice.
The two men were with a group of officers who had traveled to Sturgis, S.D., to join the annual motorcycle rally there.
The shooting happened around 1 a.m. Saturday at the Loud American Roadhouse, a popular bar that held as many as 500 patrons at the time. Sturgis police reported that there was an altercation between some Hells Angels gang members in the bar and members of the Iron Pigs, all of them Seattle police officers on vacation.
Authorities have not said what led to the confrontation, though sources said it might have been sparked because the officers were displaying colors or other identifying markings associated with their club.
At some point, the confrontation became physical, and one of the officers allegedly fired two shots, striking and wounding one of the Hells Angels.
O'Neill said he spoke with some of the officers who attended the Sturgis motorcycle rally and that based on early indications, he believes the officer was defending himself from a "completely unprovoked" attack that might have involved choking.
"It's unfortunate that it had to end like this," O'Neill said. "All the same, the indications are that somebody was totally jumped and beaten. If that's what the investigation says, they have a right to defend themselves."
Seattle Police Chief Gil Kerlikowske has relieved all five officers of duty, pending the outcome of the investigation by South Dakota authorities, according to a statement released on Saturday.
The chief also sent a team of detectives to Sturgis to learn more about the incident, including homicide Lt. Jim Dermody, homicide detectives and a sergeant with the Office of Professional Accountability. The team arrived Saturday, but there was no information available on Sunday as to what they might have learned.
"Our job isn't to interfere with the investigation, but to gather information for our internal purposes," said Seattle police spokesman Sean Whitcomb.
The group of Seattle officers has attended past Sturgis motorcycle gatherings without problems, O'Neill said.
Federal law allows off-duty officers to carry their guns, and the Seattle Police Department's manual gives each officer the option to carry one while off duty.
"One of the reasons for that federal law is that police officers, unlike anyone else, are almost on duty all the time," he said. "You never know when you might run into someone who you arrested."
All are looking forward to "getting back to this side of the mountains," he said.
The officer implicated in the shooting has not been arrested or charged with any crime, but has been disciplined in the past. The detective was suspended for two days for conduct unbecoming an officer during a Seahawks football game on Jan. 8, 2005.
He arrested a fan he said had assaulted him, but other witnesses said the officer's comments at the conclusion of a game the Seahawks lost to the Rams had provoked the crowd. He allegedly taunted the Seahawks fans by pretending to cry like a baby and yelling out, "Go Rams."
The man he arrested had objected, yelled at him and, during a melee, the detective was struck with a megaphone the man was holding.
The officer contended the man had assaulted him and so arrested him, but other witnesses said the blow was accidental.
According to the city's investigation documents on the matter, a witness told investigators, " 'Had the officer not said a word, it would never have happened." She adds police "are supposed to keep the peace, not rile up the crowd.' "
The department disciplined the detective but continued to permit him to work off-duty security at the football stadium if he worked in a different part of the field.
On Aug. 12, 2005, he was again accused of getting into an altercation, that time at a Tacoma restaurant while off duty.
He at one point allegedly threatened to shoot the restaurant manager, who had asked him to leave.
According to internal documents, Tacoma city authorities declined to prosecute the officer, finding there was no evidence that he intended to carry out his threat, but he received a written reprimand for the incident.
But at least one witness said most regular patrons of the restaurant knew he was a cop, and that he was known to always carry a gun.
The police guild is offering moral support to the officer and his family, O'Neill said, and the union's attorney is aware of the shooting.
"The decision to fire is up to each individual officer. Only you know when you feel the time is right and your life is in danger," he said, adding, "It's a traumatic incident any time someone has to fire a handgun.
Police officials have not released the name of the officer involved in the shooting, or four other officers with him at the time, but sources have confirmed he is a 43-year-old detective who works for the Seattle police Pawn Shop Squad and is a police guild board member. The officer also is known throughout the department as an avid motorcycle rider.
South Dakota investigators have obtained videotape of the shooting that Seattle union leaders believe will exonerate the officer of any wrongdoing in the altercation that left a Hells Angels member wounded.
"I think it's going to be pretty evident that the officer was fearful of his safety and life and that's why he had to fire," said Sgt. Rich O'Neill, president of the Seattle Police Officers' Guild.
O'Neill said Seattle officers are now concerned for all of their safety because of the Hells Angels' reputation of violent retaliation if one of their members is attacked. "There is a real threat," he said.
Authorities have said the officer and four others at the scene all identified themselves as members of the Iron Pigs, a motorcycle club made up mostly of police officers and firefighters.
Ryan Soderlin / Rapid City Journal
Police Officers Jon Pike, left, and Mike DeBruin, who were hired for the motorcycle rally in Sturgis, S.D., monitor Sturgis' Main Street in front of the Loud American Roadhouse on Saturday. A vacationing Seattle police officer was involved in a shooting that occurred at the bar on Saturday about 1 a.m.
Of the other four officers at the scene, one has been identified as a sergeant who at one time ran the security detail for former Seattle Mayor Norm Rice.
The two men were with a group of officers who had traveled to Sturgis, S.D., to join the annual motorcycle rally there.
The shooting happened around 1 a.m. Saturday at the Loud American Roadhouse, a popular bar that held as many as 500 patrons at the time. Sturgis police reported that there was an altercation between some Hells Angels gang members in the bar and members of the Iron Pigs, all of them Seattle police officers on vacation.
Authorities have not said what led to the confrontation, though sources said it might have been sparked because the officers were displaying colors or other identifying markings associated with their club.
At some point, the confrontation became physical, and one of the officers allegedly fired two shots, striking and wounding one of the Hells Angels.
O'Neill said he spoke with some of the officers who attended the Sturgis motorcycle rally and that based on early indications, he believes the officer was defending himself from a "completely unprovoked" attack that might have involved choking.
"It's unfortunate that it had to end like this," O'Neill said. "All the same, the indications are that somebody was totally jumped and beaten. If that's what the investigation says, they have a right to defend themselves."
Seattle Police Chief Gil Kerlikowske has relieved all five officers of duty, pending the outcome of the investigation by South Dakota authorities, according to a statement released on Saturday.
The chief also sent a team of detectives to Sturgis to learn more about the incident, including homicide Lt. Jim Dermody, homicide detectives and a sergeant with the Office of Professional Accountability. The team arrived Saturday, but there was no information available on Sunday as to what they might have learned.
"Our job isn't to interfere with the investigation, but to gather information for our internal purposes," said Seattle police spokesman Sean Whitcomb.
The group of Seattle officers has attended past Sturgis motorcycle gatherings without problems, O'Neill said.
Federal law allows off-duty officers to carry their guns, and the Seattle Police Department's manual gives each officer the option to carry one while off duty.
"One of the reasons for that federal law is that police officers, unlike anyone else, are almost on duty all the time," he said. "You never know when you might run into someone who you arrested."
All are looking forward to "getting back to this side of the mountains," he said.
The officer implicated in the shooting has not been arrested or charged with any crime, but has been disciplined in the past. The detective was suspended for two days for conduct unbecoming an officer during a Seahawks football game on Jan. 8, 2005.
He arrested a fan he said had assaulted him, but other witnesses said the officer's comments at the conclusion of a game the Seahawks lost to the Rams had provoked the crowd. He allegedly taunted the Seahawks fans by pretending to cry like a baby and yelling out, "Go Rams."
The man he arrested had objected, yelled at him and, during a melee, the detective was struck with a megaphone the man was holding.
The officer contended the man had assaulted him and so arrested him, but other witnesses said the blow was accidental.
According to the city's investigation documents on the matter, a witness told investigators, " 'Had the officer not said a word, it would never have happened." She adds police "are supposed to keep the peace, not rile up the crowd.' "
The department disciplined the detective but continued to permit him to work off-duty security at the football stadium if he worked in a different part of the field.
On Aug. 12, 2005, he was again accused of getting into an altercation, that time at a Tacoma restaurant while off duty.
He at one point allegedly threatened to shoot the restaurant manager, who had asked him to leave.
According to internal documents, Tacoma city authorities declined to prosecute the officer, finding there was no evidence that he intended to carry out his threat, but he received a written reprimand for the incident.
But at least one witness said most regular patrons of the restaurant knew he was a cop, and that he was known to always carry a gun.
The police guild is offering moral support to the officer and his family, O'Neill said, and the union's attorney is aware of the shooting.
"The decision to fire is up to each individual officer. Only you know when you feel the time is right and your life is in danger," he said, adding, "It's a traumatic incident any time someone has to fire a handgun.
Chamblee Sgt Bredan Parks Arrested for Reckless Conduct
LOGANVILLE
A Chamblee police officer was arrested at his home in Loganville Sunday morning, officials said.
Neighbors said they heard dozens of gunshots coming from Sgt. Brendan Parks' backyard off Rosebud road around 4 a.m. Sunday. He is an officer with the Chamblee police department. Officials with that department have confirmed his arrest.
Parks was taken to the Gwinnett County detention center. He has met bond. He is facing charges of reckless conduct, discharging a firearm and pointing a gun. He was not available for comment.
Officer Christopher McClendon Charged with Accepting Unlawful Compensation
A Sanford police officer arrested this morning on allegations he was unlawfully compensated for helping repossess automobiles was suspended in the past, officials just said.
Christopher McClendon, who faces a charge of accepting unlawful compensation, was suspended twice without pay in 2007, Sanford Police spokeswoman Cleo Cohen said.
The first time, in July, was for 36.9 hours for insubordination. The second, in September, was for 43 hours for discussing the case with other officers, she said.
McClendon, who has been with the Sanford agency since February 2004, was arrested this morning after a nine-month investigation by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement into allegations he was unlawfully compensated for assisting an auto sales company in making repossessions.
He was released from the Seminole County Jail after posting $2,000 bail. If convicted, he faces up to 15 years in prison, said FDLE spokeswoman Sharon L. Gogerty.
McClendon used his position as a police officer to assist a business in making repossessions and, in return, his personal auto loan with the same company was forgiven, Gogerty said. The compensation he received was about $8,000, she said.
McClendon, who has been with the Sanford agency since February 2004, has been suspended without pay, said Sanford Police spokeswoman Cleo Cohen.
Her agency received the complaint about McClendon Oct. 30 and turned it over to FDLE in mid-November, she said.
Christopher McClendon, who faces a charge of accepting unlawful compensation, was suspended twice without pay in 2007, Sanford Police spokeswoman Cleo Cohen said.
The first time, in July, was for 36.9 hours for insubordination. The second, in September, was for 43 hours for discussing the case with other officers, she said.
McClendon, who has been with the Sanford agency since February 2004, was arrested this morning after a nine-month investigation by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement into allegations he was unlawfully compensated for assisting an auto sales company in making repossessions.
He was released from the Seminole County Jail after posting $2,000 bail. If convicted, he faces up to 15 years in prison, said FDLE spokeswoman Sharon L. Gogerty.
McClendon used his position as a police officer to assist a business in making repossessions and, in return, his personal auto loan with the same company was forgiven, Gogerty said. The compensation he received was about $8,000, she said.
McClendon, who has been with the Sanford agency since February 2004, has been suspended without pay, said Sanford Police spokeswoman Cleo Cohen.
Her agency received the complaint about McClendon Oct. 30 and turned it over to FDLE in mid-November, she said.
Sunday, August 10, 2008
UPDATE: Officer Charged in Prank Gone Wrong
An Austin resident working as a police officer for the Amboy/Vernon Center Police Department has been charged with misconduct after allegedly asking a teenage girl to flash her breasts to avoid arrest for drinking, according to the Star Tribune.
Steven P. Boyle has been charged with one gross misdemeanor count of misconduct of a public official by the Blue Earth County Attorney’s Office.
According to the Tribune, the criminal complaint said the incident occurred the night of July 4 at Pumpkinland near Vernon Center.
Boyle allegedly told a sheriff’s investigator he’d been contacted earlier by the young woman’s friend, who’d requested he play a prank of her.
The Tribune said he approached a camper at the farm market and pretended to question the group there. The young girl fled, the report said, though Boyle soon caught her and administered a preliminary breath test.
She failed, and was handcuffed and placed in his squad car.
The Tribune said fellow campers suggested Boyle allow her to show her breasts to avoid transport to jail.
She agreed after Boyle allegedly approached her with the idea, and showed her breasts surrounded by others at a campfire after her handcuffs were removed, according to the Tribune.
She was allegedly told the situation was a joke immediately following.
Boyle is scheduled to appear Aug. 22. The maximum penalty for his crime is one year in prison and/or a $3,000 fine.
Steven P. Boyle has been charged with one gross misdemeanor count of misconduct of a public official by the Blue Earth County Attorney’s Office.
According to the Tribune, the criminal complaint said the incident occurred the night of July 4 at Pumpkinland near Vernon Center.
Boyle allegedly told a sheriff’s investigator he’d been contacted earlier by the young woman’s friend, who’d requested he play a prank of her.
The Tribune said he approached a camper at the farm market and pretended to question the group there. The young girl fled, the report said, though Boyle soon caught her and administered a preliminary breath test.
She failed, and was handcuffed and placed in his squad car.
The Tribune said fellow campers suggested Boyle allow her to show her breasts to avoid transport to jail.
She agreed after Boyle allegedly approached her with the idea, and showed her breasts surrounded by others at a campfire after her handcuffs were removed, according to the Tribune.
She was allegedly told the situation was a joke immediately following.
Boyle is scheduled to appear Aug. 22. The maximum penalty for his crime is one year in prison and/or a $3,000 fine.
Recently Promotoed Chief Philip Palmere is Found Guilty of Perjury
The man recently promoted to be chief of the state Department of General Services Police had once been recommended for termination from the Baltimore Police Department after an administrative board found him guilty of perjury and making a false statement in a court document.
A Circuit Court judge ruled that the police trial board held in 1999 had erred by not allowing Philip Palmere to present two character witnesses. The court ordered a new hearing into allegations that he reported seeing a man - whom he had arrested - toss a gun to the ground when he had actually found the weapon in an apartment.
The department dismissed the charges and Palmere resigned from the force, ending a 15-year career in what his attorney described as a mutual agreement between the two sides. Prosecutors then dropped the gun case, sparing the defendant what could have been a 30-year prison sentence, and later dropped charges against another man Palmere had arrested.
Two years later, Palmere joined the DGS Police, a 200-member force responsible for protecting state office buildings in Baltimore and Annapolis, including the State House.
Dave Humphrey, a DGS spokesman, said in a statement that the department performed "a full background investigation, including a review of his Baltimore City Police personnel file. He retired in good standing with a service pension from the city force."
Christine Hansen, a spokeswoman for Gov. Martin O'Malley, said that Palmere has performed well since he was hired.
A public Circuit Court file containing Palmere's appeal of his trial board conviction details the case made against him and the city Police Department's attempts to fire him. The board of his peers recommended that Palmere be suspended for 150 days for misconduct, making a false statement and two counts of improperly filing a report.
Then-police Commissioner Thomas C. Frazier decided the punishment wasn't harsh enough. In an August 1999 letter that is contained in the court file, he wrote, "The egregious nature of the false statement requires termination." A police commissioner can overrule punishment recommendations by trial boards.
Secretary of General Services Alvin C. Collins declined through a spokesman to be interviewed for this article. He elevated Palmere to chief of the DGS Police on June 25. Three weeks later, the department issued a news release noting that the new chief has "brought new energy and new ideas" to the force.
Palmere referred calls to Michael Davey, the Fraternal Order of Police union attorney who represented him at his city police trial board. The attorney said the city department dismissed the internal charges and he believes his client's internal investigation file should have no bearing on his ability to lead the DGS police force.
"He was never charged criminally with perjury," Davey said. "He was never charged criminally with anything."
Baltimore City internal affairs detectives began investigating Palmere and his partner, Drew Dorbert, after they arrested Tavon Anderson in 1996 on gun and drug charges. Palmere wrote a statement of probable cause - a legal document to justify charges - that he saw Anderson throw a gun from his waistband and then watched it "spinning on the floor," according to court documents.
It was later revealed, according to court documents, that Palmere found the gun under a cabinet in the defendant's East Baltimore apartment. Drugs were also found in the apartment, he wrote.
Then-Assistant State's Attorney Mary Koch dropped charges against Anderson when she learned about the inconsistencies in the statement of charges. Palmere and Dorbert were brought up on internal charges. Dorbert retired from the Police Department before his trial board.
Palmere said in his May 1999 trial board hearing that he based his statement of probable cause on his partner's incident report, which said the defendant tossed the gun. Palmere said he only signed the statement of probable cause because he trusted the judgment of his partner.
"Officer Palmere stated he believed his decision to be a poor one," according to minutes taken during trial board and contained in the Circuit Court file.
After the gun and drugs were found, Palmere said, Anderson became worried that a drug boss would accuse him of cooperating with police. The defendant "began to cry stating that he was going to be killed ... for giving up the gun," according to a brief filed in Palmere's defense.
But, Koch, the prosecutor, said the officers could have protected the defendant without providing a false statement. "All he had to do was write a vague statement of charges then see the prosecutor," Koch said, according to the minutes kept in a court file.
The administrative trial board found Palmere guilty of misconduct, making a false statement, violating a law by making a false statement and two charges of improperly filing a report. Members said they recommended a 150-day suspension in part because of the officer's "exemplary record with the department over a fourteen year career."
Members also said that commanders said they "were willing to supervise Officer Palmere despite sustained charges" and "believed Officer Palmere's career was worth salvaging."
Frazier disagreed, writing in his letter that the "false statement could have lead to the unlawful incarceration of a citizen for several years under the mandatory sentencing guidelines. ... As evidenced by the trial transcript, Officer Palmere admitted that he signed his name to an affidavit he knew to be false."
Davey said that after his client's case was returned for a rehearing, it lingered until after Frazier left the department. "They finally decided, 'We'll just dismiss the case and let him retire,'" the attorney said. "It wasn't part of any official agreement. The department looked at it as a way to get rid of [the case]. My guy was happy to retire."
Philip Palmere's career
March 1985: Joins Baltimore Police Department.
February 1996: He and another officer arrest Tavon S. Anderson and charge him with drug dealing and handgun possession.
October 1996: Prosecutors drop all charges against Anderson.
December 1997: Administrative charges are brought against Palmere, alleging he wrote in court documents that he saw Anderson throw a gun to the ground. Police say he found the gun inside an apartment.
June 1999: A three-member police trial board finds him guilty of perjury and making a false statement. Board recommends that he be suspended for 150 days without pay.
August 1999: Then-police Commissioner Thomas C. Frazier increases the penalty to termination.
September 1999: Palmere appeals to Baltimore Circuit Court.
January 2000: Circuit Judge Alfred Nance remands the matter to the trial board, concluding that Palmere should have had the opportunity to bring two additional character witnesses to testify on his behalf.
March 2000: Palmere retires from Baltimore City Police Department.
August 2002: Joins Department of General Services Police.
June 2008: Palmere named DGS chief.
A Circuit Court judge ruled that the police trial board held in 1999 had erred by not allowing Philip Palmere to present two character witnesses. The court ordered a new hearing into allegations that he reported seeing a man - whom he had arrested - toss a gun to the ground when he had actually found the weapon in an apartment.
The department dismissed the charges and Palmere resigned from the force, ending a 15-year career in what his attorney described as a mutual agreement between the two sides. Prosecutors then dropped the gun case, sparing the defendant what could have been a 30-year prison sentence, and later dropped charges against another man Palmere had arrested.
Two years later, Palmere joined the DGS Police, a 200-member force responsible for protecting state office buildings in Baltimore and Annapolis, including the State House.
Dave Humphrey, a DGS spokesman, said in a statement that the department performed "a full background investigation, including a review of his Baltimore City Police personnel file. He retired in good standing with a service pension from the city force."
Christine Hansen, a spokeswoman for Gov. Martin O'Malley, said that Palmere has performed well since he was hired.
A public Circuit Court file containing Palmere's appeal of his trial board conviction details the case made against him and the city Police Department's attempts to fire him. The board of his peers recommended that Palmere be suspended for 150 days for misconduct, making a false statement and two counts of improperly filing a report.
Then-police Commissioner Thomas C. Frazier decided the punishment wasn't harsh enough. In an August 1999 letter that is contained in the court file, he wrote, "The egregious nature of the false statement requires termination." A police commissioner can overrule punishment recommendations by trial boards.
Secretary of General Services Alvin C. Collins declined through a spokesman to be interviewed for this article. He elevated Palmere to chief of the DGS Police on June 25. Three weeks later, the department issued a news release noting that the new chief has "brought new energy and new ideas" to the force.
Palmere referred calls to Michael Davey, the Fraternal Order of Police union attorney who represented him at his city police trial board. The attorney said the city department dismissed the internal charges and he believes his client's internal investigation file should have no bearing on his ability to lead the DGS police force.
"He was never charged criminally with perjury," Davey said. "He was never charged criminally with anything."
Baltimore City internal affairs detectives began investigating Palmere and his partner, Drew Dorbert, after they arrested Tavon Anderson in 1996 on gun and drug charges. Palmere wrote a statement of probable cause - a legal document to justify charges - that he saw Anderson throw a gun from his waistband and then watched it "spinning on the floor," according to court documents.
It was later revealed, according to court documents, that Palmere found the gun under a cabinet in the defendant's East Baltimore apartment. Drugs were also found in the apartment, he wrote.
Then-Assistant State's Attorney Mary Koch dropped charges against Anderson when she learned about the inconsistencies in the statement of charges. Palmere and Dorbert were brought up on internal charges. Dorbert retired from the Police Department before his trial board.
Palmere said in his May 1999 trial board hearing that he based his statement of probable cause on his partner's incident report, which said the defendant tossed the gun. Palmere said he only signed the statement of probable cause because he trusted the judgment of his partner.
"Officer Palmere stated he believed his decision to be a poor one," according to minutes taken during trial board and contained in the Circuit Court file.
After the gun and drugs were found, Palmere said, Anderson became worried that a drug boss would accuse him of cooperating with police. The defendant "began to cry stating that he was going to be killed ... for giving up the gun," according to a brief filed in Palmere's defense.
But, Koch, the prosecutor, said the officers could have protected the defendant without providing a false statement. "All he had to do was write a vague statement of charges then see the prosecutor," Koch said, according to the minutes kept in a court file.
The administrative trial board found Palmere guilty of misconduct, making a false statement, violating a law by making a false statement and two charges of improperly filing a report. Members said they recommended a 150-day suspension in part because of the officer's "exemplary record with the department over a fourteen year career."
Members also said that commanders said they "were willing to supervise Officer Palmere despite sustained charges" and "believed Officer Palmere's career was worth salvaging."
Frazier disagreed, writing in his letter that the "false statement could have lead to the unlawful incarceration of a citizen for several years under the mandatory sentencing guidelines. ... As evidenced by the trial transcript, Officer Palmere admitted that he signed his name to an affidavit he knew to be false."
Davey said that after his client's case was returned for a rehearing, it lingered until after Frazier left the department. "They finally decided, 'We'll just dismiss the case and let him retire,'" the attorney said. "It wasn't part of any official agreement. The department looked at it as a way to get rid of [the case]. My guy was happy to retire."
Philip Palmere's career
March 1985: Joins Baltimore Police Department.
February 1996: He and another officer arrest Tavon S. Anderson and charge him with drug dealing and handgun possession.
October 1996: Prosecutors drop all charges against Anderson.
December 1997: Administrative charges are brought against Palmere, alleging he wrote in court documents that he saw Anderson throw a gun to the ground. Police say he found the gun inside an apartment.
June 1999: A three-member police trial board finds him guilty of perjury and making a false statement. Board recommends that he be suspended for 150 days without pay.
August 1999: Then-police Commissioner Thomas C. Frazier increases the penalty to termination.
September 1999: Palmere appeals to Baltimore Circuit Court.
January 2000: Circuit Judge Alfred Nance remands the matter to the trial board, concluding that Palmere should have had the opportunity to bring two additional character witnesses to testify on his behalf.
March 2000: Palmere retires from Baltimore City Police Department.
August 2002: Joins Department of General Services Police.
June 2008: Palmere named DGS chief.
Officer Accused of Stealing Coconuts
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico
A police officer in Trinidad has been charged with copping more than US$260 worth of coconuts from palm trees surrounding a station in the island's northwest.
Police Constable Max Constantine says the officer and a handyman stole the fruit from trees next to the Maraval Police Station. A local newspaper reports that the officer is accused of stealing 88 coconuts.
The Trinidad & Tobago Express reported Saturday that both men pleaded not guilty to absconding with the coconuts and will appear in court in October.
Constantine said the station has several palm trees. He said that officer Earl Logan no longer works there. It was unclear if he planned to sell the coconuts.
A police officer in Trinidad has been charged with copping more than US$260 worth of coconuts from palm trees surrounding a station in the island's northwest.
Police Constable Max Constantine says the officer and a handyman stole the fruit from trees next to the Maraval Police Station. A local newspaper reports that the officer is accused of stealing 88 coconuts.
The Trinidad & Tobago Express reported Saturday that both men pleaded not guilty to absconding with the coconuts and will appear in court in October.
Constantine said the station has several palm trees. He said that officer Earl Logan no longer works there. It was unclear if he planned to sell the coconuts.
Nashville Officer Arrested on Sex Charges
Nashville police Sgt. Michael Dioguardi has been placed on administrative leave following his arrest on charges of solicitation of a minor and providing obscene material to minors.
Dioguardi, 41, a 13-year police department veteran, was arrested Friday by Rutherford County authorities.
He was placed on administrative leave, and an internal investigation was begun, department officials said in a news release. He also was decommissioned, meaning he turned in his badge and weapons.
He is to appear in court on Sept. 10.
Dioguardi, 41, a 13-year police department veteran, was arrested Friday by Rutherford County authorities.
He was placed on administrative leave, and an internal investigation was begun, department officials said in a news release. He also was decommissioned, meaning he turned in his badge and weapons.
He is to appear in court on Sept. 10.
Officer Charged in Prank Gone Wrong
A Southern Minnesota police officer says it was a prank, but it's one that could cost him his job.
The Amboy Minnesota police officer is also a native of Austin.
23-year-old Steven Boyle has been suspended and charged with a gross misdemeanor.
He allegedly questioned a group of people who were drinking.
Then he handcuffed a woman and put her in his squad car.
He then said he would release her if she showed him her breasts.
The 18-year-old woman didn't know it was a prank so she flashed him in exchange for her release.
Boyle is charged with misconduct of a public official.
We tried to get a comment from Boyle at his home in Austin.
We knocked on the door, but no one would answer.
The Minnesota Board of Peace Officer standards and training will review the case.
****************
Doesn't sound like a prank to me...he just thought he could get away with doing what he did.
The Amboy Minnesota police officer is also a native of Austin.
23-year-old Steven Boyle has been suspended and charged with a gross misdemeanor.
He allegedly questioned a group of people who were drinking.
Then he handcuffed a woman and put her in his squad car.
He then said he would release her if she showed him her breasts.
The 18-year-old woman didn't know it was a prank so she flashed him in exchange for her release.
Boyle is charged with misconduct of a public official.
We tried to get a comment from Boyle at his home in Austin.
We knocked on the door, but no one would answer.
The Minnesota Board of Peace Officer standards and training will review the case.
****************
Doesn't sound like a prank to me...he just thought he could get away with doing what he did.
Protect and Serve, and Freebies for doing Job?
It's maybe the last great perk a beat cop can get.
A free cup of coffee, a discount on a greasy burger.
Though many police departments officially frown on freebies, coffee houses and restaurants around the city and suburbs give the gratis, and the officers' bosses seem to look the other way.
But there's another unwritten rule: Cops can't demand the free stuff. And that's just what officials say Chicago Police Officer Barbara Nevers did, demanding free coffee and pastries from a half-dozen Starbucks stores over the years, until she was banned from one of the java joints and a memo was sent to other stores.
The 55-year-old veteran of more than a decade was suspended for 18 months and recommended for counseling after showing her gun and badge to intimidate employees into giving her free coffee, according to documents released Thursday.
Nevers' actions may have cemented one of the oldest stereotypes about cops—you know, the one about the certain circular pastry they're supposed to love. But she also took advantage of a time-honored tradition: giving hard-working public servants a little gastro-love.
A few Dunkin' Donuts employees around Chicago said they often give 10 percent discounts to cops and the elderly. A 7-Eleven employee at 180 N. Franklin St. said she gives officers who visit a free cup of coffee.
At the Golden Angel in the Lincoln Square neighborhood Thursday, a waitress said, yes, they give 50 percent discounts to the cops who frequent.
"There's a few sitting right here," Julie Paterno said as she watched them munch on chicken-fried steak.
Paterno said customers like the feeling of safety when a police officer is around, and the restaurant feels like it's helping out some public servants.
"I'm thinking most restaurants do it for protection, so they'll keep an eye on the place," she said.
In Lincolnwood, at the all-night Whistler's Restaurant, owner Chris Dimas says it's a give and take. He likes officers to be around his restaurant late at night, and they like his food.
"At night, you don't know the people around, so it is good for them to be here, eating my food," said Dimas, who has owned the place for more than 30 years. There are some officers who don't accept his freebies because their bosses don't like it, and some officers he doesn't know and thus doesn't offer the discount, he said.
"If they feel comfortable with us, we feel comfortable with them and appreciate what they do," he said.
Starbucks has no official policy regarding free coffee for police, leaving that decision up to each franchise, company officials said Thursday. According to testimony before the Chicago Police Board, which decides cases of misconduct, employees in several North Side Starbucks said they often give free 12-ounce coffee or tea to officers on duty. But Nevers would often ask for a larger size or multiple drinks, employees said.
Some employees testified that between 1999 and 2004 Nevers frequented their stores weekly, often in street clothes, and flashed a badge or flipped her jacket to reveal her gun if they asked for payment. In 2004, she was accused of stealing a juice drink from one Starbucks, but eventually was acquitted.
One manager at a Starbucks in the 1700 block of West Diversey Parkway testified that Nevers started asking for free pastries too, and got angry when the store employees refused. The manager told Nevers she wasn't welcome in the store anymore, and testified that Nevers walked behind the store counter, asking angrily if she wasn't welcome, before leaving.
"She was vehement about getting the free pastries," the manager testified.
Several employees said most officers who come in are friendly and always offer to pay before being told that it is on the house. But Nevers was unprofessional, they said, and rarely talked with employees before demanding free coffee. Her actions made even other officers who went to the Starbucks suspicious, believing she could be a police impersonator, one employee testified.
A district manager eventually sent out a memo to stores Nevers frequented, saying free coffee wasn't allowed for her anymore, according to the testimony.
Nevers joined the force when she was 41 but after an injury in training spent most of her time off the street at "call-back," where officers write reports and handle calls. She denied that she demanded coffee or flashed her gun to intimidate the employees, and said she only took free coffee when offered.
"I don't demand anything," Nevers told the Police Board, adding that she always put $2 in a tip jar when she was offered free coffee. Her attorney said Nevers was only accepting what had been a custom in Chicago.
It's a custom that's not likely to change any time soon, rules or no rules. At the Golden Angel on Thursday, Paterno tallied up the bill she'd given the two police officers who stopped by—$6, after the 50 percent discount. The cops didn't forget their waitress, though.
"They both left $2 apiece," she said.
A free cup of coffee, a discount on a greasy burger.
Though many police departments officially frown on freebies, coffee houses and restaurants around the city and suburbs give the gratis, and the officers' bosses seem to look the other way.
But there's another unwritten rule: Cops can't demand the free stuff. And that's just what officials say Chicago Police Officer Barbara Nevers did, demanding free coffee and pastries from a half-dozen Starbucks stores over the years, until she was banned from one of the java joints and a memo was sent to other stores.
The 55-year-old veteran of more than a decade was suspended for 18 months and recommended for counseling after showing her gun and badge to intimidate employees into giving her free coffee, according to documents released Thursday.
Nevers' actions may have cemented one of the oldest stereotypes about cops—you know, the one about the certain circular pastry they're supposed to love. But she also took advantage of a time-honored tradition: giving hard-working public servants a little gastro-love.
A few Dunkin' Donuts employees around Chicago said they often give 10 percent discounts to cops and the elderly. A 7-Eleven employee at 180 N. Franklin St. said she gives officers who visit a free cup of coffee.
At the Golden Angel in the Lincoln Square neighborhood Thursday, a waitress said, yes, they give 50 percent discounts to the cops who frequent.
"There's a few sitting right here," Julie Paterno said as she watched them munch on chicken-fried steak.
Paterno said customers like the feeling of safety when a police officer is around, and the restaurant feels like it's helping out some public servants.
"I'm thinking most restaurants do it for protection, so they'll keep an eye on the place," she said.
In Lincolnwood, at the all-night Whistler's Restaurant, owner Chris Dimas says it's a give and take. He likes officers to be around his restaurant late at night, and they like his food.
"At night, you don't know the people around, so it is good for them to be here, eating my food," said Dimas, who has owned the place for more than 30 years. There are some officers who don't accept his freebies because their bosses don't like it, and some officers he doesn't know and thus doesn't offer the discount, he said.
"If they feel comfortable with us, we feel comfortable with them and appreciate what they do," he said.
Starbucks has no official policy regarding free coffee for police, leaving that decision up to each franchise, company officials said Thursday. According to testimony before the Chicago Police Board, which decides cases of misconduct, employees in several North Side Starbucks said they often give free 12-ounce coffee or tea to officers on duty. But Nevers would often ask for a larger size or multiple drinks, employees said.
Some employees testified that between 1999 and 2004 Nevers frequented their stores weekly, often in street clothes, and flashed a badge or flipped her jacket to reveal her gun if they asked for payment. In 2004, she was accused of stealing a juice drink from one Starbucks, but eventually was acquitted.
One manager at a Starbucks in the 1700 block of West Diversey Parkway testified that Nevers started asking for free pastries too, and got angry when the store employees refused. The manager told Nevers she wasn't welcome in the store anymore, and testified that Nevers walked behind the store counter, asking angrily if she wasn't welcome, before leaving.
"She was vehement about getting the free pastries," the manager testified.
Several employees said most officers who come in are friendly and always offer to pay before being told that it is on the house. But Nevers was unprofessional, they said, and rarely talked with employees before demanding free coffee. Her actions made even other officers who went to the Starbucks suspicious, believing she could be a police impersonator, one employee testified.
A district manager eventually sent out a memo to stores Nevers frequented, saying free coffee wasn't allowed for her anymore, according to the testimony.
Nevers joined the force when she was 41 but after an injury in training spent most of her time off the street at "call-back," where officers write reports and handle calls. She denied that she demanded coffee or flashed her gun to intimidate the employees, and said she only took free coffee when offered.
"I don't demand anything," Nevers told the Police Board, adding that she always put $2 in a tip jar when she was offered free coffee. Her attorney said Nevers was only accepting what had been a custom in Chicago.
It's a custom that's not likely to change any time soon, rules or no rules. At the Golden Angel on Thursday, Paterno tallied up the bill she'd given the two police officers who stopped by—$6, after the 50 percent discount. The cops didn't forget their waitress, though.
"They both left $2 apiece," she said.
Detention Officer Accused of Smuggle Drugs into Jail
CLOVIS, N.M.
A Curry County detention center officer accused of trying to smuggle drugs into the jail has been arrested and fired.
Sheriff's deputies on Thursday arrested 36-year-old Julian Patrick Garcia on charges of possession with intent to distribute cocaine and possession with intent to distribute marijuana.
He's also charged with bringing contraband into a jail, conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, attempt to commit a felony by furnishing drugs to a prisoner and a misdemeanor count of possession of drug paraphernalia.
Bond was set at $56,000.
The arrest stems from an investigation into allegations an inmate was arranging for drugs to be smuggled in.
A Curry County detention center officer accused of trying to smuggle drugs into the jail has been arrested and fired.
Sheriff's deputies on Thursday arrested 36-year-old Julian Patrick Garcia on charges of possession with intent to distribute cocaine and possession with intent to distribute marijuana.
He's also charged with bringing contraband into a jail, conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, attempt to commit a felony by furnishing drugs to a prisoner and a misdemeanor count of possession of drug paraphernalia.
Bond was set at $56,000.
The arrest stems from an investigation into allegations an inmate was arranging for drugs to be smuggled in.
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