Officer Charged with Possessing Child Porn

A POLICE officer from has been charged with possessing child pornography after a raid triggered by authorities in Croatia.

The 44-year-old probationary constable's home, in the New South Wales central west town of Cowra, was raided by police today after a tip off provided to Interpol by their Croatian counterparts.

Croatian police were investigating pornography downloaded from a website hosted in that country, NSW Police said.

Police raided the policeman's home at 8.15am (AEST), seizing a computer hard drive and a replica pistol.

Child pornography was allegedly found on the computer, police said.

The officer has been charged with possessing child pornography and a prohibited weapon.

He will appear in Cowra Local Court in November.

http://www.police.nsw.gov.au/news/latest_releases?sq_content_src=%2BdXJsPWh0dHBzJTNBJTJGJTJGd3d3LmViaXoucG9saWNlLm5zdy5nb3YuYXUlMkZtZWRpYSUyRjMyMzYuaHRtbCZhbGw9MQ%3D%3D

Former Police Chief Todd Vecellio Arrested in Internet Sex Sting

A former police chief with the Calhan Police Department is in jail for allegedly trying to arrange sex with a minor. The Canon City Police Department arrested Todd Vecellio, 38, on Wednesday in Penrose as part of a month long internet sex sting.

Vecellio is not only a former police chief, but he was also working as a police officer at the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs (UCCS). He has been suspended without pay. A university spokesman said there is no reason to believe that Vecellio acted inappropriately with students and did not use University equipment, computers, in unlawful activities.

Vecellio is facing more than half a dozen charges, including conspiracy to commit sexual assault on a child. According to an arrest affidavit, Vecellio meet a woman online and made plans to have sex with her and her 13-year-old daughter. What Vecellio didn't know, was the woman was an undercover Canon City police officer working with the internet crimes against children unit.

After a month of online chatting and several phone conversations, Vecellio made plans to drive from Colorado Springs to Penrose to meet-up with the woman.

On Wednesday, on his way down, officers arrested him outside a liquor store on highway 115.

The undercover officer says although Vecellio was suspicious that she was a cop, he made it clear he wanted to have sex with both her and her 13-year-old daughter. In one conversation he told the undercover officer that he had been with a 15-year-old once before.

After he was arrested, Vecellio told police he was conducting an investigation on the woman. However, he made no reports, nor told his supervisor at UCCS or law enforcement about the investigation.

As for his background. Vecellio has been arrested twice for domestic violence, and once for child abuse in El Paso County. But all three of those cases were dismissed.

Vecellio remains in the Fremont County Jail on a $50,000 bond.
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http://www.krdo.com/Global/story.asp?S=9074091&nav=menu552_1

UPDATE: Skip Brinkley Still on the Loose

The alleged murderer of Caldwell County Sheriff’s (N.C.) deputy Adam Klutz is still on the loose.

Skip Brinkley, also known as Larry Wayne Brucke Jr. in his native Walhalla, stands accused of shooting Klutz in the head and Lt. Chris Martin in his vest three times Friday night while following up a 9-1-1 hang-up from the home. Martin suffered no major injuries.

According to reports, Brucke was last seen riding away from the scene on horseback.

“We do know that the authorities in North Carolina have confiscated all of his vehicles,” Capt. Steve Jenkins with the Oconee County Sheriff’s office said. “If he does have a ride, it is borrowed or stolen. We do have information that he possibly still has a weapon in his possession.”

Brucke is described as a white male, standing 5’8’’, weighing roughly 180 pounds with blonde hair, green eyes and a recently grown goatee. Jenkins said their information indicates his name change from Brucke to Brinkley is fairly recent, as he was born a Brucke.

“The information we’ve gathered is that his mother moved to North Carolina and remarried a fellow whose last name is Brinkley,” Jenkins said. “That is when he started going by Brinkley.”

Brucke is a former member of the Army National Guard and has served a tour of duty in Iraq. He is best known in the area for having grown up in Walhalla and served as an officer in the Seneca Police Department from 2001 to 2002. Seneca Police Chief John Covington confirmed the dates of Brucke’s employment, but said he could not specify his reasons for leaving, as it was technically a personnel matter. The lead agency in the matter is the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), while Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office, Oconee County Sheriff’s Office, South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) and North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (NCSBI) are all contributing to the investigation.

“I have been in contact with Caldwell County authorities there, and with the FBI,” Jenkins said. “We do know that he still has some family and friends here, and we have been in contact with them. We don’t know if he has attempted to contact anyone down here yet.”

Jenkins stated further that those who do know him have not seen him for a long period of time, and most of them were only “acquaintances.” Authorities do not have any concrete information leading them to believe he is back in South Carolina, he said.

“The authorities in North Carolina are working on several locations up there,” Jenkins said. “Down here we’re patrolling areas we know he’s acquainted with, so that is our role right now.”


More Information: http://www.wcnc.com/news/local/stories/wcnc-092308-krg-deputyphoto.a6d91525.html

Jevenile Detention Officer Parris Woods Arrested for Trying to Meet 14-year-old

Police have arrested a state juvenile detention officer after they say he tried to meet a 14-year-old girl to engage in sexual activity.

The ninth-grader at Boca Ciega High School approached a school resource officer Wednesday morning and reported that Parris C. Woods, 27, sent her a text message with photos of himself nude and in obscene poses, police said.

The girl had never met Woods, a state employee with the Department of Juvenile Justice. But she had been incarcerated in July at the Pinellas Juvenile Detention Center in Largo where he works, said Lt. Robert Vincent of the Gulfport police.

Vincent said it's unclear whether there are more victims.

"It's kind of hard to tell. The man has access to all sorts of information and kids there where he works," Vincent said. "That's something we're looking into right now."

Police say Woods wanted to arrange a meeting with the girl, so they set up an appointment at a convenience store at 15th Avenue S and 58th Street. Police and officials from the attorney general's Tampa region cybercrime task force were waiting there to arrest Woods.

Woods, who has no prior criminal history in Florida, was charged with traveling to engage in sexual activity with a minor, providing harmful material to a minor and soliciting a minor for sexual activity.

Frank Penela, a spokesman for the Department of Juvenile Justice, said Woods was terminated as soon as the department heard of his arrest. Woods had worked there less than six months and was still on probation, so the department didn't need to follow a firing process, Penela said.

"We don't tolerate this," Penela said. "We do not want people like this taking care of our kids."


http://www.news-press.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080924/SS08/80924097/1075

Former Deputy Dexter Morris Jr. Arrested for Civil Rights Violation

GREENEVILLE, TENNESSEE

DEXTER L. MORRIS, JR., age 34 of Morristown, Tennessee, was arrested today in Greeneville by agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) on charges involving civil rights violations and making false statements to the FBI. This arrest was announced by FBI Special Agent in Charge (SAC) Richard Lambert and United States Attorney James R. "Russ" Dedrick.

Morris had an initial appearance later that morning in the United States District Court in Greeneville before the Honorable Dennis H. Inman, United States Magistrate Judge.

The details of the charges are outlined in the criminal complaint and supporting affadavit, and are filed as public records in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Greeneville.

In summary, the affidavit alleges that Morris, while a deputy sheriff with the Hamblen County, Tennessee Sheriff's Office, willfully deprived a woman, identified as "JL" in the complaint to protect her privacy, of her constitutional rights by forcing the woman to engage in sexual acts after a traffic stop on August 24, 2005. Morris is also charged with violating the constitutional rights of a second woman, identified as "NE," by having the woman expose her breasts in exchange for Morris not filing a charge for a traffic offense. Morris is further charged with making false statements to FBI agents during an April 2007 interview when he falsely claimed he could not recall whether he had ever had sexual contact with any woman he encountered during a traffic stop.

United States Attorney Dedrick said, "The protection of our citizens and their civil rights is of paramount importance in our society. It is important that those freedoms guaranteed to all citizens be strictly enforced, especially when a law enforcement officer violates his/her oath and attacks the very citizen they are responsible for protecting."

Morris faces maximum penalties of up to life imprisonment and fines of up to $600,000. Morris was released on bond to return for a preliminary hearing or arraignment on October 14, 208 at 1:30 p.m.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with the assistance of the Hamblen County Sheriff's Office.

Members of the public are reminded that these are only charges and that every person is presumed innocent until their guilt has been proven beyond a reasonable doubt.

Man Charged with Battery After Passing Gas

Weird News of the day...WTF??


SOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va.

South Charleston police have charged a man with battery after they say he intentionally passed gas on an officer while under arrest for suspicion of drunken driving.

Police say they were fingerprinting Jose Antonio Cruz, 34, of Clarksburg, at police headquarters Tuesday when Cruz moved near Patrolman T.E. Parsons, lifted his leg and passed gas "loudly" on the officer, according to a criminal complaint filed in Kanawha Magistrate Court.

Cruz then waved the air in the direction of Parsons, who was preparing a breath test machine nearby.

"The gas was very odorous and created contact of an insulting or provoking nature with Patrolman Parsons," the complaint says.

Cruz allegedly failed to give an adequate breath sample because he has asthma, the complaint says. Cruz asked to be taken to a hospital, but allegedly resisted when emergency medical technicians showed up. Police say they struggled to get Cruz handcuffed while he was on a cot.

The defendant was initially arrested after police observed him driving his Mazda 626 east on U.S. 60 without headlights, the complaint says. Police say Cruz was unsteady on his feet and smelled of alcohol when they pulled him over at the intersection of Park Avenue and U.S. 60.

Cruz was charged with DUI, battery on a police officer and obstructing. He was jailed on $5,000 bond.


http://www.metro.co.uk/weird/article.html?Driver_arrested_after_farting_on_police_officer&in_article_id=323959&in_page_id=2

Two Veteran Officers Arrested for Break-in

London

Two veteran Sarnia police officers have been arrested after a break-in to an apartment unit Sept 19, Sarnia police announced Wednesday morning.

The break-in took place in the 300 block of Christina Street South just after midnight Friday, police said.

The two officers charged were off duty at the time, police added.

Patrick Nahmabin, 34, and Steven Wyville, 39, both 12-year veterans of the police department, were arrested Tuesday.

They were released from custody and are to appear in court Oct. 21.

Both officers were put on leave and face disciplinary charges under the Polices Services Act.

"At this point these are allegations before the court,” Acting Chief Phil Nelson said in a written statement. “We are extremely disappointed and embarrassed by the notion that two of our members may have been involved in an incident of this nature. Conduct of this type falls far short of the standard expected of a Sarnia police officer."

"I want to reassure the community that the Sarnia police service will not tolerate this type of behaviour from its members" Nelson said.

Sgt. Stephen Couture Fired for Not Keeping His Mouth Shut

NORWALK, Conn.

Norwalk officials have fired a police officer accused of telling another officer he was being investigated for the alleged sexual assault of a 15-year-old boy.

The police trial board fired Sgt. Stephen Couture on Tuesday. Couture's lawyer says he will appeal the decision to the state Board of Mediation and Labor Arbitration.

Board members say Couture told former Lt. Thomas Cummings that the department was investigating a sexual assault allegation against Cummings. Couture told the board he did tell Cummings about the allegation, but he denied knowing about any criminal investigation.

Cummings was charged in January with sexual assault and other crimes. Police say he had sexual relations with boys he enticed using Internet sites and chat rooms.


Information from: The Hour, http://www.thehour.com, and The Advocate, http://www.stamfordadvocate.com.

Recently Retired CHP Officer Abram Carabajal Accused of Fixing Ticket for Sex

OCEANSIDE, Calif.

A recently retired California Highway Patrol officer is under investigation Wednesday, accused of fixing a ticket in exchange for sex with a woman at an Oceanside hotel.

Two affidavits in support of search warrants filed with San Diego Superior Court in Vista alleged that Abram Carabajal met Shirin Zarrindej, of Encino, at the GuestHouse Inn & Suites on North Coast Highway shortly after her speeding ticket was dismissed in court, The San Diego Union-Tribune reported.

Carabajal wrote the ticket March 12.

When the woman contested the ticket, he signed a subpoena to appear in court, according to the newspaper.

On June 30, Carabajal reserved a room with an early check-in time at the Oceanside hotel for the next day, the newspaper reported.

In court the next day, Carabajal told a judge he did not get a subpoena, and the ticket was dismissed.

Later that day, Zarrindej paid for the room with her credit card and was seen walking arm-in-arm with the officer into the room, the Union-Tribune reported.

Carabajal, 51, retired in July after more than 26 years with the CHP.

He told the newspaper on Monday that he knew nothing of the investigation.

"I think there's nothing to it," Carabajal told the Union-Tribune.

Zarrindej told police, who came to the hotel after Carabajal left, that she knew he was married and had children, but she was in love with him, according to the Union-Tribune.


More Information:
http://www.cbs8.com/stories/story.141451.html

Sgt. Dave Jacobson Arrested for Drunk Driving

A Loves Park Police Sergeant is facing drunk driving allegations tonight. The incident happened last month, but the charges are just surfacing today.

"The first thing I thought and I don't know if you want to put this on the air was how stupid of the officer, but I appreciated the phone call and I thought they were handling it properly. "

Reaction from Loves Park Police Chief Pat Carrigan after the phone call from the Illinois State Police, reporting that one of his officers was arrested. Sgt. Dave Jacobson, a 27 year veteran of the department is accused of driving drunk, swerving on the road, and speeding.

It all stems from an incident here at Harlem Road and Scott Lane in Machesney Park. Authorities say Jacobson was in an unmarked Loves Park squad when he was pulled over on August 30.

" He was swerving and the officer smelled alcohol on his breath and he was immediately taken into custody," says Loves Park Police Chief Pat Carrigan.

Authorities are not commenting on where he was heading. They'll only say he was off duty.

"He drives the car back and forth to the office as a detective, because they get called out day or night, but that could be considered a violation of our policy yes."

The Detective has been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation.

http://www.wrex.com/Global/story.asp?S=9061108

Former Sgt. Mike Rodrigues Arrested on Fourth Rape Charge

Deputies arrested former Sheriff's Sgt. Mike Rodrigues today on suspicion of a fourth rape charge, and a judge later released him on his own recognizance, according to authorities.

Rodrigues was set to be arraigned today on suspicion of three previous rape counts alleged by a grand jury. While walking toward the San Benito County Courthouse, authorities "peacefully" took him into custody, said Sheriff Curtis Hill.

The sheriff, for the second time since Rodrigues' first arrest on rape charges in December, apologized to the community and also said he's "not happy" with the visiting judge's decision to release Rodrigues after authorities charged him with the additional rape count, along with two other felony counts alleging possession of firearms and ammunition while under a restraining order.

Authorities today also charged Rodrigues on three misdemeanor counts on suspicion of violating a restraining order.

The visiting judge, from Napa County, arraigned him on the prior rape counts and released Rodrigues on the condition that he agree to turn in his passport and not leave the county, Hill said. After Rodrigues' December arrest, the suspect posted the $300,000 bail and was released from the San Benito County Jail.

"While he was on bail he continued to violate the law, including possessing a gun and ammunition," Hill told the Free Lance. "These allegations are from citizens that live and work in this community. When people hear this they'll think, 'If I did that, I would be in jail.' That's what Joe Six-Pack is going to think. I am very disappointed in the judge's decision."

Although Hill said Rodrigues was peacefully arrested, defense attorney Arthur Cantu contended otherwise and argued the case is "nothing more than a witch hunt."

If you have seven or eight deputies grabbing you and forcefully putting handcuffs on you and putting you under arrest, that by definition is an incident," Cantu said. "How dare they file new charges? How dare they file new charges? This is nothing more than a witch hunt. This is nothing more than a vendetta between Mikey and his enemies in the sheriff's department."

An investigation of Rodrigues, a 25-year sheriff's office veteran, resulted in the December indictment alleging three counts of forcible rape, two counts of unlawful sexual penetration and one count each of spousal rape, domestic violence and attempted rape.

The sheriff today said he's sorry for the Rodrigues ordeal - he apologized emphatically in December after the indictment as well.

"I want to apologize to every man woman and child in San Benito County," Hill said today. "We work to build trust in the community, and these allegations break that trust down."

Former sheriff's Sgt. Mike Rodrigues in court in January. Rodrigues faces four counts of forcible rape, two counts of unlawful sexual penetration, two felony counts of possession of firearms and ammunition while under a restraining order, and one count each of spousal rape, domestic violence and attempted rape.

Detention Deputy Becky Garry Charged with Fraud and Grand Theft

A Polk County detention deputy was arrested today, accused by detectives of running a check-kiting scheme to cover debts.

Becky Ann Garry, 34, of Lakeland, was charged with scheming to defraud and grand theft. Garry is accused of depositing checks from one bank account into a second account, then writing checks to withdraw funds from the second account. In this check kiting scheme, there was not enough funds in the first account to cover the amount of the checks, detectives said.

In one case, Garry is accused of depositing a Bank of America check written in the amount of $1,200 into a Colonial Bank account. At the time, there was $6.68 in the Bank of America account, detectives said. On the same day, a $1,200 check was written and deposited from the Colonial Bank account into the Bank of America account, although the Colonial Bank account had $57.26.

Detectives said Garry "floated" her bank balances because she got behind on bills and did not want to be overdrawn.

Garry was hired in May 2007 and was assigned to Polk County's south county jail until she was transferred to the central Polk County Jail in July. She had no disciplinary actions in her personnel file, sheriff's spokeswoman Carrie Eleazer said in a statement.

Garry has been suspended without pay and termination procedures are pending, Eleazer said. Garry was released from Polk County Jail this afternoon on $2,000 bail.

Garry is the third Polk County detention deputy arrested this year. Shawn Thomas Lucas, 30, was arrested Sept. 4, after he had agreed to sell 15 1/2 OxyContin pills to an undercover detective in the parking lot of an Auburndale Save-A-Lot, the sheriff's office said. Lucas resigned after his arrest.

In May, Donald Kurns Jr. was arrested after an investigation revealed he had sex with an inmate in a staff bathroom at the Central County Jail, authorities said. Kurns resigned after his arrest.

Deputy Alan Brooks Arrested for Battering His Wife

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla.

An Orange County deputy arrested on charges of battering his wife bonded out of jail Monday morning. His alleged victim is the daughter of Sheriff Kevin Beary.

In a police report, Deputy Alan Brooks claimed his wife started screaming about their finances, but she told Mount Dora police that Brooks picked her up and threw her to the floor. She cut her hand on broken glass from their shattered wedding picture.

Sheriff Beary's daughter also stated that she locked herself in the bathroom and that her husband broke through the door and then dragged her out of the house.

"We don't treat it any different as far as the investigation goes," said Lt. Robert Bell of the Mount Dora Police Department.

Investigators notified the Orange County Sheriff's Office, which sent a captain to remove Brooks' badge and gun from his home.

In a personal statement Sheriff Beary asked that his daughter's privacy be respected: "As a law enforcement officer I take solace in the fact that the investigation into this matter is in the good hands of the Mount Dora Police Department. Domestic Violence and the tremendous impact it has on its victims, families and loved ones close to those involved has always been a matter of great personal concern to me. When something like this hits so close to home, it takes the life right out of you."

Brooks has been placed on desk duty until an internal investigation is completed.


http://www.wesh.com/news/17524613/detail.html

Officer John Barnett Arrested for Fraud

Diamonds, apparently, are not a man's best friend.

A Franklin Square man who works as a police officer for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority has been arrested and charged with filing a fraudulent $28,375 insurance claim for a diamond ring he reported missing -- while his fiancee was still wearing the 2.3-carat sparkler.

John Barnett, 40, of Franklin Square was arrested Sept. 12 by Investigator Rosalind Thomas of the New York State Insurance Department's Frauds Bureau, assisted by New York City Police. He was released with no bail.

The insurance department has turned the case over to the Queens district attorney's integrity bureau. An MTA spokesman said Barnett has been suspended without pay.

Forrest Hills attorney Michael Dreishpoon, who represents Barnett, said his client entered a not guilty plea when he was arrested.

"I am still investigating the allegations," Dreishpoon said yesterday.

Barnett, a lieutenant commander in the U.S. Navy Reserve, bought the diamond for $15,000 in July 2006 from USAA, a San Antonio, Texas, insurance company that provides services for current and former military personnel. Barnett then had the diamond put into a $2,200, 18-karat gold setting and insured it in December 2006 with USAA for $28,375, officials said.

Early in 2007, Barnett reported that he lost the ring while taking it to a jeweler to be cleaned and filed an insurance claim with USAA, officials said.

State insurance spokesman Ron Klug said his department and USAA began investigating the case around the same time. "The insurance company was suspicious because he brought the policy in December 2006 and a short time later, in April 2007, reported it missing," Klug said.

Barnett is charged with insurance fraud, a felony, and could be sentenced to 21/3 to 7 years in prison if convicted.


http://www.newsday.com

Officer Skip Brinkley Accused of Murder Thought of as a Nice Guy

OAK HILL, N.C.

People in this quiet countryside knew Iraq war veteran Skip Brinkley as a friendly, peaceable man – “the perfect neighbor,” one of his neighbors said Monday.

Brinkley and his fiancée, Jennifer Foutty, bought about 35 acres on Fox Winkler Road about a year ago, built a barn at the base of a mountain and had recently started constructing a house.

The image is in stark contrast to the crimes he's accused of: Authorities say Brinkley shot two Caldwell County sheriff's deputies Friday night, one fatally, before fleeing.

They were still searching for him Monday evening but had gotten no strong leads nor any confirmed sightings. SWAT teams stood on standby in case someone spots him.

Investigators focused on canvassing the neighborhood around the Brinkley property for information, while an N.C. Highway Patrol helicopter flew over the area and deputies guarded children at nearby Oak Hill Elementary School.

Brinkley, an S.C. native who recently changed his name from Larry Wayne Brucke Jr., had given neighbors no inkling of a violent nature.

In fact, his neighbor across the road, Elaine Hatley, said he wanted to shield his family from harm, recently mentioning to her that he didn't want anybody hunting on his property “because he didn't want guns around his children.”

News of the shootings stunned Hatley. “I never saw this side of him,” she said, “and as far as I was concerned, he was the perfect neighbor to me.”

Brinkley has no criminal record in North Carolina but was convicted on a misdemeanor charge of simple assault and battery in his home state in 2004, according to S.C. Law Enforcement Division records.

But his service in the Army appears to have been commendable, according to his service record. Brinkley received the Army Commendation Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and the Iraq Campaign Medal.

He joined the N.C. National Guard in 1994. He was stationed in Fort Campbell, Ky., on active duty from June 1996 to June 1999 before being transferred to the Army's Individual Ready Reserve and discharged in February 2002.

In December 2005, Brinkley enlisted in the N.C. Army National Guard, holding the rank of specialist when he served in Iraq with the National Guard from May 2006 to April 2007.

Since May, he's been in the Army's Individual Ready Reserve, available to fill vacancies in Army Reserve units and replace soldiers in active and reserve units.

“He just looks like a regular soldier who did his job,” Lt. Col. Anne Edgecomb, an Army spokeswoman, said Monday after reviewing his public military service record.

In Oak Hill, he pursued a quiet, domestic life in the foothills between Lenoir and Taylorsville.

Hatley said Brinkley and Foutty built an apartment onto the end of the barn they had constructed for their horses and mules, living there with Foutty's three children while their house was being built.

The family became acquainted with Hatley, a retiree who said Brinkley occasionally stopped at her home to check on her well-being. He even granted her a favor recently.

Hatley's grandfather originally owned the property Brinkley bought, and she had asked him if she could have a few of the large rocks her grandfather had used to build the foundation and chimney of his farmhouse, which burned years ago.

“One day, he came up with a tractor and a load of rocks and put them around the front of my house where I wanted them,” Hatley said. “He was proud of what he did with (my grandfather's) place, and he showed me around.”

Last Friday, Hatley noticed Brinkley working mules on his farm. He'd hitched them to a one-seat wagon and was driving them up and down Fox Winkler Road, a narrow ribbon of blacktop with no striping.

Then that night, Hatley and other neighbors heard gunshots, but Hatley didn't pay any attention because guns are a common part of country life.

Then she and the rest of Oak Hill learned what had happened. They mourned for the family of sheriff's Deputy Adam William Klutz, the rookie officer who died early Saturday after being shot in the head. Lt. Chris Martin, who was backing up Klutz on a 911 hang-up call from the Brinkley home, survived three gunshots to the chest, saved by a bullet-proof vest.

Colleagues said Klutz, a Granite Falls native, had an easy smile and happy nature.

“He had a bright career ahead of him,” said Caldwell sheriff's spokesman B.J. Fore.

“I feel for the family of the officer,” Hatley said. “I'm praying for them every day, and I know that won't bring him back. I'm also praying for Skip.”

-- The Charlotte Observer

Police in 3 precincts accused of writing fake summonses

Nearly six months after two rookie cops in Queens were accused of writing bogus summonses, Internal Affairs is now investigating officers in three other precincts for the same wrongdoing, according to police sources.

Sources told Newsday in May that the two rookies were working at the 113th Precinct in the early spring when they wrote 40 red-light and seat-belt summonses in one tour - a number considered difficult to reach because the officers were working regular patrol, responding to 911 calls.

A few days later their supervising sergeant determined the officers had submitted fraudulent overtime - claiming the summonses were written while working extra hours, police sources said.

The rookies were suspended, served their 30-day suspensions and have been on modified assignment ever since. The department has not publicly identified them, and it was not clear if they will be further disciplined.

Chief of Internal Affairs Charles Campisi did not respond to requests for comment, and the NYPD would only confirm the rookies are still on modified assignment.

A source close to Campisi says that shortly after the rookies' tickets were scrutinized Internal Affairs learned of other officers who may have written suspicious tickets.

The source wouldn't identify where those other cops are assigned, but two other sources familiar with the matter said the growing probe involves the 102nd, 103rd and 105th precincts. The sources also said at least several officers are under suspicion.

Steve Worth, a lawyer for the Patrolmen's Benevolent Association, declined to comment.

Problems involving phony tickets is nothing new.

An officer with the Housing Bureau is under investigation for writing about 80 such tickets.

And last August four NYPD traffic enforcement agents were arrested after Internal Affairs caught them making up infractions so they could fill out tickets and spend the rest of their shifts hanging out.

Two of the agents pleaded guilty to forgery and were placed on probation, and the other two pleaded to disorderly conduct and were then conditionally discharged.

UPDATE: Former Sheriff Mike Burgess Pleads Not Guilty

Former Custer County Sheriff Mike Burgess has pleaded not guilty to 36 charges of forcing female inmates to provide sexual favors.

Burgess entered the plea during arraignment Tuesday in Major County District Court where the hearing was held to accommodate the judge.

Burgess faces charges of rape, rape by instrumentation, kidnapping, sexual battery and oral sodomy of female drug court participants.

Several women testified during a preliminary hearing they were afraid they'd be sent to prison if they didn't give in to Burgess' sex demands.

Trial is set for Dec. 1 in Custer County but defense attorney Steve Huddleston says he'll decide within two weeks whether to ask for a change of venue.

Veteran Tulsa Officer Investigated for Sexual Misconduct

A Tulsa police officer is under investigation for alleged sexual misconduct.

The alleged incident happened early Monday morning while he was on patrol in south Tulsa. The officer has been suspended with pay while the police department's sex crimes squad investigates the allegations.

The 32-year-old officer is assigned to Uniform Division Southwest. He is a seven-year veteran of the Tulsa police force.

Police say the officer picked up a 32-year-old Owasso woman who was walking alone near 39th and Sheridan after midnight Sunday night. He allegedly told her she had an outstanding warrant, which was later determined to have been taken care of. The officer allegedly asked the woman for sex, but she refused.

"She alleges, gave information to us, that the officer inappropriately fondled her and exposed himself to her," says Chief Ron Palmer.

Palmer says the allegations are now a part of a complex criminal investigation. The victim has undergone a rape victim's examination and hair samples and clothing stains are being looked at.

"There may be additional tests," Palmer says. "We've got his police car that we're doing forensics on. The investigation began yesterday and is continuing today."

Chief Palmer says investigations like this don't happen very often. He adds allegations of sexual misconduct against his officers are a rarity and that it will take several more days to complete the report and turn it over to the district attorney for possible criminal charges.

Former Deputy Amanda Wolf Charged with Stealing Confiscated Marijuana

A former Rock Island County sheriff’s deputy charged with stealing and delivering confiscated marijuana was arrested during a traffic stop Tuesday in Milan, Ill.

Amanda Wolf, 33, of Milan, is charged with a felony count of official misconduct in Rock Island County Circuit Court.

According to the charges, Wolf stole the confiscated marijuana from the Metropolitan Enforcement Group, where she was assigned at the time.

A nationwide search warrant was issued for Wolf, but Chris Endress, MEG director, said Rock Island County sheriff’s deputies arrested Wolf during a traffic stop.

“We’re glad that the arrest is made, and we can take this farther and get this thing completed,” Endress said.

Wolf has resigned from her job as a deputy and was believed to be residing in Texas, Endress said Monday. Endress said at the time of the incident, Wolf was on assignment with MEG — a covert, undercover narcotics operation in which local law enforcement officers are assigned to the group for periods of time.

Officer Hubertus Vannes Sentenced to 5 Years

MINEOLA, N.Y.

A former New York City police officer has been sentenced to five years in prison for stealing handguns from a police evidence room and trading them for painkillers.

Hubertus Vannes, of Roslyn Heights, N.Y., pleaded guilty in May to criminal possession of a controlled substance and criminal sale of a firearm. He had been an NYPD officer for two years when he was arrested last fall.

Prosecutors say Vannes admitted trading three stolen guns to a man for painkillers. He had 76 tablets of prescription painkillers in his possession when he was arrested.

http://www.newsday.com/news/local/wire/newyork/ny-bc-ny--officersentenced0922sep22,0,7916253.story

Officer Russell Littleton Arrested for DWI

Bryant, Ark.

A Bryant police officer arrested a Little Rock police officer for DWI, refusal to submit a breath test, and speeding on August 14, 2008.

Officer Nick Ramsey pulled over Russell Littleton, 38, last month.

The report says he was going 19 miles above the speed limit. Police Chief Tony Coffman says when Officer Ramsey pulled him over, "he smelled odor of alcohol from the vehicle."

Ramsey declined to talk to THV, but according to his report, Littleton asked him if he could show him "professional courtesy and let him go."

"You have ordinary citizens that say 'come on man give me a break, let me go'," says Coffman.

According to the report, Littleton says he had four drinks that day. He says "he had three drinks this evening and one drink for lunch."

During one of the sobriety tests, he was swaying and "had leg tremors during the test."

Once at the police station, Ramsey writes, "several times he was on the phone and I could hear the other party yelling obscenities about me arresting him and not letting him go. Mr. Littleton made the comment to me that if I came through Little Rock that I would be taken care of."

Coffman says he does not consider this a threat.

"DWI is a pretty serious offense and nobody wants one. It doesn't matter if it's the general public or police officer," says Coffman.

Coffman commends his officer for doing the right thing.

"Officer Ramsey went by what the law said, and went by the rules," says Coffman.

Little Rock police are investigating the incident and would not comment on the case. However, they did say, Littleton was driving a city vehicle at the time he was pulled over and is banned from driving one until the investigation is over.

He appears before a judge November 20th at the Bryant District Court.

More Information:
http://www2.arkansasonline.com/news/2008/sep/22/undercover-lr-detective-arrested-dwi/?subscriber/national

Former Officer Larry Brucke Jr Wanted for Murder

LENOIR, N.C.

The man accused of fatally shooting a Caldwell County sheriff's deputy is a former S.C. police officer with Army Ranger training who continued to elude authorities Sunday.

All day, hundreds of federal, state and local investigators searched unsuccessfully in woods off winding roads for Larry Wayne Brucke Jr., an Iraq War veteran, who recently changed his name to Skip Brinkley. Authorities described him Sunday as “very dangerous.” He is accused of shooting Det. Adam Klutz in the head after he responded to a 911 hang-up call about 9:40 p.m. Friday. Klutz died early Saturday.

Lt. Chris Martin, who arrived moments later to back up Klutz, also was shot three times. He was spared serious injuries by his bullet proof vest.

Authorities Sunday said they believe Brinkley is armed at least with an assault rifle and he is now believed to be on foot or in a vehicle. After two days of searching, they had found no evidence indicating he was nearby. They said they weren't sure if he had been injured when Martin returned fire.

There were initial reports that he possibly rode off on a horse from the farm he lives on at Fox Winkler Road. But that horse was accounted for on Sunday, said Det. B.J. Fore, a spokesman for the Caldwell County Sheriff's Office.

Investigators declined to provide a recording of the 911 hang-up call and other calls possibly made after the shootings. They also couldn't say whether there had ever been reports of trouble at the home nestled among rolling hills off N.C. 64.

Dozens of police vehicles blocked access to the area Sunday where volunteers turned the Oak Hill Community Ruritan Club into a makeshift dining hall for searchers. Residents rolled out homemade pies while others grilled burgers and served fries to heavily-armed deputies with camouflage-painted faces.

By nightfall, authorities halted the search operation. But today there will be additional security at the nearby Oak Hill Elementary school and armed officers riding school buses, officials said.

“We're talking about a very dangerous person,” Fore said.

He declined to give any details about what may have prompted the 911 call. Brinkley's fiancée and two children who were in the home at the time, were not injured, Fore said.

He used to patrol the area and said he wasn't familiar with Brinkley, who had been in Caldwell County only for about a year.

Brinkley grew up in Walhalla, S.C., west of Greenville. His father, Larry Wayne Brucke Sr. told WCNC-TV, the Charlotte Observer's news partner, that he joined the Army right out of high school. He served at Fort Campbell, Ky., and in Iraq as an infantry soldier from 2004 to 2006. Authorities couldn't specify when he received Ranger training, or whether he completed it.

Authorities could not confirm whether Brinkley was honorably discharged or confirm whether he was injured during his Iraq service.

In addition to his military training, Brinkley completed basic law enforcement training in North Carolina and served as a police officer in Seneca, S.C., before joining the National Guard. His father told WCNC he served about a year in the Guard before getting out. His father said he was not aware of any troubles during Brinkley's military service.

Brinkley, who only recently changed his name, had been working most recently as a part-time truck driver and had a large construction project underway behind the home on Fox Winkler Road.

Friday's shooting was the second time recently that a suspect took aim at members of the Caldwell County Sheriff's Office. Earlier this month, two deputies were shot while serving a search warrant. The deputies, who were wearing bulletproof vests, weren't seriously hurt.

“This has been a rough few weeks for this department,” Fore said. “Our department is hurting, but we are carrying on with this investigation, out of pride and for Adam.”

More Information:
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,425711,00.html

Deputy Michael James Arrested for Indecency

VALDOSTA, GA

A Lowndes County deputy is facing indecency charges after exposing himself to children. 38-year-old Michael Anthony James surrendered to authorities at the Valdosta Police Department Friday after warrants were issued for his arrest.

The incident happened September 11th in the 2500 block of Forrestwood Drive. Around 3:20 that afternoon, a child walking home from a bus stop reported seeing a naked man standing exposed in his front doorway.

"If a child sees anything like that, they should immediately report it to a responsible adult as these children did. And that way action can be taken immediately. These children did real good about telling a parent or another adult," said Lt. Bobbi McGraw with the Valdosta Police Department.

James was charged with two counts of public indecency. He was released on a two-thousand dollar bond.

Nine year old dies a week after father Officer Dannie Marchan shot him

CHICAGO

Authorities say a 9-year-old boy has died about a week after his father, a Chicago police officer, shot his two children in a murder-suicide.

The Cook County Medical Examiner's office says Anthony Marchan died Tuesday at Mount Sinai Hospital.

Police Officer Dannie Marchan also killed his daughter, 7-year-old Alizay, before turning the gun on himself Sept. 15.

Chicago police have said the shootings at Marchan's home stemmed from a domestic dispute between the officer and the children's mother.

They said Marchan had been with the department about four years.

Deputy Alan Brooks Arrested for Domestic Battery

MOUNT DORA, Fla.

Mount Dora Police officers have arrested an Orange County deputy for domestic battery. Alan Brooks, 24, a two-year veteran of the Orange County Sheriff's Office and son-in-law of Sheriff Kevin Beary, was arrested on Saturday morning after a 911 call was placed by Beary's daughter.

Following his arrest, Brooks was transported to the Lake County Jail and placed under a no bond status. Brooks has been relieved of duty and reassigned as a result of his arrest.

"As a father, I am obviously thankful that my daughter and son-in-law are well, and I pray that whatever led up to this incident is something that can be worked out," said Orange County Sheriff Kevin Beary.

"Domestic violence and the tremendous impact it has on its victims, families and the loved ones close to those involved has always been a matter of great personal concern to me. When something like this hits so close to home, it takes the life right out of you," Beary added.

The incident leading to his arrest will be reviewed by the Orange County Sheriff's Office Professional Standards Division upon completion of a criminal investigation by the Mount Dora Police.

Getting Away with Murder

A vigil was held Saturday night to remember a man shot by his neighbor and the off-duty SEPTA officer accused of killing him won’t face murder charges.

The victim's family is upset and experts say the decision may have been premature.

The argument between next-door neighbors in a Perkiomen Township community of half-million-dollar homes occurred Wednesday night.

The SEPTA sergeant, a 22-year force veteran, told investigators the other man threatened his life before the shooting at Miller and Ott Roads around 7:30p.m.

“I think he should serve time. I think it should be a first-degree murder rap for him,” said Rev. Lewis Nash, the victim's cousin.

Relatives are fuming over a decision not to charge the man who shot and killed their loved one, 38-year-old Joseph McNair.

“We want some real answers, and we will be up there by the thousands if we don't get them,” said Rev. Nash.

McNair's friends and family came out by the hundreds and held a vigil where they remembered their loss.

It's been three days since McNair got into a heated altercation with his neighbor, Darryl Simmons.

Simmons, an off-duty SEPTA police officer, told authorities he shot McNair in self-defense.

Neighbors came to Simmons' defense saying McNair, an ex-con, was a terror on the neighborhood.

And now, the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office made its decision not to charge Simmons with murder, even though autopsy results are still out and State Police are still investigating.

But one legal expert questions whether that decision is premature.

“You would expect that they would have the information in front of you, evaluate it. It seems really impossible to make a really good judgment on whether it's first-degree murder or any other degree or whether it was self-defense without that information,” said Temple University Law Professor David Kirys.

Simmons' lawyer, Charles Mandracchia, told Fox 29 News he's content with the D.A.'s decision, and claims his client is innocent.

But that's not good enough for McNair's family, especially for his five children who say they're now forced to live life without their father.

“I just want justice for the situation. I mean, the guy was wrong for killing my father. We’re not getting justice. They just let him go,” said Diera Regan, the victim's daughter.

The District Attorney's Office can change its decision, because there is still evidence out there that can overturn all of this.

Boston Officers Mad About Marijuana Rally

Marijuana legalization advocates openly smoked pot at the annual Boston Freedom Rally on Boston Common yesterday, spurring arrests by Boston police.

“It’s one thing to protest the illegality of marijuana, that itself isn’t illegal,” said James Kenneally, BPD spokesman. “People have the right to free expression, but it’s another thing to smoke marijuana, which is an illegal narcotic, during the protest.”

The annual Boston Freedom Rally - described by organizers as “the largest marijuana reform gathering on the East Coast” - drew hundreds of stoners, activists and vendors to the park. They spent the bright, sunny afternoon touting their support for Question 2, which will appear on the ballot in November and would replace criminal penalties for possession of up to 1 ounce of marijuana with a fine of no more than $100.

“It’s a thing where we can unite for a cause to legalize weed, man,” said Howlin’ Jack Boone, 27, of Waltham, lead singer of the rally’s headline band, Graveyard BBQ. “This year we’re hoping for decriminalization, next year it’ll be a celebration.”

The Massachusetts Cannabis Reform Coalition co-sponsored the event, along with the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws.

“We’re close to winning the first major battle with Question 2, and MassCann won’t stop until it’s legal, regulated and taxed,” said Steven Epstein, co-founder of the coalition.

Yesterday’s rally was “a combination of education and activism,” said Allen St. Pierre, NORML executive director.

Or, as guitarist “Brown Bag” Johnson of Graveyard BBQ put it, “We’re fighting against the man, burning the rope and having a good time.”

The arrests ruined the mellow mood for some participants.

“It’s a real fear. When they arrest you, it’s quick and swift,” said pot enthusiast Rachel Elorrisa, 29, of New Hampshire who admitted to “lighting up” before the rally. “Police are out here in street clothes, and when they arrest, you have to sit in that holding area all day.”

Officer Sues After Breaking the Code of Silence

An Oakland police officer is suing the city, alleging that he was wrongfully placed on leave, retaliated against and ostracized for blowing the whistle in a police-brutality case that led to a popular officer being terminated by the department.

Officer Chris Yanke, a 16-year veteran, said in the suit that he broke the police "code of silence" several years ago when he "truthfully reported criminal misconduct and police brutality by a fellow OPD officer who was well-liked, which resulted in that officer's termination." The officer in question was not identified.

After Yanke came forward with the allegations, he was removed from the department's technology unit and placed on unpaid leave in 2006 on the grounds of insubordination, said the civil rights suit filed Thursday in U.S. District Court in San Francisco.

The city had rejected a claim previously filed by Yanke but has not responded to the suit in court. Attorneys representing the city did not respond to requests for comment Saturday.

Yanke was briefly stripped of his badge and gun, the suit said. Although he currently retains his status as a peace officer, Yanke was placed on unpaid leave last year without due process, the suit said. The city "completely cut off his vested and protected property interest in his salary and benefits," the suit said.

The suit names as defendants the city, Police Chief Wayne Tucker, Lt. Ken Parris, formerly of the personnel division, and Debra Taylor Johnson, director of administration for the Oakland police.

Also named is Dr. Stephen Raffle of Kentfield, whom Yanke accuses of wrongfully deeming him unfit for duty. The city-hired Raffle performed a psychiatric evaluation of the officer but said Yanke failed to cooperate when he didn't complete a 600-question true/false test, the suit said.

Yanke said that his failure to complete the test was inadvertent and that his repeated offers to finish it went ignored. Raffle did not respond to requests for comment Saturday.

Yanke, the son of a retired Oakland police officer, is a licensed pilot who has previously patrolled the skies of Oakland in the police helicopter, called Argus.

He has been the subject of scrutiny before.

In 1996, a California Highway Patrol officer accused Yanke and another officer of wrongfully arresting him during a car stop. A federal judge cleared Yanke of any wrongdoing, saying the CHP officer had been intoxicated.

Yanke's suit comes as Oakland city and police officials plan to appear Tuesday before U.S. District Judge Thelton Henderson, who is overseeing department reforms in the wake of the Riders scandal. That scandal involved a group of officers that was accused of planting evidence and beating suspects in West Oakland.

Two criminal trials of three former officers ended in mistrials. The case led to a $10.5 million civil settlement with citizens who said they were abused by the Riders, and a court order mandating the reforms Henderson is now overseeing.

In a court filing last week, plaintiffs' attorneys John Burris and Jim Chanin said the department's internal affairs division is failing to complete investigations under the reform effort in a timely manner. The attorneys also voiced concern with a "significant number" of training officers who had been sued for civil-rights violations.

Gregory Fox, a San Francisco attorney representing the city, wrote in court papers that the department "continues to make significant progress" under the terms of the Riders settlement.


############

Yeah, good job...get rid of the officer that's doing the right thing. I hope this officer sues the shit out of them and wins every fucking dime he can get. Kudos to you Officer Chris Yanke

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Sgt. Will Manion and officer Patrick D'Arrigo are veteran but very different San Jose cops: Manion, a former homicide investigator, was once a rising star, an easy shot to be captain. D'Arrigo is a cop's cop, content to stay an officer but no one's fool.

Today they're joined in an unusual purgatory: They're both on administrative leave as District Attorney Dolores Carr reviews whether they should be charged with trying to cover up the drunken driving of an ex-cop last March.

You can understand why the DA might want to look at the case: The errant former cop, Sandra Woodall, had crashed into two cars. She had sworn at officers. And a paramedic and an EMT said she reeked of alcohol. Despite all that, she was not asked to take a Breathalyzer or blood test. She wasn't asked whether she had been drinking.

Manion and D'Arrigo, who were among four officers at the scene, did not handle the affair well. They should face an administrative penalty, probably a suspension, if for no other reason than the episode has brought shame on the department. But they're guilty of no crime. This should be easy for the DA: Let the criminal case drop and turn the matter back to Police Chief Rob Davis.

I say that for two reasons. The first is practical. The DA has no chance of getting a conviction on this case. The second reason is one of equity. A criminal charge would simply be overkill in the Department of Second Guessing.

Since this story broke, I've made fun of the "egg roll'' theory of the accident, a police version that suggested that the crash was caused because Woodall was distracted by dipping her Jack-in-the-Box egg rolls into ranch dressing as she barreled along in her Cadillac Escalade.

It's one thing, however, to question how the cops handled an accident that involved one of their own. It's another entirely to say they're guilty beyond a reasonable doubt of obstructing justice.

"With lavish doses of hindsight, would everyone have covered themselves better if they had said, 'We better get a tech out here and put a needle in her arm when the opportunity allows?'"‰'' asked Craig Brown, the two cops' attorney. "Yes, sure. But evil and sinister motives? Trying to obstruct justice? I don't think so.''

During the past three years, I've covered two big cases in which cops were accused of misconduct. One involved two Palo Alto cops charged with roughing up a black man; the second involved a state drug officer who fatally shot a fleeing man in the back. The first ended with an infraction, the second with an acquittal.

It's no accident that both those cases were defended by Brown, who knows his turf well. Juries find it hard to convict cops, even when the evidence is against them.

In this case, the evidence is mixed. Brown says the other officers at the scene have told investigators that they saw no evidence of alcohol. The paramedic and EMT disagree. Now you can conclude that this is simply a case of officers closing ranks for one another. But there's another reason why this shouldn't be criminal. It's too unfair a penalty.

Every cop makes dozens of decisions during the day — to arrest this person, to let another go. The prospect of rewarding bad judgment with a jail term would make the job almost impossible.

Yes, Manion and D'Arrigo made mistakes at the scene. And maybe they gave subtle preference to one of their own (Woodall is now an investigator with the DA's office).

But the two cops, and particularly Manion, have paid a price for those mistakes in their careers. The path to captain looks pretty distant now.

Both still have much to offer the city. Call off the dogs, give them a suspension, and get them back to work

Deputy Sgt Jeffrey Roberts Terminated for having Inappropriate Relationship with teen

COLBERT, Ga.

A Madison County sheriff's deputy was forced to turn in his badge amid allegations he had what the sheriff termed "an inappropriate relationship" with a teenage girl.

Deputy Sgt. Jeffrey Roberts was terminated on Monday, according to Sheriff Clayton Lowe.

Lowe said in a statement Thursday that an internal inquiry was launched. He said he also notified the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.

Roberts, who also serves on the Colbert City Council, allegedly had a relationship with a 16-year-old female.

Lowe said the district attorney will determine whether Roberts will face charges.