TABOR CITY
Drug trafficking warrants were served on a former law enforcement officer Wednesday, and Columbus County Sheriff Chris Batten said more federal charges are anticipated.
Carl David Wright, 53, of 655 Vinegar Loop Road, according to Batten, was arrested late Wednesday afternoon on family owned property off Walter Todd Road.
The former Tabor City policeman, Batten said, was held at the Columbus County Jail in Whiteville under $1 million bail, with a federal detainer.
Wright was charged with six counts each of trafficking cocaine by possession, transportation and manufacture, Batten said.
Drug enforcement agents from the Sheriff’s Office, Batten said, were joined by the FBI in a four-month investigation prompted by citizen complaints.
“There were community complaints, a lot of activity going on,” Batten said.
Undercover agents made drug buys from Wright on six occasions, Batten said. The buys did not occur at Wright’s home.
Batten said, for now, he will not identify the locations of the drug buys.
Some property was seized by the N.C. Department of Revenue, Batten said, in an effort to help satisfy more than $40,000 in back taxes owed by Wright.
The sheriff said FBI agents seized two vehicles. Wright also owes money to the federal government for back taxes.
“They haven’t said how much the federal taxes are,” Batten said.
No one else was charged Wednesday, but the sheriff said others may be arrested and charged as the investigation continues.
http://www.fayobserver.com
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Officer Bridges McRae Indicted for Beating Transgender
WASHINGTON
Bridges McRae, former officer of the Memphis Police Department, was indicted today on one count of deprivation of rights under color of law, related to the alleged assault of an individual in early 2008.
The indictment, unsealed today, alleges that on Feb. 12, 2008, McRae exercised unreasonable force, used a dangerous weapon, and caused bodily injury to a person in his custody. According to the indictment, McRae was on duty in the intake area of the Shelby County Jail when he repeatedly struck the victim with his fist and handcuffs.
If convicted, McRae faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a maximum fine of $250,000.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until convicted through due process of law.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Memphis Police Department. This case is being prosecuted by Jonathan Skrmetti, Trial Attorney for the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division, and Steve Parker, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee.
SOURCE U.S. Department of Justice
Officer Adam Willis Arrested for Armed Burglary and Grand Theft
AVON PARK
"It's been a long day, but a day that has come to an end. It ended in the arrest of one of our police officers today."
That was the opening statement from Avon Park Police Chief Matt Doughney at a press conference Wednesday night, where he announced that Officer Adam Wayne Willis, 30, was taken into custody following a lengthy investigation by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) for misconduct.
Willis was charged with first-degree armed burglary and grand theft of more than $300 but less than $5,000. He remained in jail Thursday in lieu of a $125,000 bond.
The charges stem from an undercover operation administered Sunday by special agents with the FDLE and the Avon Park Police Department, according to the arrest report. A vehicle equipped with electronic surveillance devices, as well as a wallet containing an undisclosed amount of money, was parked on the east shoulder of North Central Avenue. All the doors were unlocked and the driver's side door was left slightly open.
Willis reportedly arrived to its location after receiving an anonymous complaint of a suspicious vehicle in the area. He was on duty, wearing an APPD patrol uniform and armed with a semi-automatic handgun.
Footage from the electronic surveillance equipment reportedly showed Willis, with gloved hands, get into the vehicle and remove the wallet from the console. He then looked through it, took off the right glove, covered the wallet with it, got out of the vehicle and put the wallet in his right pants pocket.
Willis eventually went back to the driver's side a second time and, with the right glove back on, removed a pack of cigarette rolling papers, the report stated.
At one point, Willis found inside the console a temporary registration, which was placed there by FDLE agents and contained a fictitious owner's name and address.
"The registration's purpose was to see if the officer would make an effort to attempt to locate the owner of the vehicle, which Willis did not do," the report stated.
The APPD's temporary evidence hold was also checked on Nov. 17, following Willis' shift, to see if the items taken from the vehicle had been placed into evidence for safe keeping, which they allegedly were not.
At Wednesday's press conference, Doughney said the undercover operation stemmed from complaints of police misconduct they had received from community residents.
The first such report came about six months ago, around the time of Doughney's instatement as chief.
"These types of allegations rip the moral fiber of what we as law enforcement officers swear to uphold," Doughney said. "They will be investigated and I hope that the people out there understand that when you come forward with an allegation like this, it will be investigated to its fullest."
Yolanda Carbia, resident agent in charge with the FDLE's Sebring field office, said the complaints weren't specific to Willis. Some of them referenced thefts occurring during traffic stops, with people of Mexican descent being the targets.
"We identified Adam Willis as being one of those officers," Carbia said.
Willis has been a member of the APPD since September 2006 and was in the army prior to becoming a police officer. Doughney said he was put on unpaid administrative leave.
Another officer, Alberto Perez, who has been with the APPD since July 2007, was placed on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of an internal investigation. No charges have been filed against him. Doughney said the two officers worked together on the same shift.
Willis is set to appear in court on Dec. 15.
Family In Shock
Joshua Willis, 20, was in disbelief Wednesday night after receiving the news that his older brother had been arrested.
"That doesn't even sound like him," said the Alabama resident.
Willis said Adam has served in both Iraq and Kuwait and was never the "type of person to even take anything."
He added that he has been on about 10 ride-a-longs with his older brother and never saw anything out of the ordinary occur.
"Everybody (in my family) pretty much is in shock," Willis said. "Nobody knew anything about this. That makes no sense."
More Oakland Officers under Investigation
OAKLAND
At least three more Oakland police officers were placed on paid administrative leave this week pending an internal affairs investigation into "misstatements" they made on sworn affidavits used to secure search warrants.
Among the three officers, officials said, was Karla Rush, who is accused of writing faulty affidavits and who was named in two federal civil rights lawsuits filed against the city and the department last month.
The officers were placed on leave as the department's internal affairs investigation enters its third month and cases related to the search warrants continue to be thrown from court. Police would not release the names of the other two officers.
The imbroglio has also begun to affect unrelated cases, as officers are refusing to testify in court for fear of being questioned about search warrants.
Issues revolving around search warrants first surfaced in September when the police department admitted almost two dozen officers had made "misstatements" in sworn affidavits about testing substances purchased on the street during undercover operations or through informants.
While the substances bought on the street had not been tested, officers swore under oath to judges issuing search warrants that tests had been conducted, and those tests proved the substances were drugs.
Based on that information, Alameda County Superior Court judges issued search warrants for suspects' homes, mostly reputed small-time drug dealers in East Oakland. But, with the admission those warrants were based on erroneous facts, much of the evidence collected during the searches is not allowed to be presented in court.
Since the department's public admission, cases against 10 defendants previously charged with felonies have been dropped or thrown from court. In addition, two defendants had probation violations cleared from their criminal records.
Meanwhile, at least eight officers have been placed on paid administrative leave.
Top department officials have continued to defend their officers, saying the issue had more to do with a lack of training and miscommunication than outright fabrications.
But others, including the public defender's office, have said it appeared officers purposely lied on affidavits to win search warrants.
In fact, the public defender's office demanded Thursday that officers bring their confidential informants to court for a closed-door hearing with a judge.
In motions filed in the case of Henry Williams, who was arrested and charged in March with possession of a controlled substance, public defender Andrew Steckler asked for the police to prove an informant exists.
Williams was the victim of a questionable search March 28 after Officer Francisco Martinez swore in an affidavit an informant purchased methamphetamine from Williams' home four days before the search. Martinez stated in the sworn affidavit the substance the informant purchased was tested, and the test concluded it was methamphetamine.
Based on his sworn statement, Alameda County Superior Court Judge Carol Brosnahan issued a search warrant.
In motions filed Thursday, Steckler questioned if an informant even existed.
"We submit that the only way to determine whether Officer Martinez's misstatement was a simple 'error' or part of (a) wholesale fabrication is for the court to conduct the "... investigation," Steckler wrote in the motion. "If Officer Martinez made an 'error' or committed perjury regarding drug testing, then he may have made similar errors or committed perjury regarding other elements of probable cause."
The motion also demands the judge question Martinez about the search warrant and internal affairs investigators about what has been learned about "misstatements" made in sworn affidavits.
A hearing on the motion is scheduled for Dec. 4.
Questioning police officers about their roles in giving "misstatements" has also begun to affect other, unrelated, criminal cases.
Officers who wrote faulty affidavits are refusing to testify in other cases in which they made arrests for fear that it would allow defense attorneys to question them about the warrants.
As a result, cases in which the officers are involved are being delayed. Eventually, some of those cases could also be thrown from court.
"In each instance that it has come up, the district attorney has requested a continuance because they were told by attorneys for the officers that the officers would not testify," said Ray Plumhoff, a public defender. "It appears they want the administrative proceedings to conclude before they testify."
About 10 such cases exist, Plumhoff said.
"It's delaying cases, but it hasn't caused a problem yet," one prosecutor said.
At least three more Oakland police officers were placed on paid administrative leave this week pending an internal affairs investigation into "misstatements" they made on sworn affidavits used to secure search warrants.
Among the three officers, officials said, was Karla Rush, who is accused of writing faulty affidavits and who was named in two federal civil rights lawsuits filed against the city and the department last month.
The officers were placed on leave as the department's internal affairs investigation enters its third month and cases related to the search warrants continue to be thrown from court. Police would not release the names of the other two officers.
The imbroglio has also begun to affect unrelated cases, as officers are refusing to testify in court for fear of being questioned about search warrants.
Issues revolving around search warrants first surfaced in September when the police department admitted almost two dozen officers had made "misstatements" in sworn affidavits about testing substances purchased on the street during undercover operations or through informants.
While the substances bought on the street had not been tested, officers swore under oath to judges issuing search warrants that tests had been conducted, and those tests proved the substances were drugs.
Based on that information, Alameda County Superior Court judges issued search warrants for suspects' homes, mostly reputed small-time drug dealers in East Oakland. But, with the admission those warrants were based on erroneous facts, much of the evidence collected during the searches is not allowed to be presented in court.
Since the department's public admission, cases against 10 defendants previously charged with felonies have been dropped or thrown from court. In addition, two defendants had probation violations cleared from their criminal records.
Meanwhile, at least eight officers have been placed on paid administrative leave.
Top department officials have continued to defend their officers, saying the issue had more to do with a lack of training and miscommunication than outright fabrications.
But others, including the public defender's office, have said it appeared officers purposely lied on affidavits to win search warrants.
In fact, the public defender's office demanded Thursday that officers bring their confidential informants to court for a closed-door hearing with a judge.
In motions filed in the case of Henry Williams, who was arrested and charged in March with possession of a controlled substance, public defender Andrew Steckler asked for the police to prove an informant exists.
Williams was the victim of a questionable search March 28 after Officer Francisco Martinez swore in an affidavit an informant purchased methamphetamine from Williams' home four days before the search. Martinez stated in the sworn affidavit the substance the informant purchased was tested, and the test concluded it was methamphetamine.
Based on his sworn statement, Alameda County Superior Court Judge Carol Brosnahan issued a search warrant.
In motions filed Thursday, Steckler questioned if an informant even existed.
"We submit that the only way to determine whether Officer Martinez's misstatement was a simple 'error' or part of (a) wholesale fabrication is for the court to conduct the "... investigation," Steckler wrote in the motion. "If Officer Martinez made an 'error' or committed perjury regarding drug testing, then he may have made similar errors or committed perjury regarding other elements of probable cause."
The motion also demands the judge question Martinez about the search warrant and internal affairs investigators about what has been learned about "misstatements" made in sworn affidavits.
A hearing on the motion is scheduled for Dec. 4.
Questioning police officers about their roles in giving "misstatements" has also begun to affect other, unrelated, criminal cases.
Officers who wrote faulty affidavits are refusing to testify in other cases in which they made arrests for fear that it would allow defense attorneys to question them about the warrants.
As a result, cases in which the officers are involved are being delayed. Eventually, some of those cases could also be thrown from court.
"In each instance that it has come up, the district attorney has requested a continuance because they were told by attorneys for the officers that the officers would not testify," said Ray Plumhoff, a public defender. "It appears they want the administrative proceedings to conclude before they testify."
About 10 such cases exist, Plumhoff said.
"It's delaying cases, but it hasn't caused a problem yet," one prosecutor said.
Police Chief Greg Kroeplin on Leave after Allegations of Misconduct
The city of Canby has placed Police Chief Greg Kroeplin on paid administrative leave after allegations of misconduct surfaced in an FBI public corruption case involving a former Canby Police officer’s alleged use of steroids.
A story in The Oregonian Sunday referred to search warrant affidavits filed in U.S. District Court by the FBI which allege that the police department either failed to address the problem or concealed it.
The FBI documents acquired by the Canby Herald Monday further allege that Canby police had known for several years about the suspected steroid use by former officer Jason Duncan Deason, 38, and either failed to address the problem or concealed its existence because of Deason’s friendship with Kroeplin.
The situation within the Canby Police Department allowed Deason to buy drugs while on duty and in uniform and tip off his suppliers when there were investigations, according to the affidavits.
The FBI began investigating allegations in February that Deason had acquired steroids from William Jake Traverso of Canby Landscape Supply, a suspected methamphetamine user and dealer, and that Deason tipped Traverso off whenever he was the target of drug investigations, said Portland Special Agent Christopher Frazier in an affidavit.
City Administrator Mark Adock had no comment on the situation. Nor did the FBI. “We simply can’t comment because its’ an ongoing investigation,” said Portland FBI spokeswoman Beth Anne Steele.
Mayor Melody Thompson said, “Chief Kroeplin did bring to our attention there were earlier complaints (against Deason) that were unfounded, but we were not aware of the FBI investigation until fairly recently.”
In a statement released Monday by the city of Canby, city officals stated:
“The city of Canby takes seriously any allegation of employee misconduct. As a result of allegations printed in the November 16 edition of The Oregonian, the city administrator has placed Chief Greg Kroeplin on paid administrative leave, effective this date, pending the outcome of a personnel investigation.
“The city understands the importance that the community maintains the trust in the integrity of the Canby Police Department that it has worked so long and hard to earn over the years. To this end, the city administrator has ordered that the personnel investigation be carried out by an independent third-party entity as soon as possible.
“As with all personnel investigations, the city will withhold comment until such time as the investigation is completed.”
Canby Police Lt. Jorge Tro, who joined the force in January 1996, has been named acting chief, said Amanda Klock, the city’s human resource director.
Kroeplin started with the Canby Police department in 1979 as a part-time dispatcher and became a full-time officer in 1983.
He was promoted to patrol sergeant in 1997 and to lieutenant in 2001. He became chief in February 2006, succeeding Ken Pagano who retired.
After Deason and his wife were divorced in 2005, he moved in with Kroeplin and they were housemates for some time.
The Portland FBI investigation uncovered a steroid distribution network operating in Oregon, Washington and Arizona.
That investigation uncovered the involvement of Deason, Traverso and Brian Jackson, former strength and conditioning coach for the Oregon City High School girls basketball team. The three men knew each other from working out at Nelson’s Nautilus Gym in Oregon City.
Deason joined the Canby Police Department in 1999 and resigned in July during the federal investigation.
Traverso, a former competitive bodybuilder, has admitted selling steroids to Deason and turned over to federal agents an April 30, 2002, order for steroids handwritten and signed by Deason on Canby police stationery.
Jackson, who was terminated from the basketball program because of inappropriate behavior among some of the team members, was identified as a principal source of steroids for Deason and Traverso. He identified Rainbow “Bo’ Wild Keepers, a competitive bodybuilder and photographer in Vancouver, Wash., as his source for the steroids.
Complaints about Deason’s steroid use date back to 2001, according to FBI documents.
According to the Oregonian report, federal authorities said that in 2001 Deason was tipped off about a departmental investigation by his then sergeant - Kroeplin, and that Deason in turn alerted Traverso, and later coached him on what to say.
Anabolic steroids, which can be used to rapidly build muscle mass and strength, carry adverse side affects that can damage the heart and liver. They are a controlled substance in the U.S. and banned by all major sports groups.
In recent years, the problem has invaded police ranks spurring departments in several major cities, such as New York Boston, Phoenix and Dallas to institute or consider steroid testing of officers.
http://www.canbyherald.com/
A story in The Oregonian Sunday referred to search warrant affidavits filed in U.S. District Court by the FBI which allege that the police department either failed to address the problem or concealed it.
The FBI documents acquired by the Canby Herald Monday further allege that Canby police had known for several years about the suspected steroid use by former officer Jason Duncan Deason, 38, and either failed to address the problem or concealed its existence because of Deason’s friendship with Kroeplin.
The situation within the Canby Police Department allowed Deason to buy drugs while on duty and in uniform and tip off his suppliers when there were investigations, according to the affidavits.
The FBI began investigating allegations in February that Deason had acquired steroids from William Jake Traverso of Canby Landscape Supply, a suspected methamphetamine user and dealer, and that Deason tipped Traverso off whenever he was the target of drug investigations, said Portland Special Agent Christopher Frazier in an affidavit.
City Administrator Mark Adock had no comment on the situation. Nor did the FBI. “We simply can’t comment because its’ an ongoing investigation,” said Portland FBI spokeswoman Beth Anne Steele.
Mayor Melody Thompson said, “Chief Kroeplin did bring to our attention there were earlier complaints (against Deason) that were unfounded, but we were not aware of the FBI investigation until fairly recently.”
In a statement released Monday by the city of Canby, city officals stated:
“The city of Canby takes seriously any allegation of employee misconduct. As a result of allegations printed in the November 16 edition of The Oregonian, the city administrator has placed Chief Greg Kroeplin on paid administrative leave, effective this date, pending the outcome of a personnel investigation.
“The city understands the importance that the community maintains the trust in the integrity of the Canby Police Department that it has worked so long and hard to earn over the years. To this end, the city administrator has ordered that the personnel investigation be carried out by an independent third-party entity as soon as possible.
“As with all personnel investigations, the city will withhold comment until such time as the investigation is completed.”
Canby Police Lt. Jorge Tro, who joined the force in January 1996, has been named acting chief, said Amanda Klock, the city’s human resource director.
Kroeplin started with the Canby Police department in 1979 as a part-time dispatcher and became a full-time officer in 1983.
He was promoted to patrol sergeant in 1997 and to lieutenant in 2001. He became chief in February 2006, succeeding Ken Pagano who retired.
After Deason and his wife were divorced in 2005, he moved in with Kroeplin and they were housemates for some time.
The Portland FBI investigation uncovered a steroid distribution network operating in Oregon, Washington and Arizona.
That investigation uncovered the involvement of Deason, Traverso and Brian Jackson, former strength and conditioning coach for the Oregon City High School girls basketball team. The three men knew each other from working out at Nelson’s Nautilus Gym in Oregon City.
Deason joined the Canby Police Department in 1999 and resigned in July during the federal investigation.
Traverso, a former competitive bodybuilder, has admitted selling steroids to Deason and turned over to federal agents an April 30, 2002, order for steroids handwritten and signed by Deason on Canby police stationery.
Jackson, who was terminated from the basketball program because of inappropriate behavior among some of the team members, was identified as a principal source of steroids for Deason and Traverso. He identified Rainbow “Bo’ Wild Keepers, a competitive bodybuilder and photographer in Vancouver, Wash., as his source for the steroids.
Complaints about Deason’s steroid use date back to 2001, according to FBI documents.
According to the Oregonian report, federal authorities said that in 2001 Deason was tipped off about a departmental investigation by his then sergeant - Kroeplin, and that Deason in turn alerted Traverso, and later coached him on what to say.
Anabolic steroids, which can be used to rapidly build muscle mass and strength, carry adverse side affects that can damage the heart and liver. They are a controlled substance in the U.S. and banned by all major sports groups.
In recent years, the problem has invaded police ranks spurring departments in several major cities, such as New York Boston, Phoenix and Dallas to institute or consider steroid testing of officers.
http://www.canbyherald.com/
Corrections Officer Ricardo Walters Found Guilty of Rape, Kidnapping, Sexual Assult
NASSAU COUNTY
A jury has found Ricardo Walters, 43, of Hempstead, guilty of rape, kidnapping, sexual assault, and robbery charges in connection with a series of early morning attacks, including one on a pregnant woman.
It took a jury less than five hours to convict Walters of first degree rape, four counts of first degree robbery, two counts of first degree criminal sexual act, four counts of first degree sexual abuse, kidnapping and second degree attempted kidnapping.
Walters will be sentenced Dec. 19. He faces up to 243 years in prison.
Nassau district attorney Kathleen Rice said that Walters, a New York City corrections officer who worked at Rikers Island, would approach women on the street in the early morning hours, display his corrections department-registered handgun and demand money. Once he had robbed them, he would then try to force them into a secluded area where he would sexually assault them.
In addition to robbing and sodomizing a woman in April 2005, Rice said Walters also robbed and sexually abused a pregnant woman in November 2005, and robbed two sisters in November 2006. In that case, Walters entered the car the two women were sitting in, robbed them at gunpoint, and then fled the scene when they refused his order to drive to a secluded area.
Walters was caught on Sept. 9, 2007 when a passing Hempstead police officer saw him try to force a woman into a construction site after robbing her. Walters fled on foot but was eventually caught and identified himself as a law enforcement officer. A police search revealed the money he stole from the victim, which contained a handwritten note with the name of the victim’s sister. A DNA sample taken by police matched a sample taken from the then-unsolved April 2005 sodomy and robbery.
“Mr. Walters is a one-man crime wave,” Rice said. “He preyed on the women of our community and for that he should spend the rest of his life behind bars.Hopefully by refusing to plea bargain with this defendant and convicting him at trial, we have ensured that he will never again see the light of day.”
A jury has found Ricardo Walters, 43, of Hempstead, guilty of rape, kidnapping, sexual assault, and robbery charges in connection with a series of early morning attacks, including one on a pregnant woman.
It took a jury less than five hours to convict Walters of first degree rape, four counts of first degree robbery, two counts of first degree criminal sexual act, four counts of first degree sexual abuse, kidnapping and second degree attempted kidnapping.
Walters will be sentenced Dec. 19. He faces up to 243 years in prison.
Nassau district attorney Kathleen Rice said that Walters, a New York City corrections officer who worked at Rikers Island, would approach women on the street in the early morning hours, display his corrections department-registered handgun and demand money. Once he had robbed them, he would then try to force them into a secluded area where he would sexually assault them.
In addition to robbing and sodomizing a woman in April 2005, Rice said Walters also robbed and sexually abused a pregnant woman in November 2005, and robbed two sisters in November 2006. In that case, Walters entered the car the two women were sitting in, robbed them at gunpoint, and then fled the scene when they refused his order to drive to a secluded area.
Walters was caught on Sept. 9, 2007 when a passing Hempstead police officer saw him try to force a woman into a construction site after robbing her. Walters fled on foot but was eventually caught and identified himself as a law enforcement officer. A police search revealed the money he stole from the victim, which contained a handwritten note with the name of the victim’s sister. A DNA sample taken by police matched a sample taken from the then-unsolved April 2005 sodomy and robbery.
“Mr. Walters is a one-man crime wave,” Rice said. “He preyed on the women of our community and for that he should spend the rest of his life behind bars.Hopefully by refusing to plea bargain with this defendant and convicting him at trial, we have ensured that he will never again see the light of day.”
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Former Firefighter/School Police Officer Accused of Soliciting Sex from Teenager
WEST COLUMBIA, Texas
A former volunteer firefighter and school police officer has been accused of soliciting sex from a teenager online, KPRC Local 2 reported Wednesday.
Paul Dilocker, 33, has been charged with online solicitation of a minor.
Investigators said Dilocker tried to solicit a 15-year-old girl.
Dilocker is a former reserve officer for the Columbia-Brazoria Independent School District and first captain with the West Columbia Volunteer Fire Department.
Police Constable Accused of Running Brothel
A police constable has been accused of running a brothel in Northern Ireland.
A total of 55 officers face separate disciplinary proceedings, according to a Policing Board document.
Alleged misdemeanours include an indecent assault on a child, possession of child pornography and drugs and violent offences.
They represent a tiny proportion of a force with over 9,000 members.
Sinn Fein Board member Martina Anderson said: "In the past criminality within the police would simply have been covered up. We wouldn't even have heard about it."
During the last financial year there were 28 officers repositioned and 27 suspended.
The information emerged at a recent meeting of the Board's human rights committee.
Ms Anderson said several other long-term disciplinary cases had been resolved.
In April it emerged an officer was suspended on full pay for several years.
The Sinn Fein MLA for Foyle added: "I said then that it was unacceptable for disciplinary cases to drag on for months and years at huge cost to the public purse. I am glad that message now seems to be getting through."
Many of the cases are still being processed and guilt has not been proven.
The Board said: "There is rightly public interest in this issue and the committee has been keeping a close watch on how cases are being progressed.
"A detailed report on the outcome of investigations is provided in the Board human rights annual report.
"Whilst committee members have been concerned around the nature of some of the investigations, members are agreed that the number of ongoing investigations sends a strong message to officers that anyone who breaks the law will not escape the law."
A police spokeswoman said the service expects staff to behave professionally at all times. A breach of its code of ethics may prompt a criminal or disciplinary investigation.
She said: "The PSNI, like any other organisation, has a disciplinary process which officers must go through. All disciplinary proceedings in connection with suspected offences committed by officers who have been suspended from duty will be dealt with as expeditiously as possible.
"However the officers must be subject to our disciplinary process and, where applicable, the criminal process.
"Whilst the police service takes extremely seriously any allegation of wrongdoing the number of cases must be put in context of the overall size of the police service, which has over 9,000 full and part-time officers."
More Information: http://www.derryjournal.com/journal/Cop-accused-of-running-brothel.4711899.jp
A total of 55 officers face separate disciplinary proceedings, according to a Policing Board document.
Alleged misdemeanours include an indecent assault on a child, possession of child pornography and drugs and violent offences.
They represent a tiny proportion of a force with over 9,000 members.
Sinn Fein Board member Martina Anderson said: "In the past criminality within the police would simply have been covered up. We wouldn't even have heard about it."
During the last financial year there were 28 officers repositioned and 27 suspended.
The information emerged at a recent meeting of the Board's human rights committee.
Ms Anderson said several other long-term disciplinary cases had been resolved.
In April it emerged an officer was suspended on full pay for several years.
The Sinn Fein MLA for Foyle added: "I said then that it was unacceptable for disciplinary cases to drag on for months and years at huge cost to the public purse. I am glad that message now seems to be getting through."
Many of the cases are still being processed and guilt has not been proven.
The Board said: "There is rightly public interest in this issue and the committee has been keeping a close watch on how cases are being progressed.
"A detailed report on the outcome of investigations is provided in the Board human rights annual report.
"Whilst committee members have been concerned around the nature of some of the investigations, members are agreed that the number of ongoing investigations sends a strong message to officers that anyone who breaks the law will not escape the law."
A police spokeswoman said the service expects staff to behave professionally at all times. A breach of its code of ethics may prompt a criminal or disciplinary investigation.
She said: "The PSNI, like any other organisation, has a disciplinary process which officers must go through. All disciplinary proceedings in connection with suspected offences committed by officers who have been suspended from duty will be dealt with as expeditiously as possible.
"However the officers must be subject to our disciplinary process and, where applicable, the criminal process.
"Whilst the police service takes extremely seriously any allegation of wrongdoing the number of cases must be put in context of the overall size of the police service, which has over 9,000 full and part-time officers."
More Information: http://www.derryjournal.com/journal/Cop-accused-of-running-brothel.4711899.jp
Trial Set to Begin for Officer Paul Schmidt Accused of Groping Female Ride-Along
WILLMAR, Minn.
A jury of four men and nine women was sworn in Wednesday afternoon in the trial of an Atwater police officer accused of groping a female ride-along participant.
Opening arguments from the attorneys are expected this morning in Kandiyohi County District Court. Paul Reed Schmidt, 35, of Atwater, faces felony fourth-degree and gross misdemeanor fifth-degree criminal sexual conduct charges in Kandiyohi County District Court.
He is acused of groping a female ride-along participant last October while he was working as an Atwater police officer.
The criminal complaint was filed last December against Schmidt and was amended in August to elevate one of the charges to felony level.
His attorney, Julius Nolen, filed a motion to dismiss, arguing there was a lack of evidence that Schmidt used force or coercion. District Judge David L. Mennis denied that motion last week.
Judge Mennis indicated Wednesday morning to the potential jurors that the trial is expected to take three days. The jury includes one alternate, who will be excused before jury deliberations begin.
Several people were excused from serving on the jury by Mennis, including a woman from Atwater, two women who had family members involved in assault and sexual assault cases, a woman for financial hardship and others for other issues.
Michael Lieberg is a Stearns County assistant county attorney and is serving as a special Kandiyohi County attorney to prosecute the case.
Two gross misdemeanor charges were filed against Schmidt on Dec. 27, 2007. According to the complaint, the woman contacted the Kandiyohi County Sheriff's Office to report a sexual assault. The woman told a detective that she was a ride-along participant with Schmidt, who is a licensed peace officer and was on duty at the time.
During the early morning hours of Oct. 16, Schmidt took her to the Atwater Police Department, where she said they watched video clips on a city computer. The woman said when she got up to move away from Schmidt, he tackled and restrained her. She said he also made a sexual request of her. The allegations also state that Schmidt groped the woman's chest and genitals through her clothing, then pulled her to him and kissed her several times.
According to the complaint, Schmidt told the sheriff's office detective in a statement that some "wrestling" took place at the Police Department and that he grabbed the victim's breast "by accident." He did not remember grabbing her genital area.
http://www.twincities.com
A jury of four men and nine women was sworn in Wednesday afternoon in the trial of an Atwater police officer accused of groping a female ride-along participant.
Opening arguments from the attorneys are expected this morning in Kandiyohi County District Court. Paul Reed Schmidt, 35, of Atwater, faces felony fourth-degree and gross misdemeanor fifth-degree criminal sexual conduct charges in Kandiyohi County District Court.
He is acused of groping a female ride-along participant last October while he was working as an Atwater police officer.
The criminal complaint was filed last December against Schmidt and was amended in August to elevate one of the charges to felony level.
His attorney, Julius Nolen, filed a motion to dismiss, arguing there was a lack of evidence that Schmidt used force or coercion. District Judge David L. Mennis denied that motion last week.
Judge Mennis indicated Wednesday morning to the potential jurors that the trial is expected to take three days. The jury includes one alternate, who will be excused before jury deliberations begin.
Several people were excused from serving on the jury by Mennis, including a woman from Atwater, two women who had family members involved in assault and sexual assault cases, a woman for financial hardship and others for other issues.
Michael Lieberg is a Stearns County assistant county attorney and is serving as a special Kandiyohi County attorney to prosecute the case.
Two gross misdemeanor charges were filed against Schmidt on Dec. 27, 2007. According to the complaint, the woman contacted the Kandiyohi County Sheriff's Office to report a sexual assault. The woman told a detective that she was a ride-along participant with Schmidt, who is a licensed peace officer and was on duty at the time.
During the early morning hours of Oct. 16, Schmidt took her to the Atwater Police Department, where she said they watched video clips on a city computer. The woman said when she got up to move away from Schmidt, he tackled and restrained her. She said he also made a sexual request of her. The allegations also state that Schmidt groped the woman's chest and genitals through her clothing, then pulled her to him and kissed her several times.
According to the complaint, Schmidt told the sheriff's office detective in a statement that some "wrestling" took place at the Police Department and that he grabbed the victim's breast "by accident." He did not remember grabbing her genital area.
http://www.twincities.com
Deputy Joshua Williams Convicted of Killing Motorcyclist Arrested Again
Minnesota
While a deputy in training, he killed a motorcyclist in a crash. Now he's been accused of drunken driving.
A Dakota County sheriff's deputy who was convicted of careless driving after he hit and killed a motorcyclist last year was arrested on suspicion of drunken driving over the weekend.
Joshua J. Williams, 29, was stopped by another Dakota County sheriff's deputy for speeding around 2 a.m. Saturday in Empire Township, said Sheriff Don Gudmundson. He failed the field sobriety test and was booked into the Dakota County jail. He has not been charged yet, but Gudmundson said the case has been forwarded to the county attorney's office.
In August 2007, Williams was a deputy-in-training when he was involved in the crash that killed 58-year-old Billy Wallace. Williams and his training officer, Deputy Daniel Michener, were on their way to a domestic disturbance near Farmington around 7:20 p.m. on Aug. 30, when Williams moved his squad car into the bypass lane on the right side of the road and began to turn left.
Wallace was driving his motorcycle behind Williams and the two collided as the squad car began to turn. The squad car did not have its lights or siren turned on. Wallace died at Regions Hospital in St. Paul a day later.
Williams was convicted this April of misdemeanor careless driving, the only charge filed against him. His license was suspended after the conviction, but Gudmundson said at the time of his arrest this weekend, he had a valid license. He is now on paid administrative leave.
"I am disappointed and not happy about it," Gudmundson said. "On the other hand, I am proud that our deputy [who pulled over Williams] did what was right. It's what I would have expected."
More Information: http://www.twincities.com/allheadlines/ci_11034717
While a deputy in training, he killed a motorcyclist in a crash. Now he's been accused of drunken driving.
A Dakota County sheriff's deputy who was convicted of careless driving after he hit and killed a motorcyclist last year was arrested on suspicion of drunken driving over the weekend.
Joshua J. Williams, 29, was stopped by another Dakota County sheriff's deputy for speeding around 2 a.m. Saturday in Empire Township, said Sheriff Don Gudmundson. He failed the field sobriety test and was booked into the Dakota County jail. He has not been charged yet, but Gudmundson said the case has been forwarded to the county attorney's office.
In August 2007, Williams was a deputy-in-training when he was involved in the crash that killed 58-year-old Billy Wallace. Williams and his training officer, Deputy Daniel Michener, were on their way to a domestic disturbance near Farmington around 7:20 p.m. on Aug. 30, when Williams moved his squad car into the bypass lane on the right side of the road and began to turn left.
Wallace was driving his motorcycle behind Williams and the two collided as the squad car began to turn. The squad car did not have its lights or siren turned on. Wallace died at Regions Hospital in St. Paul a day later.
Williams was convicted this April of misdemeanor careless driving, the only charge filed against him. His license was suspended after the conviction, but Gudmundson said at the time of his arrest this weekend, he had a valid license. He is now on paid administrative leave.
"I am disappointed and not happy about it," Gudmundson said. "On the other hand, I am proud that our deputy [who pulled over Williams] did what was right. It's what I would have expected."
More Information: http://www.twincities.com/allheadlines/ci_11034717
Deputies Punished for Tasering Pallbearer at Fathers Funeral
Deputies really botched the arrest of Gladwyn Russ III.
The Star-News says investigators chose to grab Russ, who was wanted on charges of making threats, while he was serving as a pallbearer at his father's funeral Saturday in Wilmington, N.C.
"Family said that two men who turned out to be undercover deputies walked over to Gladwyn Taft Russ III, grabbed him by the arm, kneed him in the back of the leg and eventually used a Taser to subdue him while he was loading the casket into the hearse," the paper reported Tuesday. "At one point, one of the deputies’ handguns fell out of its holster and bounced onto the asphalt. People cried. The confusion alarmed family and friends so much that some of them went home instead of going to the cemetery where Russ’ father was buried with military honors because he served in the Navy."
Yesterday, New Hanover County Sheriff Sid Causey announced that five people will be disciplined for the way they handled the arrest. “I apologize to anyone that was there,” Causey tells the Star-News. "Family, friends, relatives. ... That was a bad decision.”
Russ was charged with threatening to kill his wife. He's now being held at the local jail. “I was just in awe. I didn't know what was going on because I was watching my daddy's casket pass through my hands for the last time," he tells WWAY-TV during an interview about the arrest.
The Star-News says investigators chose to grab Russ, who was wanted on charges of making threats, while he was serving as a pallbearer at his father's funeral Saturday in Wilmington, N.C.
"Family said that two men who turned out to be undercover deputies walked over to Gladwyn Taft Russ III, grabbed him by the arm, kneed him in the back of the leg and eventually used a Taser to subdue him while he was loading the casket into the hearse," the paper reported Tuesday. "At one point, one of the deputies’ handguns fell out of its holster and bounced onto the asphalt. People cried. The confusion alarmed family and friends so much that some of them went home instead of going to the cemetery where Russ’ father was buried with military honors because he served in the Navy."
Yesterday, New Hanover County Sheriff Sid Causey announced that five people will be disciplined for the way they handled the arrest. “I apologize to anyone that was there,” Causey tells the Star-News. "Family, friends, relatives. ... That was a bad decision.”
Russ was charged with threatening to kill his wife. He's now being held at the local jail. “I was just in awe. I didn't know what was going on because I was watching my daddy's casket pass through my hands for the last time," he tells WWAY-TV during an interview about the arrest.
Cpl Jeffery Webbs Bond Set at $400,000 for Rape
LIVINGSTON, LA
The Baton Rouge police officer charged with raping a 16-year-old girl in his Livingston Parish home had his bond set Wednesday morning.
Judge Ernie Drake set Cpl. Jeffery Scott Webb's bond at $400,000.
The 36-year-old Webb is accused of raping the teenage girl at his home in Watson.
Alcohol was allegedly involved.
Until enough money is raised to bail him out, Webb will remain in the Livingston Parish Detention Center.
More Information: http://www.wafb.com/Global/story.asp?S=9377582&nav=menu57_5
The Baton Rouge police officer charged with raping a 16-year-old girl in his Livingston Parish home had his bond set Wednesday morning.
Judge Ernie Drake set Cpl. Jeffery Scott Webb's bond at $400,000.
The 36-year-old Webb is accused of raping the teenage girl at his home in Watson.
Alcohol was allegedly involved.
Until enough money is raised to bail him out, Webb will remain in the Livingston Parish Detention Center.
More Information: http://www.wafb.com/Global/story.asp?S=9377582&nav=menu57_5
Battle Of The Badges Flares Up Over Arrest
It’s a battle of the badges, West Palm Beach style.
A local police officer arrested the son of the second-highest ranking member of the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office the other day.
And now Col. Mike Gauger, head of all of PBSO’s law enforcement operations, says the arresting cop really was out to embarrass him.
“The officer really has a personal issue against me, not my son,” Gauger said. He added his son suffered a broken clavicle when he was cuffed. “Two months ago, the same officer filed an Internal Affairs complaint against me.”
The younger Gauger, a 23-year-old who shares his dad’s moniker, was in line at a Clematis hot-dog stand at 3 a.m. Oct. 19 when he and West Palm officer Johnny Radziul, in uniform, had words.
According to his arrest report, Radziul said he heard a male voice say “f…… cops” as he walked past the hot dog line.
Things escalated, with Radziul and the younger Gauger (who smelled of booze, according to the police report) jawing at one another. Eventually, Junior allegedly chest-bumped Radziul and was arrested.
Radziul wrote in his report that he asked the young man if he was related to PBSO’s Gauger. The handcuffed suspect said yes, adding: “That’s why you’ll be flipping my burgers by next week, punk!”
The younger Gauger was charged with felony battery on a police officer and disorderly intoxication. He spent a night in the jail, administered by his dad’s department, and was sprung on $3,000 bail. There was also a post-arrest $2,000 hospital bill, says dad.
“A felony for chest-bumping,” wondered Col. Gauger sarcastically. “My son is a good boy. He’s working full time for the Palm Beach County Housing Authority and he’s going to Palm Beach Community College.
“My son disputes the officer’s recollection of the words exchanged. He doesn’t talk that way.”
So, what kind of history do the elder Gauger and Radziul have?
The way Gauger explains it, Radziul’s longtime girlfriend was referred to him by a fellow Rotarian last year. She wanted to swear out a theft complaint against Radziul in connection with a missing cell phone. While it’s unusual for a high-ranking PBSO official to get involved with petty disputes, Gauger said: “All I did was refer the complaint to the right people.”
Records show a lengthy custody battle was taking place between Radziul and the galpal over their daughter.
In time, according to PBSO records, Radziul filed the I.A. complaint claiming that Gauger was trying to have him arrested without cause, which Gauger denies.
I.A. brass found no reason to initiate a full-fledged investigation.
“It’s sad that this is the kind of incident that happens when your children drink,” Gauger said. “I’m a drug and alcohol counselor, and I’ve spoken about this stuff to my son and daughter. But all kids make mistakes. If he hadn’t been my son, this would already have been absolved.”
Despite the fact that Sheriff Ric Bradshaw once was West Palm’s chief, relations between the two agencies have remained chilly at best. In August, representatives of the West Palm department were noticeably absent from Bradshaw’s reelection party.
A local police officer arrested the son of the second-highest ranking member of the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office the other day.
And now Col. Mike Gauger, head of all of PBSO’s law enforcement operations, says the arresting cop really was out to embarrass him.
“The officer really has a personal issue against me, not my son,” Gauger said. He added his son suffered a broken clavicle when he was cuffed. “Two months ago, the same officer filed an Internal Affairs complaint against me.”
The younger Gauger, a 23-year-old who shares his dad’s moniker, was in line at a Clematis hot-dog stand at 3 a.m. Oct. 19 when he and West Palm officer Johnny Radziul, in uniform, had words.
According to his arrest report, Radziul said he heard a male voice say “f…… cops” as he walked past the hot dog line.
Things escalated, with Radziul and the younger Gauger (who smelled of booze, according to the police report) jawing at one another. Eventually, Junior allegedly chest-bumped Radziul and was arrested.
Radziul wrote in his report that he asked the young man if he was related to PBSO’s Gauger. The handcuffed suspect said yes, adding: “That’s why you’ll be flipping my burgers by next week, punk!”
The younger Gauger was charged with felony battery on a police officer and disorderly intoxication. He spent a night in the jail, administered by his dad’s department, and was sprung on $3,000 bail. There was also a post-arrest $2,000 hospital bill, says dad.
“A felony for chest-bumping,” wondered Col. Gauger sarcastically. “My son is a good boy. He’s working full time for the Palm Beach County Housing Authority and he’s going to Palm Beach Community College.
“My son disputes the officer’s recollection of the words exchanged. He doesn’t talk that way.”
So, what kind of history do the elder Gauger and Radziul have?
The way Gauger explains it, Radziul’s longtime girlfriend was referred to him by a fellow Rotarian last year. She wanted to swear out a theft complaint against Radziul in connection with a missing cell phone. While it’s unusual for a high-ranking PBSO official to get involved with petty disputes, Gauger said: “All I did was refer the complaint to the right people.”
Records show a lengthy custody battle was taking place between Radziul and the galpal over their daughter.
In time, according to PBSO records, Radziul filed the I.A. complaint claiming that Gauger was trying to have him arrested without cause, which Gauger denies.
I.A. brass found no reason to initiate a full-fledged investigation.
“It’s sad that this is the kind of incident that happens when your children drink,” Gauger said. “I’m a drug and alcohol counselor, and I’ve spoken about this stuff to my son and daughter. But all kids make mistakes. If he hadn’t been my son, this would already have been absolved.”
Despite the fact that Sheriff Ric Bradshaw once was West Palm’s chief, relations between the two agencies have remained chilly at best. In August, representatives of the West Palm department were noticeably absent from Bradshaw’s reelection party.
Former Officer Bridges McRae Pleads Not Guily to Beating Transgender Prostitute
MEMPHIS, Tenn.
A former Memphis police officer pleaded not guilty on Wednesday to civil rights charges in the jailhouse beating of a transgender prostitution suspect that was captured on video.
An indictment unsealed Wednesday accuses Bridges McRae, 28, of using unreasonable force by repeatedly striking Duanna Johnson with his fist and handcuffs in the intake area of the Shelby County Jail in February.
Johnson, a biological male who lived as a woman, was being booked on a prostitution charge when the incident happened. A videotape of the beating was broadcast on Memphis TV stations and online in June, leading to McRae's firing. His former partner, James Swain, 25, was also fired.
McRae pleaded not guilty at a brief hearing on Wednesday before a federal magistrate and was released without bond. No trial date was set.
He is charged with violating Johnson's civil rights while in a position of authority, an offense that carries a maximum punishment of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Johnson, 43, who had a long history of prostitution arrests, was shot to death on a Memphis street by an unknown assailant earlier this month. The killing is still under investigation and no arrests have been made.
McRae declined comment as he left the federal courthouse. His lawyer, Ted Hansom, said McRae was "in a scuffle" with Johnson, who stood 6-foot-5, and was doing what he had to do to defend himself. Johnson was knocked bleeding to the jailhouse floor but was not seriously hurt.
The beating and Johnson's murder have drawn the attention of advocates for gay and transgender rights, including the Human Rights Campaign, a national group that has called on the Memphis Police Department for a "commitment to treating transgender people with respect and fairness."
A former Memphis police officer pleaded not guilty on Wednesday to civil rights charges in the jailhouse beating of a transgender prostitution suspect that was captured on video.
An indictment unsealed Wednesday accuses Bridges McRae, 28, of using unreasonable force by repeatedly striking Duanna Johnson with his fist and handcuffs in the intake area of the Shelby County Jail in February.
Johnson, a biological male who lived as a woman, was being booked on a prostitution charge when the incident happened. A videotape of the beating was broadcast on Memphis TV stations and online in June, leading to McRae's firing. His former partner, James Swain, 25, was also fired.
McRae pleaded not guilty at a brief hearing on Wednesday before a federal magistrate and was released without bond. No trial date was set.
He is charged with violating Johnson's civil rights while in a position of authority, an offense that carries a maximum punishment of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Johnson, 43, who had a long history of prostitution arrests, was shot to death on a Memphis street by an unknown assailant earlier this month. The killing is still under investigation and no arrests have been made.
McRae declined comment as he left the federal courthouse. His lawyer, Ted Hansom, said McRae was "in a scuffle" with Johnson, who stood 6-foot-5, and was doing what he had to do to defend himself. Johnson was knocked bleeding to the jailhouse floor but was not seriously hurt.
The beating and Johnson's murder have drawn the attention of advocates for gay and transgender rights, including the Human Rights Campaign, a national group that has called on the Memphis Police Department for a "commitment to treating transgender people with respect and fairness."
Officer Maria Leon Indicted on Six Counts of Fraud
A Tucson Police Officer who has been indicted on six counts of fraudulent scheme or practice has been removed from the police force. The investigation of Officer Maria Leon stemmed from improprieties that were discovered during a review of documents relating to tenant occupation of public housing by the city’s Housing Management Division.
The results of that investigation were turned over to the Arizona Attorney General’s Office in September, after which TPD served Officer Leon with a Notice of Intent to Terminate. On November 18, a termination hearing board upheld the recommendation for the termination of Officer Leon.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Deputy Erin White Arrested for Disorderly Conduct
ORLANDO
An off-duty Orange County sheriff's deputy has been released from jail after being arrested Sunday for getting into a verbal altercation with Orlando police officers.
Police said they were trying to take a man into custody around 2:30 a.m. Sunday in Downtown Orlando, when his girlfriend, off-duty deputy Erin White, got into a verbal altercation with authorities.
White, 28, was arrested and booked into the Orange County jail. She was charged with disorderly conduct and resisting arrest.
White has been an Orange County deputy for less than a year.
It was unknown if White's boyfriend faces any charges.
Officer Mark Garcia Charged with Trashing Home
A former sheriff’s deputy in Dixie and Levy counties turned himself in Tuesday evening on a charge that he trashed someone’s home before flooding it with a hose.
Mark Antonio Garcia, 38, was charged with felony criminal mischief for the Oct. 17 incident in rural Dixie County. He was released on his own recognizance after being booked into the Dixie County Jail where he once worked.
Garcia worked for the Dixie County Sheriff’s Office three times for a total of about 9 1/2 years. Some of his time with the agency was as a correctional officer at the county jail and some of the time was as a law enforcement deputy. Employment records for the two counties show Garcia resigned from Dixie County about a year ago to accept a a job with the Levy County Sheriff’s Office. Garcia had worked as an investigator in the Levy County criminal investigations unit until his resignation on Friday.
According to court records, Garcia had been drinking Oct. 17 before he asked James “Buddy” Smith to drive him to his home in Levy County. While enroute, Garcia reportedly asked Smith to stop at all the bars along the way to find a former girlfriend whom he believed had his keys and wallet. Garcia also asked Smith to stop at Curtis Ray Snellgrove’s home, according to authorities. Investigators said Garcia and Snellgrove had both dated the same woman at different times.
Deputy Leslie Brannin said Smith told him that he parked outside a locked gate at Snellgrove’s home but had parked with his headlights pointed toward the residence. According to Brannin, Smith said he waited in the truck listening to music while Garcia took Smith’s flashlight and appeared to move around the property with it. According to authorities, when Garcia returned to the truck, he was reportedly laughing when he told Smith that he tore up the washer and dryer and turned on the waterhose, letting water run into the home.
Brannin said that when the residents returned to the home, the damage they found, in addition to water damage from the washing machine hose, included a waterline broken at the pump, the satellite dish moved, the security system tampered with, a large rock thrown through double-pane windows in the living room and the bottom of the back door damaged.
Officer Robert Melia Jr Accused of Molesting 3 Girls and Performing Sex Acts on Cows Pleads Not Guilty
A suspended Moorestown police officer who is accused of molesting three young girls pleaded not guilty yesterday in Superior Court in Burlington County.
Robert Melia Jr., 38, also pleaded not guilty to official misconduct, as well as to animal cruelty. In addition to the molestation charges, Melia is accused of performing sex acts on cows in Southampton.
The Burlington County Prosecutor's Office began investigating Melia after one of the girls reported an assault to her relative. She later told authorities she had been assaulted repeatedly inside Melia's Moorestown home.
Melia was arrested in April, along with his girlfriend, Heather Lewis, who is charged separately with sexually assaulting a juvenile male.
Melia, who was a patrolman, has been free on $410,000 bail since June.
If convicted, Melia and Lewis could spend the rest of their lives in prison, authorities said.
Robert Melia Jr., 38, also pleaded not guilty to official misconduct, as well as to animal cruelty. In addition to the molestation charges, Melia is accused of performing sex acts on cows in Southampton.
The Burlington County Prosecutor's Office began investigating Melia after one of the girls reported an assault to her relative. She later told authorities she had been assaulted repeatedly inside Melia's Moorestown home.
Melia was arrested in April, along with his girlfriend, Heather Lewis, who is charged separately with sexually assaulting a juvenile male.
Melia, who was a patrolman, has been free on $410,000 bail since June.
If convicted, Melia and Lewis could spend the rest of their lives in prison, authorities said.
Detective Patrick Bannan Accused of Pressuring Rape Victim to Drop Complaint
A DETECTIVE pressured an alleged rape victim to drop her complaint after security footage revealed the man she was accusing was his own son, a court heard yesterday.
Sen-Det Patrick Bannan, 50, repeatedly rang the woman and had secret meetings with her in a bid to gain her sympathy and persuade her to change her mind, Bendigo Magistrates' Court was told.
He allegedly tried to manipulate her into believing her case had no merit and that it would become a "circus" if the matter went to court.
On one occasion at her home Sen-Det Bannan allegedly broke down crying and told her how stressful it was for his wife, and asked what he should tell his son her decision was.
The court heard the woman went to hospital saying she thought she had been raped on January 15 last year after a night out at a local hotel.
The woman said she had little recollection of the night, remembered seeing two male figures in her home and believed she had been drugged.
Sen-Det Bannan was one of the two main detectives investigating her allegations.
But he stood down from the case three days later when security footage showed his teenage son, Ainsley, and nephew Brenton McKinnon with the woman at the hotel.
The court heard that in a series of phone calls and meetings, Sen-Det Bannan told her she had collapsed at a cab rank and the boys came to her aid before driving her home.
She was also told she was "all over his son" in the car before dragging him into her bedroom and having sex.
"Patrick (Bannan) went on to say that if this goes to court it's going to be a 'circus' and that nothing will come of it," she said in a statement to the Office of Police Integrity.
Prosecutors dropped six charges against Sen-Det Bannan's son and nephew.
Sen-Det Bannan, of Kangaroo Flat, faces two counts of perverting the course of justice and four of using a position improperly to gain advantage.
The preliminary hearing before magistrate Jonathan Klestadt continues today.
Officer Lonnie Edwards Accused of being a Peeping Tom
AUSTIN
A 15 year APD veteran officer is under investigation-- accused of being a peeping tom.
Lonnie Edwards' attorney says-- his client allegedly peeped through a window of a home on San Gabriel Street last month.That's in the West Campus area where thousands of college students live.A woman inside that home called police.
Some UT students say they can't believe an uniformed officer would do such a thing. UT junior, Rachel Coco says,"that's creepy cause that's supposed to be an authority figure."
UT sophomore, Matthew Hardin says, "it's a cop, it's somebody who's supposed to be protecting us and he's creeping in on windows. It's kind of weird."
And UT sophomore Daniel Bell-Garcia says, "that people think they are above the law once they are in that position and they use that position to their advantage which is unfair and kind of scary."
There is an internal affairs investigation open.
Edwards is on paid administrative leave and could face possible criminal and disciplinary action.
http://www.myfoxaustin.com/myfox/pages/News/Detail?contentId=7886503&version=1&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=VSTY&pageId=3.2.1
A 15 year APD veteran officer is under investigation-- accused of being a peeping tom.
Lonnie Edwards' attorney says-- his client allegedly peeped through a window of a home on San Gabriel Street last month.That's in the West Campus area where thousands of college students live.A woman inside that home called police.
Some UT students say they can't believe an uniformed officer would do such a thing. UT junior, Rachel Coco says,"that's creepy cause that's supposed to be an authority figure."
UT sophomore, Matthew Hardin says, "it's a cop, it's somebody who's supposed to be protecting us and he's creeping in on windows. It's kind of weird."
And UT sophomore Daniel Bell-Garcia says, "that people think they are above the law once they are in that position and they use that position to their advantage which is unfair and kind of scary."
There is an internal affairs investigation open.
Edwards is on paid administrative leave and could face possible criminal and disciplinary action.
http://www.myfoxaustin.com/myfox/pages/News/Detail?contentId=7886503&version=1&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=VSTY&pageId=3.2.1
Chief LeDuff Speaks out about Officer Incidents Including Rape Charges
Several Baton Rouge police officers ended up on the other side of the law recently. The latest, an officer accused of simple rape. Tuesday, police chief Jeff LeDuff spoke out for the first time about the incidents and what you can expect from the city's finest.
First, Officer Ed Coulter was involved in a wreck and placed on administrative leave back on November third. Coulter was off duty and a test administered after the crash indicated alcohol was involved. Then, officer Jerald Holmes was arrested November fourth for allegedly falsifying time sheets he submitted to an extra duty employer. Now corporal Jeffery Scott Webb faces an alleged rape charge in Livingston parish. Chief LeDuff said, "I have men and women out here right now and yeah they wear it. We all wear it. We've had three incidents back to back and its not common for our department. You don't see this very often in our department."
Chief LeDuff says the justice system will process them like everyone else. The chief made no apologies only vowing to run the best department he can. Chief LeDuff said, "it's our job to find, recruit, train and give Baton Rouge the absolute best that we can and sometimes your best is just not good enough and so know we are not gonna waiver from this. We are going to continue to do the job. We continue to put our best foot forward and this too shall pass."
Because of civil service rules and legal issues the chief could not get specific about any of the recent alleged incidents. As of Tuesday night, officer Clouter is still on administrative leave, Jerald Holmes resigned from the force after his arrest and officer Webb is still being held without bond.
Monday, November 17, 2008
Another Mainland Officer Arrested for Drunk Driving
Another Lower Mainland police officer is suspected of impaired driving after an off-duty Vancouver Police patrol officer was pulled over this weekend.
The officer, who police haven't officially identified, was spotted early Sunday morning by another officer who had just finished a shift performing drinking and driving counterattack duties - the VPD's effort to stop drunk driving.
"[The officer] sees a car weaving in front of them, and makes a call to 911," VPD Const. Tim Fanning, a department spokesperson, told reporters Monday.
The suspected vehicle was pulled over on Knight Street near 32nd Avenue.
Police, Fanning said, "feel satisfied [the suspect's] ability to drive a motor vehicle is impaired by alcohol.
"They also discover in their conversations with him, it is revealed he is a Vancouver Police officer."
Charges are being recommended against the officer, described only as a 30-year-old patrol constable with three and a half years of experience. The officer has been re-assigned while an investigation is underway.
Fanning said the officer's name would be released when he is officially charged.
"We don't tolerate impaired driving in the City of Vancouver," Fanning said.
"It doesn't matter who we pull over. We treat everyone in the same way."
The RCMP in the Lower Mainland has had similar experiences with officers getting in trouble with the law.
At the end of October, a North Vancouver RCMP school liaison officer and a school liaison officer in New Westminster were charged with impaired driving. Additionally, an unnamed RCMP corporal faces charges of impaired driving after a crash on Oct. 25 in Delta that resulted in the death of motorcyclist Orion Hutchinson, 21. The officer was among the group of RCMP officers deployed to Vancouver International Airport on Oct. 14, 2007 where Polish immigrant Robert Dziekanski died after being hit by a Taser.
More information: http://www.google.com/hostednews/canadianpress/article/ALeqM5iqZ5GuW6SMv6rfSJDmC9bcg4uOIw
The officer, who police haven't officially identified, was spotted early Sunday morning by another officer who had just finished a shift performing drinking and driving counterattack duties - the VPD's effort to stop drunk driving.
"[The officer] sees a car weaving in front of them, and makes a call to 911," VPD Const. Tim Fanning, a department spokesperson, told reporters Monday.
The suspected vehicle was pulled over on Knight Street near 32nd Avenue.
Police, Fanning said, "feel satisfied [the suspect's] ability to drive a motor vehicle is impaired by alcohol.
"They also discover in their conversations with him, it is revealed he is a Vancouver Police officer."
Charges are being recommended against the officer, described only as a 30-year-old patrol constable with three and a half years of experience. The officer has been re-assigned while an investigation is underway.
Fanning said the officer's name would be released when he is officially charged.
"We don't tolerate impaired driving in the City of Vancouver," Fanning said.
"It doesn't matter who we pull over. We treat everyone in the same way."
The RCMP in the Lower Mainland has had similar experiences with officers getting in trouble with the law.
At the end of October, a North Vancouver RCMP school liaison officer and a school liaison officer in New Westminster were charged with impaired driving. Additionally, an unnamed RCMP corporal faces charges of impaired driving after a crash on Oct. 25 in Delta that resulted in the death of motorcyclist Orion Hutchinson, 21. The officer was among the group of RCMP officers deployed to Vancouver International Airport on Oct. 14, 2007 where Polish immigrant Robert Dziekanski died after being hit by a Taser.
More information: http://www.google.com/hostednews/canadianpress/article/ALeqM5iqZ5GuW6SMv6rfSJDmC9bcg4uOIw
Murder of Transgender Woman Revives Scrutiny
The videotaped beating of a transgender woman while in police custody in Memphis last February led to charges against two officers and national condemnation from gay rights groups. The officers were fired, and the Memphis Police Department overhauled some of its procedures and began sensitivity training for the entire force.
Duanna Johnson, a transgender woman, was found fatally shot near downtown Memphis.
But a week ago, the woman, Duanna Johnson, 43, was found fatally shot near downtown Memphis. The killing has revived scrutiny of the case and put increased pressure on the department to find the killer.
“Duanna Johnson’s case was tragic before, and now it’s an almost unimaginable loss,” said Jared Feuer, the Southern regional director of Amnesty International. “Her treatment demonstrates a culture of violence against transgender people that must be addressed.”
Ms. Johnson sustained a gunshot wound to the head late on Nov. 9, the police said, and officers found her body after responding to a shooting call in North Memphis. Investigators said three men were seen near the crime scene before the officers arrived, but police officials say they have no suspects, have made no arrests and do not have a motive for the killing.
The Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest gay civil rights group, called for a federal investigation.
Ms. Johnson’s case attracted national attention in June after local television stations obtained a grainy surveillance videotape that showed a police officer, identified as Bridges McRae, striking her repeatedly with a gloved fist with handcuffs slipped over his knuckles and pepper-spraying her in the face.
Another officer, James Swain, held down the 6-foot-5 Ms. Johnson during the assault, which occurred on Feb. 12 after she was arrested on a prostitution charge. Ms. Johnson, who was in a booking area at the Shelby County Jail in Memphis at the time of the attack, told the authorities that Officer McRae had also hurled antigay epithets at her.
“The shock value of that video was incredible,” said Arthur E. Horne III, one of the lawyers who represented Ms. Johnson in a threatened federal civil rights lawsuit against the city, the Police Department and the officers involved in the attack.
The video was splashed across the Internet. The Memphis police director, Larry Godwin, said the crime left him “sick” and “infuriated.” Mayor Willie W. Herenton called the attack “disgusting” and promised to enforce any punishment doled out by the judicial system. The Federal Bureau of Investigation also opened an inquiry into the case to check for possible civil rights violations.
In June, the Police Department fired Officer McRae and Officer Swain, who was a probationary officer, and asked the Tennessee Equality Project, a gay rights group, to hold training sessions for officers about sexual orientation.
Mr. Horne had offered to forgo a lawsuit if the city settled with Ms. Johnson for $1.3 million. He said her estate might still proceed with a lawsuit against the city, the department and the two officers over the beating.
“Hopefully,” Mr. Horne said, “it will open the eyes of people in Memphis, the country and the world to the challenges that transgender and gay people face due to hate crimes. The only bright side of these crimes may be that they can effectuate some change for transgender people.”
Jonathan Cole, the Shelby County chairman of the Tennessee Equality Project, praised the Police Department as embracing the problem. But Mr. Cole said that Ms. Johnson’s killing demonstrated how much discrimination remained in Memphis.
“We’re a sleepy Southern town,” he said. “For the most part, I think people in the South treat each other well. But there are prejudices that people have, and those prejudices come out in ways that are often violent when no one is looking.”
Duanna Johnson, a transgender woman, was found fatally shot near downtown Memphis.
But a week ago, the woman, Duanna Johnson, 43, was found fatally shot near downtown Memphis. The killing has revived scrutiny of the case and put increased pressure on the department to find the killer.
“Duanna Johnson’s case was tragic before, and now it’s an almost unimaginable loss,” said Jared Feuer, the Southern regional director of Amnesty International. “Her treatment demonstrates a culture of violence against transgender people that must be addressed.”
Ms. Johnson sustained a gunshot wound to the head late on Nov. 9, the police said, and officers found her body after responding to a shooting call in North Memphis. Investigators said three men were seen near the crime scene before the officers arrived, but police officials say they have no suspects, have made no arrests and do not have a motive for the killing.
The Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest gay civil rights group, called for a federal investigation.
Ms. Johnson’s case attracted national attention in June after local television stations obtained a grainy surveillance videotape that showed a police officer, identified as Bridges McRae, striking her repeatedly with a gloved fist with handcuffs slipped over his knuckles and pepper-spraying her in the face.
Another officer, James Swain, held down the 6-foot-5 Ms. Johnson during the assault, which occurred on Feb. 12 after she was arrested on a prostitution charge. Ms. Johnson, who was in a booking area at the Shelby County Jail in Memphis at the time of the attack, told the authorities that Officer McRae had also hurled antigay epithets at her.
“The shock value of that video was incredible,” said Arthur E. Horne III, one of the lawyers who represented Ms. Johnson in a threatened federal civil rights lawsuit against the city, the Police Department and the officers involved in the attack.
The video was splashed across the Internet. The Memphis police director, Larry Godwin, said the crime left him “sick” and “infuriated.” Mayor Willie W. Herenton called the attack “disgusting” and promised to enforce any punishment doled out by the judicial system. The Federal Bureau of Investigation also opened an inquiry into the case to check for possible civil rights violations.
In June, the Police Department fired Officer McRae and Officer Swain, who was a probationary officer, and asked the Tennessee Equality Project, a gay rights group, to hold training sessions for officers about sexual orientation.
Mr. Horne had offered to forgo a lawsuit if the city settled with Ms. Johnson for $1.3 million. He said her estate might still proceed with a lawsuit against the city, the department and the two officers over the beating.
“Hopefully,” Mr. Horne said, “it will open the eyes of people in Memphis, the country and the world to the challenges that transgender and gay people face due to hate crimes. The only bright side of these crimes may be that they can effectuate some change for transgender people.”
Jonathan Cole, the Shelby County chairman of the Tennessee Equality Project, praised the Police Department as embracing the problem. But Mr. Cole said that Ms. Johnson’s killing demonstrated how much discrimination remained in Memphis.
“We’re a sleepy Southern town,” he said. “For the most part, I think people in the South treat each other well. But there are prejudices that people have, and those prejudices come out in ways that are often violent when no one is looking.”
Chief Greg Kroeplin Under Investigation for Public Corruption
OREGON
Canby's City Administrator placed Police Chief Greg Kroeplin on paid administrative leave today, following an Oregonian story yesterday that outlined allegations from an ongoing FBI investigation that he concealed or failed to investigate one of his officer's alleged steroid abuse.
"The City of Canby takes seriously any allegation of employee misconduct,'' City Administrator Mark Adcock said, in a prepared statement. "The City understands the importance that the community maintains the trust in the integrity of the Canby Police Department that it has worked so long and hard to earn over the years.''
The city has ordered an "independent, third-party entity'' to carry out its own personnel investigation, the statement says.
The FBI launched a public corruption investigation in February, which led to the resignation of Canby Officer Jason Deason on July 17. Federal authorities alleged in multiple search warrant affidavits filed in U.S. District Court that Deason bought steroids in uniform, while on the job.
Further, federal agents alleged in court documents that Canby police supervisors either failed to address the problem or concealed its existence. A neighboring police agency gave Chief Kroeplin in July 2006 a two-page memo detailing an informant's tip about Deason's steroid buys from an Oregon City man, but Kroeplin brushed it off as unsubstantiated rumors, federal agents alleged in court documents.
Kroeplin last week referred all questions about the investigation to the FBI.
The FBI investigation is continuing. No charges have been filed.
To read Sunday's story, click here.
Canby's City Administrator placed Police Chief Greg Kroeplin on paid administrative leave today, following an Oregonian story yesterday that outlined allegations from an ongoing FBI investigation that he concealed or failed to investigate one of his officer's alleged steroid abuse.
"The City of Canby takes seriously any allegation of employee misconduct,'' City Administrator Mark Adcock said, in a prepared statement. "The City understands the importance that the community maintains the trust in the integrity of the Canby Police Department that it has worked so long and hard to earn over the years.''
The city has ordered an "independent, third-party entity'' to carry out its own personnel investigation, the statement says.
The FBI launched a public corruption investigation in February, which led to the resignation of Canby Officer Jason Deason on July 17. Federal authorities alleged in multiple search warrant affidavits filed in U.S. District Court that Deason bought steroids in uniform, while on the job.
Further, federal agents alleged in court documents that Canby police supervisors either failed to address the problem or concealed its existence. A neighboring police agency gave Chief Kroeplin in July 2006 a two-page memo detailing an informant's tip about Deason's steroid buys from an Oregon City man, but Kroeplin brushed it off as unsubstantiated rumors, federal agents alleged in court documents.
Kroeplin last week referred all questions about the investigation to the FBI.
The FBI investigation is continuing. No charges have been filed.
To read Sunday's story, click here.
Correctional Deputy Arnulfo Moreno Arrested for Attempt Murder
MENIFEE
A Riverside County Sheriff’s Department correctional deputy finds himself on the other side of the law.
Investigators say that Arnulfo Moreno, 31, sexually assaulted and attempted to murder a woman Thursday. The alleged domestic violence occurred at a residence in Menifee.
On Saturday, at about 1:00 am, the Riverside County Sheriff's Department took Moreno into custody without incident. Investigators had arranged a location for the suspect to turn himself in.
Moreno had worked with the RSO as a correctional deputy the past 16-months.
The victim’s identity, her condition and the nature of her injuries were not disclosed.
Bartlesville Officer Accused of Choking 12-year Old Girl
A Bartlesville police officer is on paid administrative leave tonight, after a 12-year old girl says he choked her.
Hannah Kerr's parents hosted a party Saturday night when the officer, who's also a family acquaintance, stopped by.
At one point that evening, Hannah says the man came up to her and choked her, to the point where she passed out.
Once internal affairs is done with their investigation, the police chief will decide what happens next.
Hannah Kerr's parents hosted a party Saturday night when the officer, who's also a family acquaintance, stopped by.
At one point that evening, Hannah says the man came up to her and choked her, to the point where she passed out.
Once internal affairs is done with their investigation, the police chief will decide what happens next.
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Officer Melvin Jones IV Indicted on Assault
A Baltimore police officer was indicted by an Anne Arundel County grand jury yesterday on first-degree assault charges stemming from a fight at La Fontaine Bleu in Glen Burnie last month.
Melvin Ellsworth Jones IV, 28, was off duty and attending an event Oct. 18 when he got into a dispute with another guest and punched him in the head until he lost consciousness, according to a statement of charges written by the victim, Charles W. Smith III, 45.
"The defendant was seen by several parties striking me in the back of the head with a shiny metal object in or on his hand," Smith wrote.
Smith was taken to a hospital, where he received 12 stitches for cuts, according to the charges. Jones, a Perry Hall resident who has been an officer since 2002, was arrested Oct. 24. He has been suspended without pay, police said.
Melvin Ellsworth Jones IV, 28, was off duty and attending an event Oct. 18 when he got into a dispute with another guest and punched him in the head until he lost consciousness, according to a statement of charges written by the victim, Charles W. Smith III, 45.
"The defendant was seen by several parties striking me in the back of the head with a shiny metal object in or on his hand," Smith wrote.
Smith was taken to a hospital, where he received 12 stitches for cuts, according to the charges. Jones, a Perry Hall resident who has been an officer since 2002, was arrested Oct. 24. He has been suspended without pay, police said.
Timeline Questioned in Drew Peterson Case
Authorities used "vindictive and selective" prosecution in their gun case against former Bolingbrook Police Sgt. Drew Peterson, his legal team argued in Will County Court today.
Peterson, 54, faces felony gun charges for allegedly possessing a modified assault rifle with a barrel of less than 16 inches in violation of state law. Authorities seized the rifle, along with other weapons, after search warrants were executed last November as part of the investigation into the Oct. 28, 2007 disappearance of Peterson's fourth wife, Stacy.
But Peterson's attorney, Joel Brodsky, questioned the timeline of how the gun case unfolded. In February, police revoked Peterson's firearm owner identification card after a judge ruled that his firearms should be returned to Peterson granted that he had a valid FOID card.
And then in May, authorities arrested Peterson for owning the rifle on the eve of learning from the judge whether the guns could be turned over to his son, Stephen, an Oak Brook police officer.
Brodsky is requesting that prosecutors turn over documents leading up to the charges against his client.
"This timeline proves with more than sufficient evidence that the reason to do this is to punish Mr. Drew Peterson for exercising his Constitutional rights," Brodsky said.
Peterson, who maintains his wife ran off, has said that he used the rifle as a SWAT team member for the Bolingbrook police department.
Will County Assistant State's Atty. Dede Osterberger argued against giving the defense "privileged information."
"We strongly argue against this case, judge, because we think that the defense is engaging in a fishing expedition," she said.
Judge Richard Schoenstedt, who was battling a cold and losing his voice, said he would defer his ruling until the next scheduled hearing on Nov. 20.
Former Officer Ramon Borbon Convicted of Sexual Assault, Kidnapping
A former Nogales, Arizona police officer has been convicted of sexual assault, kidnapping, sexual abuse and obstructing a criminal investigation. 40 year old Ramon Borbon will be sentenced on December 12.
The sexual abuse and obstruction charges stem from an August, 2005 incident in which investigators say Borbon forced a 16-year old girl to touch him inappropriately and then threatened her to try and prevent her from reporting the incident to authorities. The sexual assault and kidnapping charges stem from an incident one month later when investigators say Borbon knowingly restrained a 19-year old Nogales woman with the intent to inflict harm, and then sexually assaulted her. Borbon was in uniform during both incidents.
The case was tried in Pima County Superior Court following a mistrial in Santa Cruz County this past May. The case was then ordered moved to Pima County due to the case’s media exposure in Santa Cruz County.
The sexual abuse and obstruction charges stem from an August, 2005 incident in which investigators say Borbon forced a 16-year old girl to touch him inappropriately and then threatened her to try and prevent her from reporting the incident to authorities. The sexual assault and kidnapping charges stem from an incident one month later when investigators say Borbon knowingly restrained a 19-year old Nogales woman with the intent to inflict harm, and then sexually assaulted her. Borbon was in uniform during both incidents.
The case was tried in Pima County Superior Court following a mistrial in Santa Cruz County this past May. The case was then ordered moved to Pima County due to the case’s media exposure in Santa Cruz County.
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Trooper Henry Ford charged with Interfering
An off-duty state trooper assigned to Shreveport was arrested at the scene of an accident involving his son Saturday night in Lincoln Parish.
Henry Ford is charged with interfering with medical personnel and resisting an officer.
Henry Ford arrived at the scene of an accident involving his son, Qshawn Ford, 20, of Arcadia, just before 11 p.m. Saturday on state highway 507 in Lincoln Parish.
Ruston Ambulance Service crew members told Lincoln Parish deputies working the scene that they asked Henry Ford to leave Qshawn Ford alone because of the possibility of spinal injuries. According to the crew members' statements, Henry Ford refused to leave the area after being asked to leave several times.
Henry Ford allegedly got into a fight with deputies as they attempted to remove him from the area. Deputies subdued Ford with a Taser before arresting him.
Ford was booked into the Lincoln Parish Detention Center and later released on his own recognizance. He is assigned to the Transportation and Emergency Services Section of the state police in the Shreveport area.
The Louisiana State Police will conduct an administrative investigation into the incident. The Lincoln Parish Sheriff's Office is handling the primary investigation.
Henry Ford is charged with interfering with medical personnel and resisting an officer.
Henry Ford arrived at the scene of an accident involving his son, Qshawn Ford, 20, of Arcadia, just before 11 p.m. Saturday on state highway 507 in Lincoln Parish.
Ruston Ambulance Service crew members told Lincoln Parish deputies working the scene that they asked Henry Ford to leave Qshawn Ford alone because of the possibility of spinal injuries. According to the crew members' statements, Henry Ford refused to leave the area after being asked to leave several times.
Henry Ford allegedly got into a fight with deputies as they attempted to remove him from the area. Deputies subdued Ford with a Taser before arresting him.
Ford was booked into the Lincoln Parish Detention Center and later released on his own recognizance. He is assigned to the Transportation and Emergency Services Section of the state police in the Shreveport area.
The Louisiana State Police will conduct an administrative investigation into the incident. The Lincoln Parish Sheriff's Office is handling the primary investigation.
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