A lawyer representing a Wyoming state trooper accused of federal civil rights violations has asked a judge to send the trooper for mental health counseling.
The Justice Department last month charged Trooper Franklin Ryle with violating another man's civil rights in January by kidnapping him at gunpoint and unlawfully arresting him.
Ryle is a 12-year veteran of the patrol and remains in custody at a detention center in Nebraska.
Assistant Federal Public Defender Jim Barrett in Cheyenne represents Ryle.
Barrett has filed papers in court informing U.S. District Judge Clarence Brimmer of Cheyenne that Ryle is so depressed that it might affect his ability to consult with his lawyer. Barrett asked the judge to allow Ryle to get mental health counseling in Nebraska.
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More Information:
http://www.localnews8.com/Global/story.asp?S=10214087&nav=menu554_1_1
Monday, April 20, 2009
Sheriff Detective Nathan Woodstock Arrested
WOODSTOCK, Ga.
A Cherokee County sheriff's detective has been arrested and charged with violation of oath of office, tampering with evidence, felony marijuana possession and six counts of theft by taking.
Authoritites say 29-year-old Nathan Watson of Woodstock was being held at the Cherokee County Adult Detention Center on $40,000 bond following his arrest April 13. It was not immediately known if he had a lawyer.
The charges are related to evidence obtained in criminal investigations.
Watson, a member of the National Guard, was in Mississippi awaiting deployment to Afghanistan when investigators went to his home and found electronic devices and about two ounces of marijuana.
He had 10 years with the sheriff's department.
Another Mesquite Officer Under Investigation for Having Sex in His Police Car
Less than a week after the City of Mesquite was served with a lawsuit over allegations of sexual assault by former police officer Kirt Hughes, another Mesquite police officer is under investigation for alleged sexual impropriety.
An internal investigation has been ongoing for the last few weeks as the department looks into allegations that one of its officers may have been involved in sexual misconduct.
Specifically, the unnamed officer is accused of having consensual sex in his police car.
While the police department has confirmed that an investigation is underway, they have released few details about the allegations.
If confirmed, the officer is facing suspension or even possible termination.
The investigation marks the second time in the last six months that a Mesquite police officer has been accused of sexual misconduct.
Former police officer of the year Kirt Hughes was fired in December following two investigations into allegations that he sexually assaulted several local women.
The Clark County District Attorney refused to file charges in that case, but Hughes was terminated from the department as a result of the investigation.
While the two cases come within months of each other, police officials have indicated that the incidents and investigations are unrelated.
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http://www.mesquitelocalnews.com/viewnews.php?newsid=2665&id=2
An internal investigation has been ongoing for the last few weeks as the department looks into allegations that one of its officers may have been involved in sexual misconduct.
Specifically, the unnamed officer is accused of having consensual sex in his police car.
While the police department has confirmed that an investigation is underway, they have released few details about the allegations.
If confirmed, the officer is facing suspension or even possible termination.
The investigation marks the second time in the last six months that a Mesquite police officer has been accused of sexual misconduct.
Former police officer of the year Kirt Hughes was fired in December following two investigations into allegations that he sexually assaulted several local women.
The Clark County District Attorney refused to file charges in that case, but Hughes was terminated from the department as a result of the investigation.
While the two cases come within months of each other, police officials have indicated that the incidents and investigations are unrelated.
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http://www.mesquitelocalnews.com/viewnews.php?newsid=2665&id=2
Former Officer Rodney Sanders Pleads Guilty to Drunk Driving Accident
A city police officer whose blood-alcohol content was nearly three times the legal limit when he caused a 2007 car crash has given up his job after pleading guilty to assault by auto and other charges in the three-car collision, authorities said.
Rodney D. Sanders, a 40-year-old North Plainfield resident, pleaded guilty April 17 to third-degree assault by auto, driving while intoxicated and failure to exhibit a driver's license in connection with the crash on Route 22 in North Plainfield, according to
authorities.
Somerset County Prosecutor Wayne J. Forrest said in a statement that Sanders pleaded guilty 10 days after his motion to suppress an Alcotest reading of 0.23 percent — almost three times the legal blood-alcohol limit of 0.08 percent — was denied by Superior Court Judge Paul Armstrong.
As part of a plea agreement with prosecutors, Sanders faces probation with 60 days in the Somerset County Jail, the loss of his license and registration for two years, 30 days of community service, 48 hours in the state Intoxicated Drivers Resource Center and fines, authorities said.
Sanders — a veteran city police officer with 19 years on the force — also forfeited his job upon pleading guilty, authorities said. His sentencing is scheduled for June 12.
"That's an issue he has to deal with, and he made a very poor decision to drive that night,'' city Public Safety Director Martin Hellwig said. "But we have to be held accountable for our actions — and that's the result.''
Authorities have said Sanders was intoxicated when he hit a pickup truck and car the night of July 31, 2007, while traveling eastbound on Route 22 near Wilson Avenue in North Plainfield. Sanders attempted to pass a 2002 Chevrolet pickup truck driven by Florida resident Joseph J. McKernan, who was traveling eastbound in the highway's left lane, police said.
Sanders, who was driving the same direction in a 1999 GMC Yukon Denali, struck the rear passenger side of McKernan's vehicle and then rear-ended Sherifat A. Kasunmu's 1995 Nissan Altima, which spun onto the lawn of the Red Tower II restaurant, according to police.
Kasunmu, of Newark, was airlifted to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick for back and neck pain while Sanders and McKernan declined treatment at the scene.
The night of the wreck, Sanders was arrested by North Plainfield police on a drunken driving charge after failing a field sobriety test and registering the high blood-alcohol level, authorities said. The assault by auto charge was added after an investigation by the Somerset County Prosecutor's Office Collision Analysis Reconstruction Team.
Sanders, who is free on bail, had been suspended without pay since the wreck.
Rodney D. Sanders, a 40-year-old North Plainfield resident, pleaded guilty April 17 to third-degree assault by auto, driving while intoxicated and failure to exhibit a driver's license in connection with the crash on Route 22 in North Plainfield, according to
authorities.
Somerset County Prosecutor Wayne J. Forrest said in a statement that Sanders pleaded guilty 10 days after his motion to suppress an Alcotest reading of 0.23 percent — almost three times the legal blood-alcohol limit of 0.08 percent — was denied by Superior Court Judge Paul Armstrong.
As part of a plea agreement with prosecutors, Sanders faces probation with 60 days in the Somerset County Jail, the loss of his license and registration for two years, 30 days of community service, 48 hours in the state Intoxicated Drivers Resource Center and fines, authorities said.
Sanders — a veteran city police officer with 19 years on the force — also forfeited his job upon pleading guilty, authorities said. His sentencing is scheduled for June 12.
"That's an issue he has to deal with, and he made a very poor decision to drive that night,'' city Public Safety Director Martin Hellwig said. "But we have to be held accountable for our actions — and that's the result.''
Authorities have said Sanders was intoxicated when he hit a pickup truck and car the night of July 31, 2007, while traveling eastbound on Route 22 near Wilson Avenue in North Plainfield. Sanders attempted to pass a 2002 Chevrolet pickup truck driven by Florida resident Joseph J. McKernan, who was traveling eastbound in the highway's left lane, police said.
Sanders, who was driving the same direction in a 1999 GMC Yukon Denali, struck the rear passenger side of McKernan's vehicle and then rear-ended Sherifat A. Kasunmu's 1995 Nissan Altima, which spun onto the lawn of the Red Tower II restaurant, according to police.
Kasunmu, of Newark, was airlifted to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick for back and neck pain while Sanders and McKernan declined treatment at the scene.
The night of the wreck, Sanders was arrested by North Plainfield police on a drunken driving charge after failing a field sobriety test and registering the high blood-alcohol level, authorities said. The assault by auto charge was added after an investigation by the Somerset County Prosecutor's Office Collision Analysis Reconstruction Team.
Sanders, who is free on bail, had been suspended without pay since the wreck.
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Sunday, April 19, 2009
Gary Decker Dies After Tucson Police Taser Him
A man who died after Tucson police shocked him with a Taser stun gun has been identified as a resident of Kentucky.
Police say Gary A. Decker died several hours after officers trying to subdue him shocked him with a Taser stun gun. They gave no city of residence.
Officers were called to the 50-year-old's downtown Tucson hotel room early Thursday because staff heard loud banging and music coming from his room. Sgt. Mark Robinson says they used a pass key to get inside after he wouldn't open the door.
They found the room ransacked, furniture broken and a nude Decker holding a toilet seat he had ripped from the commode. They used a Taser but it had no apparent affect and they eventually wrestled him to the ground.
Decker was in Tucson for a temporary job as a furniture liquidator.
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http://www.wbko.com/news/headlines/43255612.html
Police say Gary A. Decker died several hours after officers trying to subdue him shocked him with a Taser stun gun. They gave no city of residence.
Officers were called to the 50-year-old's downtown Tucson hotel room early Thursday because staff heard loud banging and music coming from his room. Sgt. Mark Robinson says they used a pass key to get inside after he wouldn't open the door.
They found the room ransacked, furniture broken and a nude Decker holding a toilet seat he had ripped from the commode. They used a Taser but it had no apparent affect and they eventually wrestled him to the ground.
Decker was in Tucson for a temporary job as a furniture liquidator.
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http://www.wbko.com/news/headlines/43255612.html
Two People Suing Modesto Police for Using Excessive Force
Two people are suing Modesto in separate lawsuits claiming they were roughed up by police while being arrested at downtown clubs.
One case centers on Wendell Jamon Jones, a San Jose attorney, who says police used excessive force to arrest him as he left a 10th Street club as the 2005 X-Clamation Festival wound down. His case heads to trial May 4 at the U.S. District Court in Fresno.
The other comes from Margaret Shepherd, a Stockton mother who was caught up in an altercation at another 10th Street bar while she celebrated her son's 21st birthday in January 2007. Her case is moving through the same court.
The city says Jones and Shepherd resisted arrest and that police acted within the scope of their authority.
"The city's position has been that there was probable cause to arrest in both cases, and any force that was used was lawful and reasonable," said Jim Wilson, Modesto senior deputy city attorney.
Jones and Shepherd are seeking seven-figure payouts in punitive damages. The cases highlight the city's liability in policing downtown clubs.
"When you're dealing with people under the influence of alcoholic beverages, they become unpredictable," said police Sgt. Brian Findlen, department spokesman, who was speaking in general terms.
Jones, 39, says that police acted inappropriately while trying to empty out the Palladium nightclub in the early hours of July 24, 2005. He was there with friends after watching performances at the outdoor X-Fest.
By his telling, and accounts from a bouncer and four other witnesses, police aggressively sought to clear out the bar about 1:30 a.m. Jones and the witnesses say he was talking with a bouncer and not drinking when then-police Sgt. Adam McGill struck him. Jones contends he put his hands in the air and said, "What did I do? I didn't do anything."
Hit in the abdomen, leg
Officers counter that they were moving patrons out of the club and perceived Jones as not complying with their requests. They say Jones pushed McGill first, though Jones' friends wrote they didn't see that.
Officers struck Jones in the abdomen and on his right leg with a flashlight and baton when they determined he was resisting arrest.
A key piece of evidence in the trial is expected to be a video of the incident taken from inside the club. Jones was charged with misdemeanor offenses of assaulting a police officer and resisting arrest. In August 2007, he pleaded no contest to an infraction of fighting in a public place.
He contends that the incident left him unable to work in his practice as a patent attorney, costing him $200,000 while he recovered. He's seeking an additional $2 million in punitive damages.
"Before this incident, Jones had a zero criminal record," said his attorney, Anthony Harris. "This guy was like a monk. It was an anomaly that his friends would drag him out. After the situation, he was really a monk. He didn't want to go out. He was nervous around any police officer."
Palladium owner Rudy Baca declined to comment. He appeared frustrated with police in a witness statement he wrote shortly after the incident because of the manner in which officers sought to close his club early that night.
Shepherd has dropped some of her original claims against the city, focusing on her assertion that two officers used excessive force when they arrested her at the Copper Rhino bar Jan. 14, 2007.
She says police broke her ribs when they sought to subdue her after she attempted to find out why one of her son's friends was ejected from the club by a bouncer. She is seeking $1 million in damages.
Shepherd's attorney did not return calls for comment.
Wilson succeeded in his most recent defense of a lawsuit against the Modesto Police Department. A jury a year ago held that police were not liable in the death of Sammy Galvan, who was shot eight times when officers responded to a domestic dispute at his home in 2004.
One case centers on Wendell Jamon Jones, a San Jose attorney, who says police used excessive force to arrest him as he left a 10th Street club as the 2005 X-Clamation Festival wound down. His case heads to trial May 4 at the U.S. District Court in Fresno.
The other comes from Margaret Shepherd, a Stockton mother who was caught up in an altercation at another 10th Street bar while she celebrated her son's 21st birthday in January 2007. Her case is moving through the same court.
The city says Jones and Shepherd resisted arrest and that police acted within the scope of their authority.
"The city's position has been that there was probable cause to arrest in both cases, and any force that was used was lawful and reasonable," said Jim Wilson, Modesto senior deputy city attorney.
Jones and Shepherd are seeking seven-figure payouts in punitive damages. The cases highlight the city's liability in policing downtown clubs.
"When you're dealing with people under the influence of alcoholic beverages, they become unpredictable," said police Sgt. Brian Findlen, department spokesman, who was speaking in general terms.
Jones, 39, says that police acted inappropriately while trying to empty out the Palladium nightclub in the early hours of July 24, 2005. He was there with friends after watching performances at the outdoor X-Fest.
By his telling, and accounts from a bouncer and four other witnesses, police aggressively sought to clear out the bar about 1:30 a.m. Jones and the witnesses say he was talking with a bouncer and not drinking when then-police Sgt. Adam McGill struck him. Jones contends he put his hands in the air and said, "What did I do? I didn't do anything."
Hit in the abdomen, leg
Officers counter that they were moving patrons out of the club and perceived Jones as not complying with their requests. They say Jones pushed McGill first, though Jones' friends wrote they didn't see that.
Officers struck Jones in the abdomen and on his right leg with a flashlight and baton when they determined he was resisting arrest.
A key piece of evidence in the trial is expected to be a video of the incident taken from inside the club. Jones was charged with misdemeanor offenses of assaulting a police officer and resisting arrest. In August 2007, he pleaded no contest to an infraction of fighting in a public place.
He contends that the incident left him unable to work in his practice as a patent attorney, costing him $200,000 while he recovered. He's seeking an additional $2 million in punitive damages.
"Before this incident, Jones had a zero criminal record," said his attorney, Anthony Harris. "This guy was like a monk. It was an anomaly that his friends would drag him out. After the situation, he was really a monk. He didn't want to go out. He was nervous around any police officer."
Palladium owner Rudy Baca declined to comment. He appeared frustrated with police in a witness statement he wrote shortly after the incident because of the manner in which officers sought to close his club early that night.
Shepherd has dropped some of her original claims against the city, focusing on her assertion that two officers used excessive force when they arrested her at the Copper Rhino bar Jan. 14, 2007.
She says police broke her ribs when they sought to subdue her after she attempted to find out why one of her son's friends was ejected from the club by a bouncer. She is seeking $1 million in damages.
Shepherd's attorney did not return calls for comment.
Wilson succeeded in his most recent defense of a lawsuit against the Modesto Police Department. A jury a year ago held that police were not liable in the death of Sammy Galvan, who was shot eight times when officers responded to a domestic dispute at his home in 2004.
Trooper James Gilbert Charged with Soliciting Sex from Minor
A state trooper accused of having sexual communications with the teenage daughter of another FHP employee has been fired and charged with soliciting sex from a minor.
And now an internal probe by the Orange County Sheriff's Office has targeted the trooper's ex-wife after she was accused of trying to intimidate the teen's mother.
James E. Gilbert was a trooper for more than 15 years when he was arrested Dec. 4 on 10 counts of solicitation of a minor via a computer. The Florida Highway Patrol terminated him the next day.
Gilbert is accused of having sexual conversations and text messages with a 17-year-old. An FHP investigative report said Gilbert, who was a corporal, sent the girl more than 600 text messages during a one-month period last year.
In a written statement filed in Orange County court, the girl's mother said Gilbert talked about taking the teen to a cabin in Tennessee where they would "take things slow."
The teen told an investigator she told Gilbert he shouldn't talk to her that way. She said Gilbert, 45, responded by saying things like, "Nothing illegal about this; we're doing nothing wrong." And, "It's your choice, even if anybody found out, if I still want to do something or if you did, nobody can stop us; there's nothing wrong with it."
Gilbert would not comment Thursday. When questioned in November by an investigator, Gilbert also chose not to make a statement, an FHP report said.
He is free on bond and is slated to go to trial in August.
Meanwhile, the teen's mother said their stress about the situation intensified when Gilbert's ex-wife, Orange County Deputy Alberta Gilbert, tried to intimidate her at work last month.
The mother runs a business at a Florida's Turnpike service plaza. She said Alberta Gilbert came to the plaza, walked past her business and mouthed a curse word. She said Gilbert's wife then sat at a table near her business for more than an hour. She said the deputy rubbed her gun and stared at her.
"I was scared that she was going to do something," the woman said.
The mother said she gave the Orange County Sheriff's Office a surveillance video from inside the plaza. The Sheriff's Office confirmed Gilbert is being investigated internally, but an agency spokesman couldn't comment or confirm the allegations because the case is open. An attempt to reach Alberta Gilbert was unsuccessful.
A temporary injunction was filed against James Gilbert in September — before he was charged criminally — because the teen is afraid of him and his persistent sexual advances.
"It's very stressful. It's very upsetting," the teen's mother said Thursday. "I'm constantly outside checking around. We worry about revenge or retaliation."
The Orlando Sentinel is not publishing the mother's name because it would identify her daughter.
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http://www.orlandosentinel.com
Michael Jacobs Jr Dies After Being Tasered by Fort Worth Police
Fort Worth police are investigating following the death of a mentally ill 24-year-old after police subdued him with a Taser stun gun.
The parents of Michael Jacobs Jr. called police to a Fort Worth home on Saturday morning, saying their son was causing problems, police said in a statement.
Police said an officer stunned him with a Taser when he became combative.
The officers planned to take Jacobs to John Peter Smith Hospital for a mental detention. He was handcuffed but began to have difficulty breathing, police said.
Police said he was later taken to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
The Tarrant County medical examiner's office will determine what caused Jacobs' death.
Family members told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram that police officers used excessive force to subdue Jacobs, who had been diagnosed with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.
Charlotte Jacobs, Michael's mother, says that while he was being stunned, her son was writhing on the ground and foaming at the mouth. She said she begged the officers to stop.
Helena Wigfall, 37, a cousin of Michael Jacobs, said police had nothing to fear from her cousin, who weighed about 150 pounds.
Kyev Tatum, pastor of the Servant House Baptist Church, said the Jacobs family would like an outside investigation as well as an autopsy from someone unaffiliated with the medical examiner's office.
Fort Worth Police Chief Jeffrey Halstead told the newspaper that he could not comment on the incident until he was briefed by investigators, which he expected to happen Monday.
Amnesty International reported this year that 351 people have died after being stunned with Taser guns since June 2001.
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http://www.news8austin.com/content/your_news/default.asp?ArID=238347
The parents of Michael Jacobs Jr. called police to a Fort Worth home on Saturday morning, saying their son was causing problems, police said in a statement.
Police said an officer stunned him with a Taser when he became combative.
The officers planned to take Jacobs to John Peter Smith Hospital for a mental detention. He was handcuffed but began to have difficulty breathing, police said.
Police said he was later taken to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
The Tarrant County medical examiner's office will determine what caused Jacobs' death.
Family members told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram that police officers used excessive force to subdue Jacobs, who had been diagnosed with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.
Charlotte Jacobs, Michael's mother, says that while he was being stunned, her son was writhing on the ground and foaming at the mouth. She said she begged the officers to stop.
Helena Wigfall, 37, a cousin of Michael Jacobs, said police had nothing to fear from her cousin, who weighed about 150 pounds.
Kyev Tatum, pastor of the Servant House Baptist Church, said the Jacobs family would like an outside investigation as well as an autopsy from someone unaffiliated with the medical examiner's office.
Fort Worth Police Chief Jeffrey Halstead told the newspaper that he could not comment on the incident until he was briefed by investigators, which he expected to happen Monday.
Amnesty International reported this year that 351 people have died after being stunned with Taser guns since June 2001.
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http://www.news8austin.com/content/your_news/default.asp?ArID=238347
Friday, April 17, 2009
Capt. Willard Oliphant Investigated for Unauthorized Use of Database
A Pennsylvania State Police supervisor fined by the feds last year for wiretapping a subordinate is again under scrutiny for allegedly ordering underlings to investigate the boss of the Secret Service's Scranton branch.
Capt. Willard Oliphant, who heads the internal-affairs division for the state police, allegedly demanded that a trooper investigate Bill Slavoski, resident agent-in-charge of the Secret Service in Scranton, after learning that Slavoski had checked Oliphant's vehicle registration on a law-enforcement-records database.
When the trooper's 14-month probe ended, Slavoski's access to the database was put on probationary status for a year, according to a complaint Slavoski filed March 31 with the state police. Probation is the first step in barring him from the system, according to the complaint, which the Daily News obtained this week.
Slavoski declined to comment yesterday, but his attorney, Don Bailey, said he plans to lodge a federal civil-rights lawsuit on Slavoski's behalf next week.
The action against Slavoski is part of a pattern of state police bigwigs' ordering improper investigations to camouflage their own devilish doings or to bully enemies, Bailey charged.
"It was an unlawful action; they don't have the jurisdiction or authority to audit him," Bailey said. "The Pennsylvania State Police is a place of favor-mongering, cliques and buddies, and they use the IAD [internal-affairs division] as a bludgeon. The Pennsylvania State Police needs to be thoroughly investigated from top to bottom by an objective third party."
Cpl. Linette Quinn, a state police spokeswoman, said she couldn't comment on internal complaints and investigations. Oliphant couldn't be reached for comment.
The saga started, Slavoski wrote in an appeal of his probation, when an acquaintance told him he felt that he was being followed. The man was a small-town detective out on disability who worried that his stalker was a vengeful convict, Slavoski wrote.
The detective got the stalker's license-plate number and asked Slavoski to run it in a database that authorities routinely use to check driver records, vehicle registration and such details, Slavoski wrote.
The database showed that the car was registered to Oliphant; Slavoski later learned that Oliphant's son investigated workers' compensation claims for an insurance company and borrowed his father's car for surveillance trips, Slavoski wrote.
Slavoski contends that his database query was lawful.
The complaint comes a year after a federal jury found Oliphant and another supervisor guilty of secretly recording a 2003 phone conversation with a trooper who was on medical leave.
The trooper claimed that his bosses taped the call to trap him into admitting he wasn't hurt and to discourage his workers' compensation claim. Although the jury ordered $501,000 in compensatory and punitive damages, Oliphant wasn't criminally charged with violating the wiretap law.
Capt. Willard Oliphant, who heads the internal-affairs division for the state police, allegedly demanded that a trooper investigate Bill Slavoski, resident agent-in-charge of the Secret Service in Scranton, after learning that Slavoski had checked Oliphant's vehicle registration on a law-enforcement-records database.
When the trooper's 14-month probe ended, Slavoski's access to the database was put on probationary status for a year, according to a complaint Slavoski filed March 31 with the state police. Probation is the first step in barring him from the system, according to the complaint, which the Daily News obtained this week.
Slavoski declined to comment yesterday, but his attorney, Don Bailey, said he plans to lodge a federal civil-rights lawsuit on Slavoski's behalf next week.
The action against Slavoski is part of a pattern of state police bigwigs' ordering improper investigations to camouflage their own devilish doings or to bully enemies, Bailey charged.
"It was an unlawful action; they don't have the jurisdiction or authority to audit him," Bailey said. "The Pennsylvania State Police is a place of favor-mongering, cliques and buddies, and they use the IAD [internal-affairs division] as a bludgeon. The Pennsylvania State Police needs to be thoroughly investigated from top to bottom by an objective third party."
Cpl. Linette Quinn, a state police spokeswoman, said she couldn't comment on internal complaints and investigations. Oliphant couldn't be reached for comment.
The saga started, Slavoski wrote in an appeal of his probation, when an acquaintance told him he felt that he was being followed. The man was a small-town detective out on disability who worried that his stalker was a vengeful convict, Slavoski wrote.
The detective got the stalker's license-plate number and asked Slavoski to run it in a database that authorities routinely use to check driver records, vehicle registration and such details, Slavoski wrote.
The database showed that the car was registered to Oliphant; Slavoski later learned that Oliphant's son investigated workers' compensation claims for an insurance company and borrowed his father's car for surveillance trips, Slavoski wrote.
Slavoski contends that his database query was lawful.
The complaint comes a year after a federal jury found Oliphant and another supervisor guilty of secretly recording a 2003 phone conversation with a trooper who was on medical leave.
The trooper claimed that his bosses taped the call to trap him into admitting he wasn't hurt and to discourage his workers' compensation claim. Although the jury ordered $501,000 in compensatory and punitive damages, Oliphant wasn't criminally charged with violating the wiretap law.
Officer Leo Liston Charged with Stealing Money
ST. LOUIS
A St. Louis police officer has resigned after being indicted on charges of stealing money.
Leo Liston was indicted Thursday on a federal charge of stealing more than $5,000 in police funds last year. He was the third city officer to be charged in connection to the missing funds.
Police spokeswoman Erica Van Ross said Liston resigned from the department earlier this week. It was not immediately clear from electronic court records who his lawyer is.
Two other officers, Bobby Lee Garrett and Vincent Carr, were indicted in December and accused of planting evidence, stealing money and dealing drugs. Garrett has pleaded not guilty to the charges. Carr pleaded guilty in February.
The indictment says Liston, Garrett and "others" stole the money on June 11, 2008.
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http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/laworder/story/9EE3A4F98199F4928625759C00104170?OpenDocument
A St. Louis police officer has resigned after being indicted on charges of stealing money.
Leo Liston was indicted Thursday on a federal charge of stealing more than $5,000 in police funds last year. He was the third city officer to be charged in connection to the missing funds.
Police spokeswoman Erica Van Ross said Liston resigned from the department earlier this week. It was not immediately clear from electronic court records who his lawyer is.
Two other officers, Bobby Lee Garrett and Vincent Carr, were indicted in December and accused of planting evidence, stealing money and dealing drugs. Garrett has pleaded not guilty to the charges. Carr pleaded guilty in February.
The indictment says Liston, Garrett and "others" stole the money on June 11, 2008.
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http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/laworder/story/9EE3A4F98199F4928625759C00104170?OpenDocument
Deputy Leanno Martinez Charged with Beating Girlfriend
A San Diego County sheriff's deputy has been charged with five felonies and a misdemeanor linked to the alleged beating of his girlfriend after a raucous party at his home in San Ysidro.
Deputy Leanno Martinez, 32, is set for a readiness conference May 12 in Superior Court and a preliminary hearing June 4. He was arrested April 5 and released on bail this week. He has pleaded not guilty.
The charges include battery, false imprisonment, making a criminal threat, assault with intent to inflict great bodily harm, and inflicting injury. Martinez had been assigned to the Imperial Beach station.
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http://www.10news.com/news/19214553/detail.html
Deputy Leanno Martinez, 32, is set for a readiness conference May 12 in Superior Court and a preliminary hearing June 4. He was arrested April 5 and released on bail this week. He has pleaded not guilty.
The charges include battery, false imprisonment, making a criminal threat, assault with intent to inflict great bodily harm, and inflicting injury. Martinez had been assigned to the Imperial Beach station.
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http://www.10news.com/news/19214553/detail.html
Trooper Jonathan Williams Arrested for Indecent Behavior with Juvenile
The Louisiana State Police had to arrest one of their own Friday.
29-year-old Jonathan Williams of West Monroe was arrested at Troop F for warrants out of Rapides Parish a two felony counts of indecent behavior with a juvenile.
Williams allegedly began to exchange emails with a State Police investigator who was posing online as a juvenile and he allegedly emailed inappropriate pictures of himself and solicited similar photos from the investigator who posed as a juvenile.
Williams was a probationary officer assigned to Troop F in Monroe and was a recent graduate of the State Police Academy.
He has since been terminated.
Williams has been booked into the Ouachita Parish jail, but is being transported to Rapides Parish where the charges will be filed.
The investigation is continuing and other charges will likely be filed in the coming days, according to State Troopers.
29-year-old Jonathan Williams of West Monroe was arrested at Troop F for warrants out of Rapides Parish a two felony counts of indecent behavior with a juvenile.
Williams allegedly began to exchange emails with a State Police investigator who was posing online as a juvenile and he allegedly emailed inappropriate pictures of himself and solicited similar photos from the investigator who posed as a juvenile.
Williams was a probationary officer assigned to Troop F in Monroe and was a recent graduate of the State Police Academy.
He has since been terminated.
Williams has been booked into the Ouachita Parish jail, but is being transported to Rapides Parish where the charges will be filed.
The investigation is continuing and other charges will likely be filed in the coming days, according to State Troopers.
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Former Deputy David Brady Accused of Stealing Gas
MANATEE COUNTY
A Manatee sheriff's deputy resigned Wednesday after an internal investigation concluded he stole about 500 gallons of county fuel and then lied about the theft while under oath.
Former deputy David Brady, a canine handler, resigned after nearly 10 years at the Manatee Sheriff's Office, where his attorney says he maintained a "stellar" record and is being punished harshly as an example.
A criminal investigation began after a sheriff's sergeant reported seeing Brady fuel his personal vehicle March 13 at the Manatee County fuel site.
The investigation revealed a "clear pattern of unusual and suspicious fuel consumption" from January 2008 to March 2009, according to the sheriff's Internal Affairs report released Thursday.
Brady's 2008 fuel records showed he used an average of 930 more gallons of fuel than two other K-9 deputies who drive the same type of vehicle with about the same mileage.
The total fuel unaccounted for was determined to be nearly 500 gallons.
Authorities said Brady initially admitted fueling his personal truck with county gas once because he did not have money to buy gas.
Two weeks later, Brady reportedly confessed that he had illegally siphoned county gas three or four times but not to the extent suggested by records.
An internal investigation concluded March 30 sustained two counts of conduct unbecoming a deputy. The theft case has been forwarded to the state attorney's office.
Charlie Britt, Brady's attorney, said Brady took a "small fraction" of what the Sheriff's Office estimated, and he believes the inspectors chose certain deputies to illustrate their point to the extreme.
Brady may lose his license with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Britt said. "I just feel it's truly unfortunate that a career of good deeds is kicked out to the curb for one screwup," he said.
A Manatee sheriff's deputy resigned Wednesday after an internal investigation concluded he stole about 500 gallons of county fuel and then lied about the theft while under oath.
Former deputy David Brady, a canine handler, resigned after nearly 10 years at the Manatee Sheriff's Office, where his attorney says he maintained a "stellar" record and is being punished harshly as an example.
A criminal investigation began after a sheriff's sergeant reported seeing Brady fuel his personal vehicle March 13 at the Manatee County fuel site.
The investigation revealed a "clear pattern of unusual and suspicious fuel consumption" from January 2008 to March 2009, according to the sheriff's Internal Affairs report released Thursday.
Brady's 2008 fuel records showed he used an average of 930 more gallons of fuel than two other K-9 deputies who drive the same type of vehicle with about the same mileage.
The total fuel unaccounted for was determined to be nearly 500 gallons.
Authorities said Brady initially admitted fueling his personal truck with county gas once because he did not have money to buy gas.
Two weeks later, Brady reportedly confessed that he had illegally siphoned county gas three or four times but not to the extent suggested by records.
An internal investigation concluded March 30 sustained two counts of conduct unbecoming a deputy. The theft case has been forwarded to the state attorney's office.
Charlie Britt, Brady's attorney, said Brady took a "small fraction" of what the Sheriff's Office estimated, and he believes the inspectors chose certain deputies to illustrate their point to the extreme.
Brady may lose his license with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Britt said. "I just feel it's truly unfortunate that a career of good deeds is kicked out to the curb for one screwup," he said.
Former Officer Nicholas Valastro Pleads Guilty to Stealing
Three days after his 28th birthday, Nicholas Valastro admitted in Orange County Court Thursday that he threw away his law-enforcement career over some parts for a truck.
The former Montgomery town police officer pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of official misconduct, admitting that while he was on duty Oct. 28, he acted as a lookout while Montgomery Officer Clifford Barber III and then-Assistant Maybrook Fire Chief Bryan Dunn tried to steal panels for the bed of a Chevy Avalanche from Midway Auto Sales on Route 17K in Montgomery.
"I was aware they were going to attempt to steal property," Valastro told Judge Jeffrey G. Berry. "I did nothing about it."
Valastro became the third person, and the second cop, to plead guilty to playing a role in what prosecutors have described in court papers as a series of massive thefts orchestrated by Barber, who's been suspended from the town police department since he was arrested in early November.
Valastro resigned last month, after he was implicated during court proceedings.
Barber, Dunn and Kevin Burchell were all accused of taking part in a conspiracy to loot two Orange County Wal-Mart stores of up to $1 million dollars worth of merchandise, some of which was sold on eBay. Dunn and Burchell have both pleaded guilty, and Burchell's arrest cost him his job as a Tuxedo Park police officer.
No one was charged in connection with the incident that Valastro described.
Dunn and Burchell are awaiting sentencing.
Valastro will be sentenced on June 24. In return for his guilty plea, he faces a maximum of six months in jail and five years' probation. His lawyer, Ben Greenwald, said that Valastro won't be able to work again in law enforcement.
Barber's lawyer, Stewart Rosenwasser, said Thursday that he's still discussing a possible plea bargain with prosecutors, who are seeking a sentence of 31/3 to 10 years in state prison. Judge Robert Freehill has indicated he'd sentence Barber to 11/3 to four years. Barber faces seven felony charges.
Barber is due back in court on April 29. That's the same day that Dunn, his admitted co-conspirator, will be sentenced for grand larceny and conspiracy.
-----------------------------------------
http://www.recordonline.com
The former Montgomery town police officer pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of official misconduct, admitting that while he was on duty Oct. 28, he acted as a lookout while Montgomery Officer Clifford Barber III and then-Assistant Maybrook Fire Chief Bryan Dunn tried to steal panels for the bed of a Chevy Avalanche from Midway Auto Sales on Route 17K in Montgomery.
"I was aware they were going to attempt to steal property," Valastro told Judge Jeffrey G. Berry. "I did nothing about it."
Valastro became the third person, and the second cop, to plead guilty to playing a role in what prosecutors have described in court papers as a series of massive thefts orchestrated by Barber, who's been suspended from the town police department since he was arrested in early November.
Valastro resigned last month, after he was implicated during court proceedings.
Barber, Dunn and Kevin Burchell were all accused of taking part in a conspiracy to loot two Orange County Wal-Mart stores of up to $1 million dollars worth of merchandise, some of which was sold on eBay. Dunn and Burchell have both pleaded guilty, and Burchell's arrest cost him his job as a Tuxedo Park police officer.
No one was charged in connection with the incident that Valastro described.
Dunn and Burchell are awaiting sentencing.
Valastro will be sentenced on June 24. In return for his guilty plea, he faces a maximum of six months in jail and five years' probation. His lawyer, Ben Greenwald, said that Valastro won't be able to work again in law enforcement.
Barber's lawyer, Stewart Rosenwasser, said Thursday that he's still discussing a possible plea bargain with prosecutors, who are seeking a sentence of 31/3 to 10 years in state prison. Judge Robert Freehill has indicated he'd sentence Barber to 11/3 to four years. Barber faces seven felony charges.
Barber is due back in court on April 29. That's the same day that Dunn, his admitted co-conspirator, will be sentenced for grand larceny and conspiracy.
-----------------------------------------
http://www.recordonline.com
Detective Monica Geddry Arrested for Drunk Driving
A Reno police detective was arrested early today on drunken driving charges -- marking the second DUI investigation for the department in the last two months.
Detective Monica Geddry, 42, was arrested by officers with the Washoe County Sheriff’s Department about 1 a.m. near McCarran Boulevard and Talbot Lane in South Reno, said Deputy Brooke Keast, spokeswoman for the department.
Geddry was charged with making an improper turn, failure to drive within marked lanes and driving under the influence, Keast said. She is scheduled to appear in Reno Justice Court on May 1.
Reno Police Deputy Chief Jim Johns said he could not comment on the case because it was a “personnel matter,” but said, that “as a matter of policy, we will conduct an administrative review and investigation” into the charges before making a decision about how it should be handled.
Geddry will continue to work as a detective during the review, he said.
In 2002, Geddry was a Reno traffic officer who organized a program called ALIVE -- Actively Learning About Intoxication and Vehicle Education -- a Reno police program run with a $14,000 federal grant that taught local high school students about the dangers of driving drunk.
Geddry was the second Reno police officer arrested for DUI in the past two months.
In February, Reno patrol officer Chad Johnston was investigated for possible DUI after he was found passed out in his vehicle at the Silver Legacy parking garage. The Washoe County District Attorney’s office is still investigating that case for possible charges.
Officer Gary Sutton Jr Arrested for Watching Girls in Dressing Room
FAIRMONT
An FBI police officer is under arrest and a warrant has been issued for the arrest of another officer, after the pair allegedly used a security camera to watch girls in a dressing room, during a charity prom dress event, court documents say.
Gary Sutton Jr., 40 of New Milton, is charged with criminal invasion of privacy and being a party to a crime.
Both charges are misdemeanors.
An arrest warrant has been issued for a second officer on the same charges.
Sutton turned himself into authorities and was arraigned Friday morning in Marion County Magistrate Court.
He was released on $6,000 bond.
There is no word on when the second officer will be arrested.
If convicted, the men would face a year in jail and a $5,000 fine, according to the statute.
On Saturday, April 4, Hospice Care Corporation held "The Cinderella Project" at the Middletown Mall in White Hall.
The event offered prom dresses, shoes and jewelry at affordable prices and raised money for Hospice Care.
Hundreds of people attended the event.
Temporary dressing rooms were set up for the event.
The dressing rooms did not have ceilings.
Sutton and the other officer were on duty at the FBI's satellite control room at the mall during the event, investigators say.
The camera in question was in scanning mode when it began recording on Saturday morning, court documents say.
At 8:26 a.m., the camera stopped above the dressing area, according to the criminal complaint for Sutton.
At 9:34 a.m., after a young woman entered the dressing area, the camera zoomed in and remained zoomed in until 11:00 a.m.
During that time period, several young woman entered the room and undressed.
One young woman was seen topless, investigators say.
Investigators with the Marion County Sheriff's Department say the two officers were the only ones in the FBI control room at the time of the incident and the only ones who could control the camera.
It is important to note that the men in question are FBI police officers, not FBI agents.
All of the agencies involved have had an overwhelming response to this case and have set up a hot line.
Anyone with more information or questions is asked to call 1-800-CALL-FBI.
Officials at the FBI's CJIS Center in Clarksburg have declined to comment on the situation or the status of the officers.
The FBI has deferred all comment to the Office of the Inspector General in Washington, D.C.
A spokesperson with the Inspector General's office has confirmed that the agency is investigating the incident.
Neither the Marion County Sheriff's Department or the Marion County Prosecutor's Office have issued a statement on the case.
A spokeswoman with Hospice Care says the organization is aware of the matter, but has deferred any questions to the Marion County Prosecutor's Office.
---------------------------
http://www.wdtv.com/news/local/43196907.html
An FBI police officer is under arrest and a warrant has been issued for the arrest of another officer, after the pair allegedly used a security camera to watch girls in a dressing room, during a charity prom dress event, court documents say.
Gary Sutton Jr., 40 of New Milton, is charged with criminal invasion of privacy and being a party to a crime.
Both charges are misdemeanors.
An arrest warrant has been issued for a second officer on the same charges.
Sutton turned himself into authorities and was arraigned Friday morning in Marion County Magistrate Court.
He was released on $6,000 bond.
There is no word on when the second officer will be arrested.
If convicted, the men would face a year in jail and a $5,000 fine, according to the statute.
On Saturday, April 4, Hospice Care Corporation held "The Cinderella Project" at the Middletown Mall in White Hall.
The event offered prom dresses, shoes and jewelry at affordable prices and raised money for Hospice Care.
Hundreds of people attended the event.
Temporary dressing rooms were set up for the event.
The dressing rooms did not have ceilings.
Sutton and the other officer were on duty at the FBI's satellite control room at the mall during the event, investigators say.
The camera in question was in scanning mode when it began recording on Saturday morning, court documents say.
At 8:26 a.m., the camera stopped above the dressing area, according to the criminal complaint for Sutton.
At 9:34 a.m., after a young woman entered the dressing area, the camera zoomed in and remained zoomed in until 11:00 a.m.
During that time period, several young woman entered the room and undressed.
One young woman was seen topless, investigators say.
Investigators with the Marion County Sheriff's Department say the two officers were the only ones in the FBI control room at the time of the incident and the only ones who could control the camera.
It is important to note that the men in question are FBI police officers, not FBI agents.
All of the agencies involved have had an overwhelming response to this case and have set up a hot line.
Anyone with more information or questions is asked to call 1-800-CALL-FBI.
Officials at the FBI's CJIS Center in Clarksburg have declined to comment on the situation or the status of the officers.
The FBI has deferred all comment to the Office of the Inspector General in Washington, D.C.
A spokesperson with the Inspector General's office has confirmed that the agency is investigating the incident.
Neither the Marion County Sheriff's Department or the Marion County Prosecutor's Office have issued a statement on the case.
A spokeswoman with Hospice Care says the organization is aware of the matter, but has deferred any questions to the Marion County Prosecutor's Office.
---------------------------
http://www.wdtv.com/news/local/43196907.html
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Fomre Deputy Thomas Taylor III Accused of Having On-Duty Sex May Lose Peace Officer's Certificate
A former Pima County sheriff's deputy accused of having on-duty sex with a fellow deputy's wife could find himself unable to work as a law officer in Arizona.
Thomas E. Taylor III resigned his deputy's job Jan. 20, and the Arizona Peace Officer's Standards and Training Board voted this week to review the case and determine whether Taylor should keep his peace officer's certificate, or have it suspended or revoked.
Without the certificate issued by the board, also known as Az POST, a person cannot work as a law enforcement officer in the state.
According to a report from Az POST, Taylor, 28, who started as a deputy May 11, 2007, scheduled a rendezvous with the other man's wife for Jan. 12 at a secluded spot east of the city in the Rincon Patrol District, where Taylor was assigned patrol duties.
The couple met about 3 a.m., with Taylor in uniform and driving a marked patrol car, the report said. Taylor directed the woman to a secluded parking area where they kissed, fondled and engaged in oral sex, the report said.
The woman, not identified in the report, also is a Sheriff's Department employee, but she was off duty and in her own car.
The alleged incident came to official attention after the woman, feeling "very guilty" about the matter, told her husband that night. Two days later, the husband sent a memorandum through the chain of command to the Internal Affairs Section.
The woman's husband also called Taylor, confronting him about the affair and Taylor admitted to it and "apologized to him for what he had done," according to the board.
Taylor was interviewed by an internal affairs detective Jan. 14 and his account of what happened "mirrored" the woman's account, except for the specific sex act in which they had engaged, the board said.
The internal affairs detective told an Az POST staff member that there was no evidence Taylor missed calls to duty while with the woman, the report said.
The woman involved is a civilian employee assigned to duties at the Pima County Jail, said Bureau Chief Richard Kastigar, in charge of uniformed patrol operations.
Kastigar said she violated no departmental rules as she was off duty when she met with Taylor and she is not facing discipline.
Taylor is not eligible for being rehired by the department, Kastigar said.
Thomas E. Taylor III resigned his deputy's job Jan. 20, and the Arizona Peace Officer's Standards and Training Board voted this week to review the case and determine whether Taylor should keep his peace officer's certificate, or have it suspended or revoked.
Without the certificate issued by the board, also known as Az POST, a person cannot work as a law enforcement officer in the state.
According to a report from Az POST, Taylor, 28, who started as a deputy May 11, 2007, scheduled a rendezvous with the other man's wife for Jan. 12 at a secluded spot east of the city in the Rincon Patrol District, where Taylor was assigned patrol duties.
The couple met about 3 a.m., with Taylor in uniform and driving a marked patrol car, the report said. Taylor directed the woman to a secluded parking area where they kissed, fondled and engaged in oral sex, the report said.
The woman, not identified in the report, also is a Sheriff's Department employee, but she was off duty and in her own car.
The alleged incident came to official attention after the woman, feeling "very guilty" about the matter, told her husband that night. Two days later, the husband sent a memorandum through the chain of command to the Internal Affairs Section.
The woman's husband also called Taylor, confronting him about the affair and Taylor admitted to it and "apologized to him for what he had done," according to the board.
Taylor was interviewed by an internal affairs detective Jan. 14 and his account of what happened "mirrored" the woman's account, except for the specific sex act in which they had engaged, the board said.
The internal affairs detective told an Az POST staff member that there was no evidence Taylor missed calls to duty while with the woman, the report said.
The woman involved is a civilian employee assigned to duties at the Pima County Jail, said Bureau Chief Richard Kastigar, in charge of uniformed patrol operations.
Kastigar said she violated no departmental rules as she was off duty when she met with Taylor and she is not facing discipline.
Taylor is not eligible for being rehired by the department, Kastigar said.
Several Sheriff Department Employees Arrested for Alcohol Related Charges
LOS ANGELES
The number of Sheriff’s Department employees arrested here on alcohol-related charges has risen sharply since 2004, an independent report has found. Those arrested were often charged with driving under the influence and included off-duty deputies carrying guns while drunk.
Seventy Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department employees, sworn deputies and civilian staff members were arrested in 2008 on alcohol-related charges, according to the annual report released Wednesday by the Office of Independent Review, a six-member independent agency that monitors the department. None of those arrested were on duty. The agency reported 24 such arrests five years ago.
“Deputies, as all peace officers, are entrusted with enforcing laws and given a lot of awesome authority,” said Michael Gennaco, who heads the agency. “They are expected to be officers 24 hours a day, so they are held to a higher standard. This is a problem.”
The year began with one deputy’s accidental shooting of his cousin in the abdomen at a New Year’s Eve house party, Mr. Gennaco said. In separate incidents cited in the report, two deputies brandished their weapons in and around bars after drinking.
“This is a personal failure,” said Steve Whitmore, a Sheriff’s Department spokesman. “Everything that can humanly be done for this issue is being done.”
In November, Sheriff Lee Baca proposed a policy prohibiting off-duty deputies from carrying firearms while drinking. Unions representing department employees opposed the policy, saying it could place deputies in danger without adequate defense. The county Employee Relations Commission is reviewing the proposal, Mr. Whitmore said.
“The department doesn’t need a new policy,” said Brian Moriguchi, president of the Los Angeles County Professional Peace Officers Association, a union representing Sheriff’s Department employees. “What they need to do is start enforcing their existing policies. There’s no need to create a new policy related to alcohol.”
Mr. Moriguchi added, “There are more incidents of accidental discharges of firearms by those who are sober.”
With about 17,000 employees, including almost 9,500 sworn deputies, the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department is the largest in the country, Mr. Gennaco said. The higher number of arrests, he said, may indicate a shift in the culture of law enforcement here.
“In the old days, maybe 10 years ago, there was the concept of what officers called ‘professional courtesy,’ ” when off-duty officers caught driving drunk would “get a pass,” he said. “That’s gone away.”
----------------------------
A version of this article appeared in print on April 16, 2009, on page A16 of the New York edition.
The number of Sheriff’s Department employees arrested here on alcohol-related charges has risen sharply since 2004, an independent report has found. Those arrested were often charged with driving under the influence and included off-duty deputies carrying guns while drunk.
Seventy Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department employees, sworn deputies and civilian staff members were arrested in 2008 on alcohol-related charges, according to the annual report released Wednesday by the Office of Independent Review, a six-member independent agency that monitors the department. None of those arrested were on duty. The agency reported 24 such arrests five years ago.
“Deputies, as all peace officers, are entrusted with enforcing laws and given a lot of awesome authority,” said Michael Gennaco, who heads the agency. “They are expected to be officers 24 hours a day, so they are held to a higher standard. This is a problem.”
The year began with one deputy’s accidental shooting of his cousin in the abdomen at a New Year’s Eve house party, Mr. Gennaco said. In separate incidents cited in the report, two deputies brandished their weapons in and around bars after drinking.
“This is a personal failure,” said Steve Whitmore, a Sheriff’s Department spokesman. “Everything that can humanly be done for this issue is being done.”
In November, Sheriff Lee Baca proposed a policy prohibiting off-duty deputies from carrying firearms while drinking. Unions representing department employees opposed the policy, saying it could place deputies in danger without adequate defense. The county Employee Relations Commission is reviewing the proposal, Mr. Whitmore said.
“The department doesn’t need a new policy,” said Brian Moriguchi, president of the Los Angeles County Professional Peace Officers Association, a union representing Sheriff’s Department employees. “What they need to do is start enforcing their existing policies. There’s no need to create a new policy related to alcohol.”
Mr. Moriguchi added, “There are more incidents of accidental discharges of firearms by those who are sober.”
With about 17,000 employees, including almost 9,500 sworn deputies, the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department is the largest in the country, Mr. Gennaco said. The higher number of arrests, he said, may indicate a shift in the culture of law enforcement here.
“In the old days, maybe 10 years ago, there was the concept of what officers called ‘professional courtesy,’ ” when off-duty officers caught driving drunk would “get a pass,” he said. “That’s gone away.”
----------------------------
A version of this article appeared in print on April 16, 2009, on page A16 of the New York edition.
Metro Man Mistakenly Tasered by US Marshals
GRANDVIEW, MO
A metro man and father of four found himself caught up in a case of mistaken identity after he was yanked off a community center basketball court and tasered by U.S. Marshals.
Surveillance video released on Friday shows Stuart Wright, 30, was playing basketball at the Grandview Community Center when U.S. Marshals, acting on a tip from an informant, surrounded him with guns drawn and hit him with a Taser.
"I just heard all this commotion and screaming, and as I turned I heard this gentleman screaming and he had a gun pointed at me," said Wright. "And as I put my hands up I guess he was screaming the gentleman's name who they were after, and I said my name is Stuart Wright, that's not my name and I heard pop,pop and I felt my body tense up, and I was on the ground."
Officials with the U.S. Marshals Office says that an informant told them that their suspect was at the community center playing basketball, wearing a jersey with the number 23 on the back and with braids in his hair. That description fit Wright, who happened to be given that particular shirt for the game.
"I honestly think it was poor planning and strategy, and I think somebody didn't do their homework," said Wright. "I think they were out of control."
Pip Dukes, who organizes the men's basketball league, says he was working the scoreboard when the U.S. Marshals entered the gym, telling him to stop the game.
"Those guys just bum rushed the gentleman, and it was maybe 8 of them and they had their guns out and where they approached him at it was a stand behind him full of kids," said Dukes. "I'm still disappointed because it was a stand full of kids."
The U.S. Marshals Office admitted that entering a crowded community center with guns drawn was not an ideal situation, but they said that the man they were looking for was armed and dangerous.
Officials with the agency said that they thought Wright, who works for the Wyandotte County Unified Government, was going to hit a deputy who had grabbed his arm. They say that's why he was tasered.
"It just humiliated me," said Wright, who says he hopes law enforcement will learn from the incident before they act in the future. "I was so embarrassed, honestly."
---------------------------
Information & Video: http://www.fox4kc.com/news/wdaf-story-taser-mistake-marshals-041609,0,4275021.story
A metro man and father of four found himself caught up in a case of mistaken identity after he was yanked off a community center basketball court and tasered by U.S. Marshals.
Surveillance video released on Friday shows Stuart Wright, 30, was playing basketball at the Grandview Community Center when U.S. Marshals, acting on a tip from an informant, surrounded him with guns drawn and hit him with a Taser.
"I just heard all this commotion and screaming, and as I turned I heard this gentleman screaming and he had a gun pointed at me," said Wright. "And as I put my hands up I guess he was screaming the gentleman's name who they were after, and I said my name is Stuart Wright, that's not my name and I heard pop,pop and I felt my body tense up, and I was on the ground."
Officials with the U.S. Marshals Office says that an informant told them that their suspect was at the community center playing basketball, wearing a jersey with the number 23 on the back and with braids in his hair. That description fit Wright, who happened to be given that particular shirt for the game.
"I honestly think it was poor planning and strategy, and I think somebody didn't do their homework," said Wright. "I think they were out of control."
Pip Dukes, who organizes the men's basketball league, says he was working the scoreboard when the U.S. Marshals entered the gym, telling him to stop the game.
"Those guys just bum rushed the gentleman, and it was maybe 8 of them and they had their guns out and where they approached him at it was a stand behind him full of kids," said Dukes. "I'm still disappointed because it was a stand full of kids."
The U.S. Marshals Office admitted that entering a crowded community center with guns drawn was not an ideal situation, but they said that the man they were looking for was armed and dangerous.
Officials with the agency said that they thought Wright, who works for the Wyandotte County Unified Government, was going to hit a deputy who had grabbed his arm. They say that's why he was tasered.
"It just humiliated me," said Wright, who says he hopes law enforcement will learn from the incident before they act in the future. "I was so embarrassed, honestly."
---------------------------
Information & Video: http://www.fox4kc.com/news/wdaf-story-taser-mistake-marshals-041609,0,4275021.story
Judge Christine McEvoy Arrested for Drunk Driving
An esteemed judge of the state Superior Court has been arrested for drunken driving, but is already taking responsibility for her alleged actions.
Judge Christine M. McEvoy, 58, of Belmont, was stopped by police in Lexington at 10:30 p.m. Wednesday. She was released on personal recognizance following her arraignment yesterday in Concord District Court.
McEvoy is due back in court May 8 for a pretrial conference. Middlesex District Attorney Gerard Leone Jr.’s office will be calling in an outside prosecutor to handle her case because McEvoy is the sister of his chief trial counsel, John McEvoy Jr., spokesman Corey Welford said.
Defense attorney William H. Kettlewell said in a statement, “Judge McEvoy has the greatest respect for the institution of the court. She deeply regrets the fact that her actions may have cast the court in an unfavorable light and intends to deal with the pending case as swiftly as possible.
“Judge McEvoy,” he continued, “has requested that the chief justice of the Superior Court not assign her to any matters, civil or criminal, involving a charge of operating under the influence for the foreseeable future.”
Superior Court Chief Justice Barbara J. Rouse, who issued her own statement, said, “I have agreed to her request. Judge McEvoy for now will continue to sit in civil sessions in Woburn, where she is currently assigned.”
McEvoy, a mother of two, has presided over several of the state’s most high-profile cases, including the trial of Dr. Richard Sharpe, the cross-dressing dermatologist who shot his estranged wife to death in Wenham in 2000. Sharpe hanged himself in prison last year.
In 2005, McEvoy sentenced Saudi Prince Bader Al Saud to one year in the Dukes County House of Correction on Martha’s Vineyard for killing a pedestrian with his BMW SUV in a drunken-driving crash.
Last month, she ran the trial of Casimiro Barros, the first of two men convicted for the 2007 shooting death of Chiara Levin.
_________________
Judge Christine M. McEvoy, 58, of Belmont, was stopped by police in Lexington at 10:30 p.m. Wednesday. She was released on personal recognizance following her arraignment yesterday in Concord District Court.
McEvoy is due back in court May 8 for a pretrial conference. Middlesex District Attorney Gerard Leone Jr.’s office will be calling in an outside prosecutor to handle her case because McEvoy is the sister of his chief trial counsel, John McEvoy Jr., spokesman Corey Welford said.
Defense attorney William H. Kettlewell said in a statement, “Judge McEvoy has the greatest respect for the institution of the court. She deeply regrets the fact that her actions may have cast the court in an unfavorable light and intends to deal with the pending case as swiftly as possible.
“Judge McEvoy,” he continued, “has requested that the chief justice of the Superior Court not assign her to any matters, civil or criminal, involving a charge of operating under the influence for the foreseeable future.”
Superior Court Chief Justice Barbara J. Rouse, who issued her own statement, said, “I have agreed to her request. Judge McEvoy for now will continue to sit in civil sessions in Woburn, where she is currently assigned.”
McEvoy, a mother of two, has presided over several of the state’s most high-profile cases, including the trial of Dr. Richard Sharpe, the cross-dressing dermatologist who shot his estranged wife to death in Wenham in 2000. Sharpe hanged himself in prison last year.
In 2005, McEvoy sentenced Saudi Prince Bader Al Saud to one year in the Dukes County House of Correction on Martha’s Vineyard for killing a pedestrian with his BMW SUV in a drunken-driving crash.
Last month, she ran the trial of Casimiro Barros, the first of two men convicted for the 2007 shooting death of Chiara Levin.
_________________
Camille Laffoon Claims Officer Roger Peele Slammed her into Squad Car
HAMMOND
A Portage police officer who was twice cleared of brutality allegations by the city now faces a federal lawsuit from a woman who claims she was beaten in a parking lot in 2007.
Camille Laffoon claims Officer Roger Peele slammed her into a squad car, threw her to the ground and pulled her hair in April 14, when Laffoon was arrested for firing a handgun during a brawl in the parking lot of a Denny's on U.S. 20.
Laffoon was charged with multiple counts in the incident, but video taken by the Portage Fire Department, and shown during police Merit Board disciplinary hearings, shows Peele manhandling Laffoon.
After an 11-hour hearing, Merit Board members voted unanimously to dismiss disciplinary charges against Peele.
Peele also faced charges of excessive force in connection with another arrest that year. He was briefly assigned to desk duty before he was cleared of wrongdoing by the board.
Laffoon's suit also names several other officers who were on hand, the city and police department.
Peele's attorney and attorneys for the city could not be reached for comment Thursday.
_________________
http://cbs2chicago.com/local/police.brutatliy.lawsuit.2.987585.html
A Portage police officer who was twice cleared of brutality allegations by the city now faces a federal lawsuit from a woman who claims she was beaten in a parking lot in 2007.
Camille Laffoon claims Officer Roger Peele slammed her into a squad car, threw her to the ground and pulled her hair in April 14, when Laffoon was arrested for firing a handgun during a brawl in the parking lot of a Denny's on U.S. 20.
Laffoon was charged with multiple counts in the incident, but video taken by the Portage Fire Department, and shown during police Merit Board disciplinary hearings, shows Peele manhandling Laffoon.
After an 11-hour hearing, Merit Board members voted unanimously to dismiss disciplinary charges against Peele.
Peele also faced charges of excessive force in connection with another arrest that year. He was briefly assigned to desk duty before he was cleared of wrongdoing by the board.
Laffoon's suit also names several other officers who were on hand, the city and police department.
Peele's attorney and attorneys for the city could not be reached for comment Thursday.
_________________
http://cbs2chicago.com/local/police.brutatliy.lawsuit.2.987585.html
Officer James Cousins II Suspended After Video Posted on YouTube
A city police officer was suspended after someone posted to the Web a video of him, in a bar and apparently intoxicated, joking about a homicide victim.
In his profanity-laced rant, James Cousins II talks about the victim being shot in the forehead and his body lying outside a bar below a malt liquor sign that reads, "take it to the head." He laughs as he recounts seeing the dead man's leg twitch and the reaction of the victim's mother as she identifies him. Cousins also says he used his camera phone to take photos of the victim.
"We're looking at it like, 'One less drug dealer to deal with. Cool,'" he says on the video.
Cousins, who was hired in 2004, was suspended with pay Wednesday after the Erie Times-News asked about the video. A phone message left Thursday at a number for a James Cousins was not immediately returned.
Erie Police Chief Steve Franklin said Cousins was apparently drunk, but that an investigation would place the officer's comments in context.
"We see what's on the picture," Franklin said. "Let's see what's behind the picture before we make any rash decisions."
It's not clear when the nearly eight-minute video was recorded. The shooting occurred in late March and the video was posted to YouTube on April 6. The video was still up Thursday, but Erie police said they were trying to have it removed.
The county's district attorney called Cousin's behavior unacceptable and apologized to the victim's family.
The victim, who had convictions including possessing drugs and paraphernalia, was shot outside a bar after fighting with another man, police have said.
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Other information:
Erie police try to remove video from YouTube
Videotaped policeman suspended from part-time job in Girard
In his profanity-laced rant, James Cousins II talks about the victim being shot in the forehead and his body lying outside a bar below a malt liquor sign that reads, "take it to the head." He laughs as he recounts seeing the dead man's leg twitch and the reaction of the victim's mother as she identifies him. Cousins also says he used his camera phone to take photos of the victim.
"We're looking at it like, 'One less drug dealer to deal with. Cool,'" he says on the video.
Cousins, who was hired in 2004, was suspended with pay Wednesday after the Erie Times-News asked about the video. A phone message left Thursday at a number for a James Cousins was not immediately returned.
Erie Police Chief Steve Franklin said Cousins was apparently drunk, but that an investigation would place the officer's comments in context.
"We see what's on the picture," Franklin said. "Let's see what's behind the picture before we make any rash decisions."
It's not clear when the nearly eight-minute video was recorded. The shooting occurred in late March and the video was posted to YouTube on April 6. The video was still up Thursday, but Erie police said they were trying to have it removed.
The county's district attorney called Cousin's behavior unacceptable and apologized to the victim's family.
The victim, who had convictions including possessing drugs and paraphernalia, was shot outside a bar after fighting with another man, police have said.
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Other information:
Erie police try to remove video from YouTube
Videotaped policeman suspended from part-time job in Girard
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Police Want Expanded Arrest Powers
AUSTIN, Texas
Sobriety checkpoints. Expanded arrest powers. License plate readers on the highways.
Civil libertarians say personal freedom is under attack in the Texas capital.
The latest move came Wednesday in the Senate, which passed a bill giving the police much broader authority to arrest people. The legislation, approved on a 22-8 vote, would create the new crime of "failure to identify" after being detained.
It comes on the heels of legislation, already passed by the Senate, that would establish police roadblocks to crack down on intoxicated motorists, allow automated police cameras to take pictures of license plates on the highways and permit mandatory blood draws for certain people suspected of drunken driving.
Sponsors of the controversial bills coming out of the Senate say there are enough protections, such as the requirement that sobriety checkpoints be announced in advance, to ensure law-abiding citizens aren't hassled.
But taken together, the proposals represent a significant assault on civil liberties, critics say.
"Our concern is we could be taking a big step backward in terms of the rights of Texans to be left alone," said Rebecca Bernhardt, policy director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas. "The question for Texans is: 'should folks who are following the law be interfered with'?"
The bill expanding arrest powers drew brief but sometimes heated debate in the Senate.
Current law makes it a crime when detained people intentionally mislead police about their identity. It's also a crime to refuse to provide one's identity after being arrested. But it's still legal in Texas for people to refuse to identify themselves as long as they haven't been arrested.
That would change under the bill approved by senators Wednesday. It would make it a crime to refuse self-identification if a person has simply been detained by police. Sen. Dan Patrick, R-Houston, author of the measure, said police need the expanded authority.
"In this time of homeland security issues, if we have a police officer detaining someone ... it is in the best interest of the safety of that officer and our community to find out who that person is," Patrick said.
Sen. Tommy Williams, R-The Woodlands, initially opposed the bill, saying he had a problem with this "show me your papers thing."
"We still live in a free society. I don't want police officers to be able to pull you over and ask you to identify yourself just because that's what they want," Williams said. But Williams ended up voting for the bill after it was amended to say that the police officer had to be acting on a "reasonable" basis when making the arrest.
The amendment did not offer enough protection for opponents, who said the measure could lead to racial profiling or unjustified police harassment.
"We get into some real civil liberty concerns when we're allowing that broad power under detainment only," said Sen. Wendy Davis, D-Fort Worth. "I think we're opening ourselves up to some unforeseen consequences."
Late last month, the Senate riled some civil libertarians when it passed two bills aimed at cracking down on drunken driving. They would allow police to set up sobriety checkpoints in large counties and cities and give law enforcement more latitude in forcing motorists to submit to mandatory breath or blood tests.
Then last week, the Senate unanimously approved a measure allowing the state police or federal law enforcement authorities to set up and operate "automatic license plate identification cameras" on public highways. The bill is supposed to be used for crime prevention but critics say the data and images gathered could be misused.
The bills would still have to be passed by the House and approved by the governor before becoming law.
Some critics also say the proposal to ban smoking in public places statewide is an assault on personal freedom, but that legislation hasn't reached the Senate floor yet.
___
The failure-to-identify bill is SB1175
The sobriety checkpoint bill is SB298
The license plate camera bill is SB1426
The smoking ban bill is SB544
Sobriety checkpoints. Expanded arrest powers. License plate readers on the highways.
Civil libertarians say personal freedom is under attack in the Texas capital.
The latest move came Wednesday in the Senate, which passed a bill giving the police much broader authority to arrest people. The legislation, approved on a 22-8 vote, would create the new crime of "failure to identify" after being detained.
It comes on the heels of legislation, already passed by the Senate, that would establish police roadblocks to crack down on intoxicated motorists, allow automated police cameras to take pictures of license plates on the highways and permit mandatory blood draws for certain people suspected of drunken driving.
Sponsors of the controversial bills coming out of the Senate say there are enough protections, such as the requirement that sobriety checkpoints be announced in advance, to ensure law-abiding citizens aren't hassled.
But taken together, the proposals represent a significant assault on civil liberties, critics say.
"Our concern is we could be taking a big step backward in terms of the rights of Texans to be left alone," said Rebecca Bernhardt, policy director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas. "The question for Texans is: 'should folks who are following the law be interfered with'?"
The bill expanding arrest powers drew brief but sometimes heated debate in the Senate.
Current law makes it a crime when detained people intentionally mislead police about their identity. It's also a crime to refuse to provide one's identity after being arrested. But it's still legal in Texas for people to refuse to identify themselves as long as they haven't been arrested.
That would change under the bill approved by senators Wednesday. It would make it a crime to refuse self-identification if a person has simply been detained by police. Sen. Dan Patrick, R-Houston, author of the measure, said police need the expanded authority.
"In this time of homeland security issues, if we have a police officer detaining someone ... it is in the best interest of the safety of that officer and our community to find out who that person is," Patrick said.
Sen. Tommy Williams, R-The Woodlands, initially opposed the bill, saying he had a problem with this "show me your papers thing."
"We still live in a free society. I don't want police officers to be able to pull you over and ask you to identify yourself just because that's what they want," Williams said. But Williams ended up voting for the bill after it was amended to say that the police officer had to be acting on a "reasonable" basis when making the arrest.
The amendment did not offer enough protection for opponents, who said the measure could lead to racial profiling or unjustified police harassment.
"We get into some real civil liberty concerns when we're allowing that broad power under detainment only," said Sen. Wendy Davis, D-Fort Worth. "I think we're opening ourselves up to some unforeseen consequences."
Late last month, the Senate riled some civil libertarians when it passed two bills aimed at cracking down on drunken driving. They would allow police to set up sobriety checkpoints in large counties and cities and give law enforcement more latitude in forcing motorists to submit to mandatory breath or blood tests.
Then last week, the Senate unanimously approved a measure allowing the state police or federal law enforcement authorities to set up and operate "automatic license plate identification cameras" on public highways. The bill is supposed to be used for crime prevention but critics say the data and images gathered could be misused.
The bills would still have to be passed by the House and approved by the governor before becoming law.
Some critics also say the proposal to ban smoking in public places statewide is an assault on personal freedom, but that legislation hasn't reached the Senate floor yet.
___
The failure-to-identify bill is SB1175
The sobriety checkpoint bill is SB298
The license plate camera bill is SB1426
The smoking ban bill is SB544
Officer Michael Couch Accused of Drunk Driving Pleads to a Lesser Charge
An Orangetown police officer accused of driving drunk in Florida has pleaded to a lesser charge, as the cost and methods of investigating the incident involving him and other officers is being questioned by town and police union officials.
The incident in November led Orangetown to spend about $30,000 on an investigation by a Westchester law firm, the town supervisor said today.
Two of the five officers in the car - including a lieutenant - were suspended for a week with pay by the Town Board and penalized upon reinstatement.
The investigation increased hard feelings toward the police administration by many officers, an Orangetown police union official said.
The only officer charged in Florida by police there was Michael Couch, who drove the car. He was with other town officers on a golfing vacation.
Couch's Florida lawyer, Donald Day, said today that Couch this week pleaded no contest to reckless driving, a violation.
Read more about this story tomorrow in The Journal News.
The incident in November led Orangetown to spend about $30,000 on an investigation by a Westchester law firm, the town supervisor said today.
Two of the five officers in the car - including a lieutenant - were suspended for a week with pay by the Town Board and penalized upon reinstatement.
The investigation increased hard feelings toward the police administration by many officers, an Orangetown police union official said.
The only officer charged in Florida by police there was Michael Couch, who drove the car. He was with other town officers on a golfing vacation.
Couch's Florida lawyer, Donald Day, said today that Couch this week pleaded no contest to reckless driving, a violation.
Read more about this story tomorrow in The Journal News.
Officer Vanessa Nicole Charged with Bribery & Drug Trafficking
A Rochester police officer has been placed on administrative leave and faces criminal charges.
The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension has charged 31-year-old Vanessa Nicole Mason with the following five counts of misconduct:
- Failed to perform duty
- Exceeds authority
- Warned subject of surveillance and search
-Bribery of a public officer
-Bribery aiding in prosecution of a crime
According to statements heard by the BCA, Officer Mason is accused of tipping-off drug dealers just before a search warrant was served. The complaint also alleges that Mason helped known drug dealers evade other officers while they had drugs on them. Other allegations include taking $10,000 in bribery money to turn her head away from a drug deal as well as drive loads of drugs up to the Twin Cities in her pickup truck.
The police department says it became aware of an allegation of misconduct involving Officer Mason and asked the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension to conduct an investigation.
On April 7th, the BCA told the department the incident was reviewed by an independent prosecutor and was criminal in nature.
The RPD then placed Officer Mason on administrative leave. She has been a patrol officer for the past 4 1/2 years.
In 2006, Mason was disciplined for using illegal drugs while off-duty and for not reporting drug possession and use by another Rochester Police Department employee.
She was suspended without pay for 30 days.
The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension has charged 31-year-old Vanessa Nicole Mason with the following five counts of misconduct:
- Failed to perform duty
- Exceeds authority
- Warned subject of surveillance and search
-Bribery of a public officer
-Bribery aiding in prosecution of a crime
According to statements heard by the BCA, Officer Mason is accused of tipping-off drug dealers just before a search warrant was served. The complaint also alleges that Mason helped known drug dealers evade other officers while they had drugs on them. Other allegations include taking $10,000 in bribery money to turn her head away from a drug deal as well as drive loads of drugs up to the Twin Cities in her pickup truck.
The police department says it became aware of an allegation of misconduct involving Officer Mason and asked the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension to conduct an investigation.
On April 7th, the BCA told the department the incident was reviewed by an independent prosecutor and was criminal in nature.
The RPD then placed Officer Mason on administrative leave. She has been a patrol officer for the past 4 1/2 years.
In 2006, Mason was disciplined for using illegal drugs while off-duty and for not reporting drug possession and use by another Rochester Police Department employee.
She was suspended without pay for 30 days.
----------------------
Officer Dana Brown Disciplined for Ignoring Underaged Drinking
OCALA
An Ocala police officer was disciplined for reportedly ignoring underage drinking at a party three months ago.
Following an internal Police Department investigation, Officer Dana Brown, 34, was charged with conduct unbecoming and dereliction of duty. He received a 60-hour suspension and was placed on a year's employee probation.
Police said they could not prove a separate allegation that Brown had sex with a 19-year-old woman at the party.
The officer declined an interview request Tuesday.
The investigation found that Brown, who was on duty Jan. 24, went to the home of a family friend, where there was a party. Brown frequently stopped at the home to check up on the residents although, at the time, he was assigned to patrol the northwest portion of the city.
When questioned about the incident, Brown initially told investigators he was working a traffic detail on State Road 200. He reportedly admitted going to the house, however, after investigators reviewed his log activity and saw he was not working a traffic detail.
He said that he had just arrived when he got a call, returned to his patrol vehicle and left. Witnesses said Brown did arrive at the residence and was there for about 20 seconds before receiving a call and leaving.
The young woman who told officials she had sex with Brown later that day said that when Brown arrived he saw people with drinks in their hands and talked with people who had alcohol. The woman said Brown was there for five to 10 minutes before receiving his call and leaving.
Brown said he didn't see anyone drinking or in possession of alcohol.
The call was canceled and Brown returned to the residence. The young woman, who said she had been drinking, said they talked for a while, then she met him upstairs and they had sex.
In his interview, Brown told investigators that he was alone upstairs and did not have sex with the woman.
Brown and the woman both took polygraph tests, according to the report. Sgt. Chas Maier, who administered Brown's test, said that in his opinion Brown "was not being truthful."
Maier said the 19-year-old woman "showed signs of being truthful" but that the test was inconclusive because her score was not high enough "to absolutely say she was being truthful."
Deputy Chief Rodney Smith said the department could not prove Brown and the woman had sex, so he was not disciplined for it. The suspension and probation were levied because the officer did not address the underage drinking at the residence.
"We hope he learns his lesson," Smith said.
According to Brown's personnel record, he has been on the job close to three years, has a few letters of praise and some minor disciplinary action. He was credited with saving the life of a woman who overdosed a year ago.
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http://www.cfnews13.com/News/CountyByCounty/CountyStories/2009/4/16/officer_suspended_accused_of_ignoring_underage_drinking.html
An Ocala police officer was disciplined for reportedly ignoring underage drinking at a party three months ago.
Following an internal Police Department investigation, Officer Dana Brown, 34, was charged with conduct unbecoming and dereliction of duty. He received a 60-hour suspension and was placed on a year's employee probation.
Police said they could not prove a separate allegation that Brown had sex with a 19-year-old woman at the party.
The officer declined an interview request Tuesday.
The investigation found that Brown, who was on duty Jan. 24, went to the home of a family friend, where there was a party. Brown frequently stopped at the home to check up on the residents although, at the time, he was assigned to patrol the northwest portion of the city.
When questioned about the incident, Brown initially told investigators he was working a traffic detail on State Road 200. He reportedly admitted going to the house, however, after investigators reviewed his log activity and saw he was not working a traffic detail.
He said that he had just arrived when he got a call, returned to his patrol vehicle and left. Witnesses said Brown did arrive at the residence and was there for about 20 seconds before receiving a call and leaving.
The young woman who told officials she had sex with Brown later that day said that when Brown arrived he saw people with drinks in their hands and talked with people who had alcohol. The woman said Brown was there for five to 10 minutes before receiving his call and leaving.
Brown said he didn't see anyone drinking or in possession of alcohol.
The call was canceled and Brown returned to the residence. The young woman, who said she had been drinking, said they talked for a while, then she met him upstairs and they had sex.
In his interview, Brown told investigators that he was alone upstairs and did not have sex with the woman.
Brown and the woman both took polygraph tests, according to the report. Sgt. Chas Maier, who administered Brown's test, said that in his opinion Brown "was not being truthful."
Maier said the 19-year-old woman "showed signs of being truthful" but that the test was inconclusive because her score was not high enough "to absolutely say she was being truthful."
Deputy Chief Rodney Smith said the department could not prove Brown and the woman had sex, so he was not disciplined for it. The suspension and probation were levied because the officer did not address the underage drinking at the residence.
"We hope he learns his lesson," Smith said.
According to Brown's personnel record, he has been on the job close to three years, has a few letters of praise and some minor disciplinary action. He was credited with saving the life of a woman who overdosed a year ago.
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http://www.cfnews13.com/News/CountyByCounty/CountyStories/2009/4/16/officer_suspended_accused_of_ignoring_underage_drinking.html
13 Chicago Officers Arrested Last Year for Drunk Driving
Thirteen Chicago police officers were arrested last year on drunken driving charges, and five of them were involved in car crashes, two with injuries, the department says.
The disclosure, in response to questions from the Tribune, comes days after a veteran Chicago police detective was charged with reckless homicide and aggravated DUI after two men in their early 20s died in a fiery wreck on the Dan Ryan Expressway. Authorities said his blood-alcohol level was more than three times the legal limit.
Police Supt. Jody Weis, who took office last year after officers had been arrested in two high-profile bar beatings, created a new bureau to evaluate officer conduct and training, pushed for more department-wide messages warning of excessive drinking and approved advanced training for department peer counselors to deal with alcohol abuse issues.
After Friday's crash involving detective Joseph Frugoli, Weis changed departmental policy to require that any officer who suspects another officer of being intoxicated to notify the on-duty watch commander, who must then go to the scene. Internal affairs will also be immediately notified.
"It is our hope that tragic incidents such as the one that occurred on April 10 will be eliminated through continued training, education, treatment, accountability and discipline for those members who violate the well-established rule against becoming intoxicated and getting behind the wheel," Weis said in an e-mail in response to questions.
Frugoli had been involved in two previous crashes in the last four years, but he was never administered a sobriety test after officers on the scene determined he did not appear to be intoxicated.
A department source said this week that top brass may also push for random alcohol testing of officers. That would require changes in the contract with the Fraternal Order of Police, the union representing the rank and file.
Last summer the city proposed in contract negotiations that officers be checked for alcohol abuse if their weapon had discharged. Police are already subject to random drug testing.
So far this year, three officers have been arrested for driving under the influence, police said.
This week, Weis said 15 officers were arrested for DUI in 2008 but later corrected that number to 13. Police declined to release the officers' names.
Consequences for the officers varied, but none arrested last year have yet lost their jobs. In eight of those cases, officers were suspended without pay from 20 to 45 days, police said. In the five cases that remain open, the officers were assigned to desk duties or placed on leave.
Four of the officers were arrested by Chicago police, three in the suburbs and six out of state, police said.
After their arrests, the officers were encouraged to seek help and counseling through the confidential employee assistance program. Police commanders have also been told to encourage officers at roll calls to seek help for substance-abuse problems, and the department is working on developing new "streaming video" to show at roll calls to educate officers about available help.
Weis earlier this week pointed out the small number of officers who have been accused of driving drunk compared to the department's 13,000 officers. Statistically speaking, about one in 1,000 Chicago officers were arrested for DUI last year. That pales by comparison to a national average of one drunk-driving arrest for every 155 drivers, according to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services statistics.
Still, Weis acknowledged that officers have responsibilities that require them to be held to a higher standard than ordinary citizens.
"The residents of Chicago rightfully expect the police to protect them from drunk drivers, not to become part of the problem," Weis said in the e-mail. "While they are held to a higher standard, police officers are human beings, too, susceptible to the pressures of life and the job, and are not always perfect. When this occurs, it is our responsibility to take appropriate measures to address the problem."
The disclosure, in response to questions from the Tribune, comes days after a veteran Chicago police detective was charged with reckless homicide and aggravated DUI after two men in their early 20s died in a fiery wreck on the Dan Ryan Expressway. Authorities said his blood-alcohol level was more than three times the legal limit.
Police Supt. Jody Weis, who took office last year after officers had been arrested in two high-profile bar beatings, created a new bureau to evaluate officer conduct and training, pushed for more department-wide messages warning of excessive drinking and approved advanced training for department peer counselors to deal with alcohol abuse issues.
After Friday's crash involving detective Joseph Frugoli, Weis changed departmental policy to require that any officer who suspects another officer of being intoxicated to notify the on-duty watch commander, who must then go to the scene. Internal affairs will also be immediately notified.
"It is our hope that tragic incidents such as the one that occurred on April 10 will be eliminated through continued training, education, treatment, accountability and discipline for those members who violate the well-established rule against becoming intoxicated and getting behind the wheel," Weis said in an e-mail in response to questions.
Frugoli had been involved in two previous crashes in the last four years, but he was never administered a sobriety test after officers on the scene determined he did not appear to be intoxicated.
A department source said this week that top brass may also push for random alcohol testing of officers. That would require changes in the contract with the Fraternal Order of Police, the union representing the rank and file.
Last summer the city proposed in contract negotiations that officers be checked for alcohol abuse if their weapon had discharged. Police are already subject to random drug testing.
So far this year, three officers have been arrested for driving under the influence, police said.
This week, Weis said 15 officers were arrested for DUI in 2008 but later corrected that number to 13. Police declined to release the officers' names.
Consequences for the officers varied, but none arrested last year have yet lost their jobs. In eight of those cases, officers were suspended without pay from 20 to 45 days, police said. In the five cases that remain open, the officers were assigned to desk duties or placed on leave.
Four of the officers were arrested by Chicago police, three in the suburbs and six out of state, police said.
After their arrests, the officers were encouraged to seek help and counseling through the confidential employee assistance program. Police commanders have also been told to encourage officers at roll calls to seek help for substance-abuse problems, and the department is working on developing new "streaming video" to show at roll calls to educate officers about available help.
Weis earlier this week pointed out the small number of officers who have been accused of driving drunk compared to the department's 13,000 officers. Statistically speaking, about one in 1,000 Chicago officers were arrested for DUI last year. That pales by comparison to a national average of one drunk-driving arrest for every 155 drivers, according to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services statistics.
Still, Weis acknowledged that officers have responsibilities that require them to be held to a higher standard than ordinary citizens.
"The residents of Chicago rightfully expect the police to protect them from drunk drivers, not to become part of the problem," Weis said in the e-mail. "While they are held to a higher standard, police officers are human beings, too, susceptible to the pressures of life and the job, and are not always perfect. When this occurs, it is our responsibility to take appropriate measures to address the problem."
Detectives Investigating Officer Accused of Raping Woman
MEDINA, Wash.
Issaquah police detectives are investigating a Medina police officer accused of tricking a woman into meeting him at a bar, then raping her.
According to the affidavit for search warrant, the incident began with a traffic stop on Highway 520 last November when an officer pulled over a woman and accused her of driving with a suspended license. While searching her car, the officer said he found marijuana inside.
The woman said the officer handcuffed her and placed in the back of the patrol car. She said the officer opened the dividing partition, and "kept looking at her and telling her she was attractive and beautiful." He also "reached over to fix her scarf and put his hand on her," the document said.
The woman said she told the officer she had not been driving with a suspended license as she had already paid for her previous ticket. She also said she did not want a drug charge on her record. The officer then told the woman not to worry because "the charges would go away," the documents said. The officer cited and released the driver.
Detectives said the officer called the woman the next morning and asked her to meet at the Joker Pub and Grill in Issaquah. He said he had for her a letter to the prosecutor's office that discusses the dismissal of the charges.
The affidavit said the two met at the bar, then headed over to the officer's home near the Issaquah Highlands. The woman said she agreed to go to the officer's home but expressly said she did not want to have sex.
At his home, the woman said the officer put his gun on the table and said, "People are scared of police officers because they have power and authority, and a gun and a badge," the document said. The alleged victim told detectives she thought he was trying to intimidate her.
The officer gave the woman a tour of his home and when they got to the bedroom, the documents state the officer pushed the woman down on the bed, held her down and began to take her clothes off. When she protested, he said, "You don't really mean that," and sexually assaulted her, the affidavit said.
The woman said she didn't know what to do because the man who had raped her was a cop. Detectives only learned of the allegations while investigating another rape case involving the same woman.
Issaquah detectives said in the weeks following the incident, the officer wrote e-mails and sent personal letters to the prosecutor's office, asking for the charges against the woman to be dropped.
Between the November traffic stop and February 9 - the day the charges against the woman were dropped - the officer and the alleged victim exchanged nine calls and text messages, the affidavit said. The woman told detectives she called the officer each time she had a court date to find out why the case had not been dismissed.
Investigators are waiting for phone records to be released before they pursue charges.
"Right now, the investigation surrounds an allegation of rape and official misconduct," said Issaquah Deputy Chief Steve Cozart. "A crime is a crime. We investigate it regardless of who the allegations are against."
The requested phone records are expected to be released within a week.
KOMO News has chosen not to name the police officer since he has not been arrested or charged. He has been placed on paid administrative leave for the duration of the investigation.
May Hearing Set for Corporal Jason King
A South Bend Police Corporal is accused of "conduct unbecoming of an officer."
29-year-old Corporal Jason King will face the Board of Public Safety next month. In a quick meeting Wednesday morning a formal hearing for King was set.
Recently, the Police Chief recommended discipline for King after he tried to cover up beating a man when he fled police in a car. The South Bend Police Corporal is accused of using excessive force and falsifying a police report after a high speed chase.
“The captain reviewed the tape and both he and internal affairs handled investigation simultaneously,” says Captain Phil Trent, spokesperson for South Bend Police.
It was random dash cam check that prompted a disciplinary letter from the chief to the Board of Public Safety.
“This was the shift captain routinely reviewing pursuit videos and use of force video from the in car cameras and he saw what he believed that it was a violation of our duty manual, he passed it up the chain to the chief,” explains Trent.
Back in February a police pursuit started on the southwest side of South Bend's side lasting a mile and half. Police say it ended when the suspect crashed his car. Dash cam video allegedly showed King beating the suspect with his fist while the suspect did not resist arrest.
In the chief's letter to the board he states "the DVD shows no sign of aggression by the suspect" and "he was struck several times in the upper back and head area.”
During King's four years at the department he's been no stranger to the spotlight.
In 2006 he shot and killed a man while being attacked. King was eventually cleared in the shooting. And a year later he was in a car accident, hitting another officer, on his way to a call. He was not disciplined.
Now King will face the board next month in the incident caught on tape.
“We're waiting to see what his opinions are and what he has to say to defend himself,” says Trent.
Currently King is working at the department under light duty for medical reasons.
The chief has recommended he be demoted from corporal to patrolman for a year and suspended for 30 days without pay.
His hearing is scheduled for May 11th. The dash cam DVD of the incident could be released as evidence at the hearing.
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Previous Post: http://whathappenedtoprotectandserve.blogspot.com/2009/04/cpl-jason-king-accused-of-hitting-man.html
29-year-old Corporal Jason King will face the Board of Public Safety next month. In a quick meeting Wednesday morning a formal hearing for King was set.
Recently, the Police Chief recommended discipline for King after he tried to cover up beating a man when he fled police in a car. The South Bend Police Corporal is accused of using excessive force and falsifying a police report after a high speed chase.
“The captain reviewed the tape and both he and internal affairs handled investigation simultaneously,” says Captain Phil Trent, spokesperson for South Bend Police.
It was random dash cam check that prompted a disciplinary letter from the chief to the Board of Public Safety.
“This was the shift captain routinely reviewing pursuit videos and use of force video from the in car cameras and he saw what he believed that it was a violation of our duty manual, he passed it up the chain to the chief,” explains Trent.
Back in February a police pursuit started on the southwest side of South Bend's side lasting a mile and half. Police say it ended when the suspect crashed his car. Dash cam video allegedly showed King beating the suspect with his fist while the suspect did not resist arrest.
In the chief's letter to the board he states "the DVD shows no sign of aggression by the suspect" and "he was struck several times in the upper back and head area.”
During King's four years at the department he's been no stranger to the spotlight.
In 2006 he shot and killed a man while being attacked. King was eventually cleared in the shooting. And a year later he was in a car accident, hitting another officer, on his way to a call. He was not disciplined.
Now King will face the board next month in the incident caught on tape.
“We're waiting to see what his opinions are and what he has to say to defend himself,” says Trent.
Currently King is working at the department under light duty for medical reasons.
The chief has recommended he be demoted from corporal to patrolman for a year and suspended for 30 days without pay.
His hearing is scheduled for May 11th. The dash cam DVD of the incident could be released as evidence at the hearing.
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Previous Post: http://whathappenedtoprotectandserve.blogspot.com/2009/04/cpl-jason-king-accused-of-hitting-man.html
Fugitive Officer Thierry Gourjault Accused of Killing Wife & Children Committs Suicide
A fugitive French police officer accused of killing his wife and two young children in their sleep has committed suicide after being tracked down by police.
Thierry Gourjault, 46, fired two bullets into his own stomach as he was surrounded by officers who found him in a wood in southwestern France.
Police with dog handlers and a helicopter launched a manhunt after Gourjault's wife, their four-year-old son and his 10-year-old daughter from a first marriage were found dead on Tuesday.
Gourjault is thought to have shot his family with his service weapon at their home in the mountain village of Cabanac in the French Pyrenees on Monday night.
He left a note behind saying he planned to take his own life.
As detectives searched the family home for clues, officers began a search to find Gourjault.
He was located in woods around 12 miles from the village, using the tracking signal from his mobile phone.
When officers approached him, Gourjault fired several bullets in their direction, before turning his weapon on himself, police said.
He died as police were attempting to airlift him to hospital.
French media reported that Gourjault had been married to his wife Béatrice, a French Telecom worker, since 2004.
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http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,516177,00.html
Thierry Gourjault, 46, fired two bullets into his own stomach as he was surrounded by officers who found him in a wood in southwestern France.
Police with dog handlers and a helicopter launched a manhunt after Gourjault's wife, their four-year-old son and his 10-year-old daughter from a first marriage were found dead on Tuesday.
Gourjault is thought to have shot his family with his service weapon at their home in the mountain village of Cabanac in the French Pyrenees on Monday night.
He left a note behind saying he planned to take his own life.
As detectives searched the family home for clues, officers began a search to find Gourjault.
He was located in woods around 12 miles from the village, using the tracking signal from his mobile phone.
When officers approached him, Gourjault fired several bullets in their direction, before turning his weapon on himself, police said.
He died as police were attempting to airlift him to hospital.
French media reported that Gourjault had been married to his wife Béatrice, a French Telecom worker, since 2004.
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http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,516177,00.html
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