Monday, August 24, 2009
Officer Jonnie Hicks Arrested for Assaulting Woman
Johnnie Hicks, 30, assigned to the South Precinct High Impact Patrol Unit, is charged with assault and battery and brandishing a firearm. He has been with the Newport News police almost two years.
Hicks has been placed on paid administrative leave pending an internal and criminal investigation.
Police spokeswoman Holly McPherson said Hicks was arrested about 1:48 a.m. on Youngs Mill Lane.
She said officers responded to the address after receiving reports of a person with a gun.
She said investigators determined that, while off duty, Hicks got into "a confrontation" with a 30-year-old Newport News woman, described as "a neighbor," in her residence.
During the incident, he assaulted her and brandished a firearm, McPherson said.
Officer Joseph Mellon Wanted for Stealing Car
Port Vue police are searching for Joseph Mellon, 64. Police said Mellon was helping a woman pay off a car that she could no longer afford.
When the woman didn't pay him back, police said Mellon took the car.
Police said the woman got the car back and called police, but they were unable to find Mellon to arrest him.
Port Vue police said Mellon will be charged with theft by unlawful taking.
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Deputy Paul Wagner Arrested for Sexual Misconduct
"You know there is 775 deputy sheriff's in this department full time police officers and when one gets out of line the other 774 don't care for it," Col. John Layton with the Marion Co. Sheriff's Department said,
When women complained about that one sheriff's deputy, Paul Wagner, fellow deputies began a month long investigation.
Wagner worked part-time security at a Speedway gas station on the city's east side. Investigators say female Speedway customers complained Wagner tried to solicit them for sex on several occassions. Detectives worked with one of the women who complained.
"He had known her from being in there before actually she was the complainant to the Sheriff's department, one of the main complainants and upon the two of them having conversation he offered goods for sexual favors," explained Col. Layton.
Those goods were a pack of cigarettes and a soft drink.
"Its very unfortunate because he was in the sheriff's uniform which that is the reason there is a charge of official misconduct besides the patronizing a prostitute," Col. Layton said.
Paul Wagner is now suspended without pay. Next week he faces a court appearance and an internal investigation.
Officer William Robert Queen Resigns After Arrest for Arson
William Robert Queen, 36, turned in his resignation to Police Chief Rodney Head on Aug. 4.
Queen was placed on administrative leave by Head on July 20, prior to his arrest by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, said Bullhead City Police Department spokeswoman Emily Montague.
Queen was arrested July 21 by Las Vegas Metropolitan police on suspicion of arson for insurance fraud, said spokeswoman Barbara Morgan.
“On July 17, firefighters responded to a vehicle fire in a vacant lot in the 13000 block of South Western,” Morgan said.
Crews responded to a 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe on fire. Morgan said there was nothing missing on the vehicle.
“The auto theft unit conducted an investigation and determined the vehicle fire was for the purposes of insurance fraud,” Morgan said. Police allege Queen hired 26-year-old Gary Miller to burn the vehicle. Miller was arrested Aug. 10 on suspicion of arson for insurance fraud, Morgan said.
The case has been turned over to the state attorney general's office, she said.
Queen joined the Bullhead City Police Department on Jan. 10, 2000.
Trooper Anthony Scott Under Investigation
Trooper Anthony E. Scott, 38, was placed on administrative leave Aug. 19, four days after the Patrol began an internal investigation, spokesman Capt. Everett Clendenin said.
Scott, a 15-year veteran of the force, is assigned to Siler City.
Clendenin did not release details of the investigation, citing state personnel law.
He did confirm that a trooper – whose identity hasn't been released – was on the property of a Pittsboro home at the approximate time of an Aug. 14 incident.
Then, real estate broker Eric Andrews, 40, was arrested after his estranged wife, Jennifer Andrews, told authorities he pointed a gun at her, choked her and threatened her life, according to the Chatham County Sheriff's Office. Deputies recovered a Smith & Wesson revolver.
Andrews, of 7324 Silk Hope-Gum Springs Road, was being held in the Chatham County Jail Saturday under a $1 million bond.
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http://abclocal.go.com/wtvd/story?section=news&id=6978337
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Officer Anthony Rollins Will Get Public Defender

Superior Court Judge Phillip Volland on Friday said the case would be very expensive and Anthony Rollins cannot afford a lawyer to defend himself.
Prosecutors had asked the judge to revisit his initial decision granting Rollins, a 13-year officer, a state-paid attorney.
The Anchorage Daily News reports Rollins was paid $142,892 by the Anchorage police department in 2008.
Rollins, 41, was indicted last month on multiple charges of sexual assault and other offenses. He pleaded not guilty to 14 felonies and six misdemeanors.
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Information from: Anchorage Daily News, http://www.adn.com/
Correctional Officer Brandon Goodson Arrested for Child Molestation
Clovis Police learned of the molestation last Thursday. The incident allegedly took place on Aug. 12, in the 3200 block of Bellaire. The investigation led to the arrest of Goodson for child molestation, penetration with a foreign object on a victim under 16 years of age and oral copulation on a victim under 16 years of age. Clovis Police detectives are not looking for any additional victims.
The suspect and the confidential victim had recently met each other and corresponded via text messaging. The alleged victim's name was not released.
Goodson’s employer is Avenal State Prison, where he works as a correctional officer. The status of his employment is unknown.
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http://www.ksee24.com/news/local/54206162.html
Officer Hikeen Crampton Charged with Insurance Fraud
Hikeen D. Crampton Sr., 30, of Rosedale, is accused of fraudulently claiming in late 2008 that his Cadillac Escalade had been stolen when he had traded it in for another vehicle. The indictment follows an investigation by the Regional Auto Theft Task Force, the insurance fraud division of the Maryland Insurance Administration and the attorney general's office.
The charges were filed in Frederick County, where the claim was filed, said Shanetta J. Paskel, an official with the attorney general's office.
Crampton was profiled in a front-page article in The Baltimore Sun in 2001 after he graduated from the Baltimore Police Academy and requested a patrol assignment in his old neighborhood, a notorious drug zone. The youngest of 10 children, he graduated from Douglass High School and managed a McDonald's before joining the police academy.
"Some people ask me, 'Why do you want to come back?' " Crampton said at the time. "I want to help my community."
He received an award from Baltimore County last year after he observed the robbery of an armored car while off duty and caught the suspect, holding him until county officers arrived. In 2005, while working plainclothes in the Western District, he also arrested one of the stars of the infamous "Stop Snitching" video.
Anthony Guglielmi, a city police spokesman, said the Police Department learned of the allegations in June, when Crampton was suspended with pay.
"The allegations are concerning, but we have an obligation to see the system through and we're going to reserve comment until this is over," Guglielmi said.
Attempts to reach Crampton for comment were unsuccessful.
An arraignment has been scheduled for Sept. 25.
Sheriff Fires Deputy After Waitress Poses with Weapons on Patrol Car

An embarrassed Sheriff Gary Painter fired one Midland County deputy and suspended three others without pay after a scantily dressed waitress holding a rifle posed for photographs on the trunk of a patrol vehicle.
Round Rock officers were dispatched to the restaurant after someone reported the waitress with the weapon, which had been given to her by one of the deputies who had been attending a training session near Austin.
The incident occurred last week in the parking lot of a Twin Peaks restaurant, which promotes its "fun, friendly and sometimes flirty atmosphere!"
The deputies told Painter that they had about three to five beers each.
A fifth deputy who remained inside the eatery got a letter of reprimand.
Friday, August 21, 2009
Cody Crews Harp Arrested for Trying to Hir Hit Man

A 30-year-old Eureka Springs firefighter, medic and reserve police officer, Cody Crews Harp, has been arrested for conspiracy to commit murder for trying to hire a hit man to kill his wife, police say.
The Eureka Springs High School graduate, who is well known in the community, reportedly passed money and information about his wife to an undercover FBI agent in the parking lot of a Eureka Springs lodging facility Tuesday evening.
He and his wife, Latisha Harp, were reportedly embroiled in a custody battle and divorce.
According to a press release issued by the Eureka Springs Police Department, Officer Brian Williams received information on Aug. 11 from a local man who said Harp was trying to hire a hit man to kill Latisha.
An investigation was initiated, and "over the course of a week, Harp made clear his intention to hire someone to kill his wife," the press release stated.
Eureka police said they contacted FBI Special Agent Dave Blakely and requested assistance with additional manpower, equipment and a certified undercover officer.
"The FBI gave their complete support and assisted Detective (Joe) Barbalance with the investigation," police said.
According to the press release issued by police, on Tuesday afternoon, Harp was contacted by an undercover officer posing as the hit man and agreed to meet him at a city motel, the Inn of the Ozarks parking lot.
Harp reportedly told the officer that he would have to go home to get a picture of his wife, the press release stated.
"Just after 5 p.m., Harp arrived and got into the undercover officer's vehicle. He provided a photograph and address of his wife, and paid money to the officer while under surveillance from Eureka Springs officers and FBI agents," police said in their report.
Once the money was paid and the deal was set, Harp reportedly exited the undercover vehicle and began walking back to his vehicle, where officers arrested him without incident.
Harp was transported to the Eureka Springs Police Department for questioning and processing, police say, and later taken to the Carroll County Detention Center, where he was booked on the conspiracy charge.
Authorities say he was a paramedic firefighter for the Eureka Springs Fire Department, and a reserve police officer with the ESPD serving as a medic on the Tri-City Special Response Team.
Officer Johnnie Hicks Arrested for Assault on Neighbor

Triesha Elderkin says her neighbor stormed over to her townhouse early this morning, yelling and screaming.
"I don't want to stay here any more. I don't feel safe. He's the cops. He can do anything. He showed his gun and said I will shoot every one of you, all this stuff. I told him to get out of my house. You can't do that. Get out of my house. Get out of my house."
Elderkin's neighbor is a police officer, Johnnie Hicks. She says Hicks was mad his fiance and daughter were at a party at her home. The screaming up outside where Elderkin says she confronted the officer, angry he brought a gun into her house.
"I went towards him and he pulled out his gun, and chocked me. My boyfriend pulled me off and said, baby, he's got a gun. He's the cops. You can't do that. He's the cops. He'll shoot us. He'll shoot us all."
When NewsChannel 3's Mike Mather walked into the townhouse neighborhood, he saw the officer duck into his home. He wouldn't answer the door. Elderkin says officers told her the neighbor would be gone through the weekend, but that hasn't happened.
Court papers show that police first wrote that Hicks pulled his gun. Then they scratched it out and wrote "grasped."
And when a magistrate wrote about the victims, he put "victims" in quotes.
The police report says when officers showed up at Triesha Elderkin's home everyone was drunk, except of course the accused officer. But Elderkin says that's just not true.
Elkerkin says it happened just like she said. And she's not convinced police are taking this seriously because the man she accused came right back home.
"How do I know that, when everybody else is gone, he's not going to come to my back door and try to get payback for getting him in trouble?"
Officer Jared Rohrig Accused of Sexual Assault
An Orange police officer is accused of pretending to be his twin brother in order to engage in a sexual encounter with a woman.
Officer Jared Rohrig, of Milford, was arrested Friday in connection with the sexual assault.
Police said a woman told police that she went to meet Rohrig's twin brother, Joe, whom she was in a relationship with. The woman got into a hot tub with Jared Rohrig, thinking it was his brother, police said.
Police said the hot tub activity moved into one of the home's bedrooms, where the two began having sex.
"During the sexual intercourse, she realized the male she was with did not have a tattoo on his left buttocks. The female victim said she immediately began to cry and asked where his tattoo went," according to the arrest affidavit.
The woman said Joe, whom she had been having a sexual relationship with since March 2009, has a tattoo of a cowboy, according to the affidavit.
Police said when the woman tried to leave, Jared Rohrig pushed her down onto the bed, covered her face with a pillow and continued having sex.
Rohrig was charged with sexual assault in the first degree and criminal impersonation. His bond was set at $50,000 and he is scheduled to appear in court on Sept. 8.
He was put on paid leave from the Orange Police Department.
Officer Evangelin Carr Charged with DWI

A Fort Worth police officer has been placed on restricted duty after his arrest this week in Keller on suspicion of driving while intoxicated.
Evangelin G. Carr, 28, was charged Thursday with DWI, according to Tarrant County records.
Keller police Lt. Brenda Slovak said Carr was pulled over in the 300 block of Bear Creek Parkway shortly after 3 a.m. Monday because his Chevrolet pickup had a defective tail light and he failed to use his turn signal.
Slovak said Carr was given a field sobriety test after the officer noticed a strong odor of alcohol and Carr acknowledged having had two drinks. She said that in addition to failing the test, Breathalyzer results showed that Carr was over the legal limit for driving.
Sgt. Pedro Criado, a Fort Worth police spokesman, said an internal investigation is under way into the DWI allegations against Carr, as well as allegations of neglect of duty and causing unfavorable criticism to the department.
"As a Keller officer approached, he did indicate he was a police officer and he did not want to lose his job," Criado said.
He said Carr, who was hired in October 2007, also briefly struggled with officers as they tried to handcuff him.
While on restricted duty, Carr is prohibited from wearing a uniform or carrying a gun or badge.
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Video at star-telegram.com/extras
Officer Dina Hoffman Charged with Perjury
Montgomery County police say an officer is facing perjury charges.
The Howard County State's Attorney's Office announced the indictment of Officer Dina Hoffman on Friday, charging her with one count of perjury and one count of misconduct in office.
Hoffman is accused of testifying in court in April that a driver, who was cited for drunken driving in May 2008, had been behind the wheel of the vehicle when she first encountered him. But surveillance video from a building shows the driver was in the back seat of the car when she arrived.
Police say Hoffman, a three-year veteran of the Montgomery County force, is now on administrative leave. Officials asked Howard County to handle the case because two Montgomery County state prosecutors were witnesses to Hoffman's testimony.
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http://www.myfoxdc.com/dpp/news/local/082109_police_officer_charged_with_perjury_in_dui_case
Former Officer Humberto Delgado Jr Shoots Officer
"I shot a police officer," Humberto Delgado Jr. told his uncle by cell phone. "I think I killed him."
Those words, related by Tampa police Thursday, were spoken just before police arrested Delgado and charged him with killing Cpl. Mike Roberts.
It stunned those who knew he had mental health issues but never saw him display violent tendencies.
Told Thursday that the father of her 2-year-old son has been accused of killing the officer, Shayla Evans asked, "Are you serious? Oh, my lord. Oh, lord."
Delgado, a former police officer and U.S. Army private, may have mental health issues, but he wasn't the type of man who would shoot a cop, Evans and his friends said. Delgado was arrested late Wednesday and charged with murder of a law enforcement officer.
Delgado is confined in Orient Road Jail on suicide watch, with a deputy keeping an eye on him 24 hours a day. He is being held in the highest security level, meaning any time he leaves his cell, he will be in handcuffs and box chains, Hillsborough County sheriff's Col. Jim Previtera said. Delgado only will be allowed to leave the cell one hour a day, and during that time he can shower or walk around inside his jail pod.
Evans said Delgado, who served as a police officer in the Virgin Islands from April 1996 to October 2000, had been staying with family in Oldsmar since April but had become "basically homeless." He declined to get real help for his health issues, she said.
Family at the Oldsmar home declined to comment. But Evans said he had been clinically diagnosed with bipolar disorder.
"I knew something was wrong, because I hadn't heard from him," she said.
She said he has a temper and doesn't know what he's doing, and that he had been medically discharged from the Army because of an injured back and the mental health issue.
According to Army spokesman Lt. Col. Richard McNorton, Delgado was a former private first class for the Army, joining in August 2004 and serving until December 2005. McNorton said for privacy reasons he could not say why Delgado left, but that his character of service was "honorable."
Delgado was a petroleum supply specialist, fueling vehicles or aircraft. He earned the National Defense Service Medal, given to soldiers who serve honorably during a time of national emergency, McNorton said. He did not serve in Iraq or Afghanistan during his time of service.
He worked at Fort Lee in Virginia and had his last duty station with the 82nd Airborne at Fort Bragg in North Carolina, according to his separation records from the Army. He then was sent to Company C, Womack Army Medical Center at Fort Bragg, N.C., a base hospital. Separation papers don't indicate whether he worked at the hospital or received treatment there.
Delgado has three children, including two who live in the Virgin Islands, Evans said.
Glenda Cruz, who has known Delgado since she was 15 and they grew up in St. Croix, said his life has been filed with trials and tribulation but that she always considered him a sweet person and a good father.
In their last conversations, which occurred via email months ago, Cruz said Delgado told her he felt lonely. She said he told her a lot of bad things happen to him but he keeps hopeful in God's name.
"I did not invent a lot of stuff to happen, but I'm still trying to overcome all the evil and trying to keep it real," she said he wrote.
She said she always knew he had a mental health issue, but that when she spent time with him years ago, he didn't display violent tendencies. "He's a very, very smart, very bright kid, very artistic. I'm just surprised. I'm surprised."
Asked whether there was anything else to say about what had happened, she said, "There's nothing really right to say at this moment. The only thing is that we'll pray for him. Pray for him and pray for the family that lost their dad or their husband or whatever that police officer was."
Tampa Police Chief Steve Hogue said the fact that Delgado himself had been a police officer "makes it even more difficult to understand how somebody with a law enforcement background could do something like this."
But in the years after leaving the police force, Delgado's mental health deteriorated, said Gabriel Reyes, who also attended St. Croix Central High School with Delgado. Still, Reyes said he had never known Delgado to be a violent person. In fact, in school, Delgado protected Reyes from bullying.
Wednesday's arrest wasn't Delgado's first encounter with local law enforcement this week.
About 1 a.m. Monday, Pinellas County Deputy Russell Klar saw Delgado, who "appeared to be living at the Veterans Memorial Park in the city of Oldsmar," a report states. Delgado was sleeping near a restroom in the picnic pavilion at the park's northeast corner. Delgado had been seen walking east on Lafayette Boulevard with a large tan desert camouflage backpack.
"Delgado stated that he is a disabled veteran who is trying to gain additional financial assistance from the government in order to obtain or arrange some housing," the report states. "Delgado does have family in Oldsmar to whom he is currently not talking."
Delgado told the deputy he had a nearby storage locker.
The deputy warned Delgado about the park's hours and that Monday would be his last morning to spend there. He told Delgado to make other arrangements. Delgado said he understood he could be issued a trespass warning or be cited for violating an ordinance if he continued living in the park, the report states.
Nearly three days later, he was arrested for Roberts' death. He is scheduled to have an initial court appearance this morning before Hillsborough County Circuit Judge Walter Heinrich.
Assistant State Attorney Pam Bondi said her office would oppose any bail for Delgado.
Prosecutors have 45 days from the time a suspect is arraigned to decide whether to seek the death penalty.
Legal experts said that decision is based on the nature of the crime and the personal and criminal history of the accused.
In March 2007, while living in Fayetteville, Delgado and Shayla Evans had a son – Gadieloh Delgado.
On Facebook, Delgado said he believes in a higher power. He said he loves his children, that his activities include dominoes, fishing and real estate.
On his MySpace profile, Delgado wrote: "Hi people of the world I am here just chilling in my own meditation. Enjoying life without any judgment because we all got the same blessings, we just have to wait patiently and we receive, One Love. In this world of transgression we go through our differences and disagreements a whole lot more than we really notice but that's why we survive. We survive through realness."
Naked Man Dies After Being Tasered
At approximately 1:45 p.m. Thursday, Mesa police officers were dispatched to the QuikTrip convenience store at Southern Avenue and Country Club Drive after a report of a disturbance.
When the first officer arrived, he found the suspect near the front door of the store. Prior to the officer's arrival, witnesses had reported the man was naked and running around the parking lot jumping on parked vehicles.
According to the Mesa Police Department, back-up officers arrived and were able to restrain the suspect with a Taser.
The officers noticed that the suspect stopped breathing. Paramedics were called and were able to revive the man, who was transported to a local hospital.
The suspect's condition continued to deteriorate and he was pronounced dead just before 9 p.m.
The Mesa Police Department is investigating the case. Police are awaiting autopsy results in order to determine the cause of death.
Former Officer Michael Ciancio Pleads Guilty to Extortion
Prosecutors say veteran officer Michael Ciancio got $600 to $800 a week from 2005 to 2007 from a tow-truck driver who was working undercover with the FBI.
Ciancio is accused of using scare tactics, including the threat of arrest, to chase away other tow-truck drivers.
The 21-year veteran pleaded guilty in January to attempted extortion for taking cash one time in 2007.
But two tow-truck drivers who testified at his sentencing say he'd been shaking down truck operators since the 1990s.
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Information from: Chicago Tribune, http://www.chicagotribune.com
Thursday, August 20, 2009
New Details on Officer Patrick Luckett
The incident was first reported two weeks ago, after video emerged on the internet showing the officer throwing punches after a high speed chase.
The Officer in question is Patrick Luckett. Mobile Police Chief Phillip Garrett said Luckett has been on the force for about four years, and he's never had any other disciplinary problems before.
Garrett said everything regarding the pursuit and the arrest of the suspect was fine, because he was a danger to the public. But Garrett did have an issue with the force used by Officer Luckett, after the suspect was taken from the car. Garrett called it "unnecessary."
Police pulled the suspect, David Pate, from a car. After the arrest, Officer Patrick Luckett was videotaped swinging at the suspect. Wednesday, Chief Phillip Garrett said too much force was used.
"He did come forward and admit it and it was an error," said Chief Garrett. "He was upset with Mr. Pate for the actions. We certainly don't condone unnecessary force and I think this was. I think Mr. Pate certainly deserves some part of the responsibility for the position he put a lot of people in that day."
Pate is accused of hitting his wife, kidnapping her, then leading police on a high speed chase. Police were able to surround the suspect on Hillcrest Road, where they tried to get him under control.
Garrett said he only agrees with the arrest and pursuit.
"They did right by physically taking him out and literally breaking the window out of the car and pulling him out of the car. They needed to be able to stop him from being able to leave the scene again," he added.
But it's what happened next that caused Officer Luckett to also be investigated.
"We don't condone that. We're not going to condone it. Never have, and never will," said Garrett.
Since the incident, Officer Luckett has been placed on administrative duties pending the outcome of a hearing. Garrett said Luckett will have the chance to tell his side of the story in front of a panel on the trial board.
"The penalty could be minimal, it could be termination. There's a wide range. There's a lot it's based on; the officer's actions, the way he presents himself for taking responsibility for his actions," Garrett said.
The trial board will evaluate the case and present its recommendations to Chief Garrett. Garrett will then turn it over to the Mayor. That process may take a few weeks.
Officer Matthew Shelton Accused of Using Excessive Force
The alleged misdeeds by Officer Matthew Shelton were discovered during an internal audit on use-of-force issues and not from an outside complaint, according to the Shafter Police Department.
Shelton, 30, was arrested earlier this month but is currently free on $50,000 bail. He's on paid administrative leave pending completion of an independent investigation.
The arrest stems from a Jan. 30 burglary call at Golden Oak Elementary School. Shelton was filmed by a camera on his Taser as he beat the suspect with a baton and stepped on the suspect's head. The suspect, Immanuel Perez, was reportedly not fighting back.
Perez was left with a 3-inch laceration on his head, chipped tooth, punctured cheek and bruised jaw after the attack.
The officer is accused of then falsifying his report, claiming that Perez was not following orders and resisting arrest.
Kern County court records show Shelton will be charged Friday with three felony counts of assault with a deadly weapon other than a firearm, assault by a public officer and false report by a peace officer.
In an unrelated case, Shelton was one of two officers cleared for fatally shooting a woman in May. In that incident, 52-year-old Dora Luis, who had a history of mental illness, lunged at the officers with a knife.
Chief Charlie Fivecoat said Wednesday that it's "a sad day for the Shafter Police Department."
"I would hope that the public and certainly the officers in this organization understand that we have professional people doing a professional job every day, and occasionally things like this happen," Fivecoat said.
Sheriff Sue Rahr Will Decide if 2 Deputies will be Fired
In both cases, the officers' top-level commanders have recommended terminating them.
The most serious misconduct charges were against Deputy Paul Schene, 31, who is charged with misdemeanor assault for beating a mouthy teenager inside a holding cell. Schene is set for trial on Sept. 9 in King County Superior Court, where he could face up to a year in jail.
Another deputy, Don Griffee, was accused of slugging a handcuffed suspect in the back of his patrol car on Aug. 3, 2008. The suspect turned out to have been falsely accused of threatning a woman with a gun. Griffee, 61, was charged with misdemeanor assault in King County District Court, where a jury acquitted him. Both officers worked out of the Burien precinct.
In addition to criminal charges, both deputies were investigated for whether their conduct violated Sheriff's Office policy. The standard for proving misconduct in an internal disciplinary action is lower than the burden of proof required for a conviction in criminal court.
Schene is facing termination for a litany of policy violations, including making false or fraudulent statements, committing conduct that is criminal in nature, use of excessive or unnecessary force, inappropriate use of authority, acts in violation of Sheriff's Office rules or directives, and conduct involving discrimination, incivility and/or bigotry, according to sheriff's Sgt. John Urquhart.
Schene's law enforcement certification also would be in jeopardy if the sheriff agrees that he made dishonest statements.
Schene's conduct came to light because he alleged in a report that the teenager had resisted arrest and assaulted him inside a holding cell at a SeaTac police precinct on Nov. 29, 2008. Detectives sought video evidence from the cell's security camera and instead, found footage of Schene as he punched, kicked and tossed the girl to the floor after she had kicked her shoe at him. In his report, Schene, a training officer and 8-year veteran, said the girl's shoe struck his shin, causing "injury and pain."
Schene and a second deputy, Travis Brunner, had arrested the girl, Malika Calhoun, and her 15-year-old friend, on suspicion of auto theft. Brunner assisted Schene in handcuffing Calhoun inside the holding cell, although prosecutors did not file charges against Brunner. Later, police learned the girls were driving a car that they'd taken without permission from another friend's mother. Schene wrote that he "placed" the girl in handcuffs.
"The discipline recommended to Sheriff Rahr by Schene's precinct commander was termination from the Sheriff's Office. The Chief of Field Operations concurred with the recommendation," Urquhart said in an e-mail.
Under his union protections, Schene is entitled to present mitigating evidence in what's called a "Loudermill hearing" with the sheriff. Typically, the officer is represented by a guild representative or attorney, and can present evidence to counter the findings or argue for less severe discipline.
Seattlepi.com reported earlier this summer that prosecutors offered Schene a plea bargain that might have spared him a longer term in prison if he agreed to resign and give up his police certification. Schene, who has been on paid administrative leave since December, turned down the offer.
Griffee, 61, was found not guilty of fourth-degree assault. He'd been accused of striking Johnny R. Bradford, a 21-year-old Burien man who'd been falsely accused of threatening a woman with a gun.
During his trial, Griffee said that he never punched Bradford. He said he'd forcefully grabbed Bradford's chin to focus his attention while the man was in the back of his patrol car on Aug. 3, 2008. Jurors thought Bradford was truthful, but also felt Griffee's story was plausible enough to raise doubts about the state's case.
Internal investigators, however found Bradford more credible than the deputy. Griffee was found to have used excessive force and engaged in "conduct that is criminal in nature," according to the Sheriff's Office.
The officer's precinct commander, Maj. Jim Graddon, recommended that he be fired. Chief Deputy Tony Burtt, who oversees patrol operations, concurred with that decision, Urquhart said. The same two men also were Schene's superiors.
The sheriff is expected to hear from both officers in September, Urquhart said.
"Sheriff Rahr will review the file, listen to (Deputy) Griffee, and can change any of the sustained findings and/or the discipline," Urquhart said. "Therefore, the final outcome of the investigation and the final discipline will not be set until after the Loudermill hearing."
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Sheriff David Kinney Charged with Abuse of Power
David Kinney says he was not aware of nor responsible for the behavior of two of his deputies arrested on drug trafficking charges.
Two Hockley County deputies were arrested last month on federal drug charges related to a major methamphetamine ring. About a third of the deputies are either under federal indictment or investigation or been fired, according to a petition for Sheriff David Kinney's removal.
Speaking to supporters Monday on the Hockley County Courthouse lawn, Kinney said for him to "take responsibility for others is crazy."
District Judge Blair Cherry signed an order Thursday temporarily ousting Kinney as sheriff.
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Some information from:
Lubbock Avalanche-Journal, http://www.lubbockonline.com
Cpl David Aguilar Charged with Leaving the Scene of Accident

A Dallas police officer was arrested early Wednesday in Plano on suspicion of leaving the scene of a wreck in which a person in another vehicle was hurt, police said.
Senior Cpl. David Aguilar, 35, faces charges of driving while intoxicated and failing to stop and render aid, according to a Plano police report.
The wreck happened at 12:53 a.m. Wednesday near the intersection of Custer Road and Plano Parkway, the report stated.
The other driver received minor injuries in the wreck, said Lt. Andy Harvey, Dallas police spokesman.
About an hour later, Plano police stopped Aguilar, who was driving a 2008 Toyota Tacoma pickup near the intersection of Parkhaven Drive and Independence Parkway. That location is about five miles northwest of the wreck.
Aguilar is a 12-year DPD veteran who is assigned to the Northeast Patrol Division, Harvey said. He added that Aguilar has been placed on administration leave, pending the outcome of the case.
The officer was still in the Plano jail at 1:30 p.m., but bail had not yet been set, said Heather Bowden, Plano police spokeswoman.
Officer Donald Silcott Free on Bond

A Jacksonville police officer arrested on sexual battery charges is now out on bond.
Donald Silcott, an evidence technician, was arrested on Aug. 8 and went before a judge after his arrest.
He was initially held on $600,000 bond, but it was reduced to $150,000.
He's since posted bail.
Police said Silcott sexually battered a girl over the age of 12.
Previous Stories: August 11, 2009: Officer Arrested Had Complaints In Past
August 10, 2009: JSO Officer Accused Of Sex With Minor
August 9, 2009: JSO Officer Arrested On Sex Charges
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Derryl Jenkins Beat by Officers for Speeding
The police chief in Minneapolis says he will ask the FBI to investigate the beating of a man who was stopped for speeding by officers.
The beating was captured on a squad car dash camera and shows six officers punching and kicking the 42-year-old man. Derryl Jenkins was stopped Feb. 19 for allegedly going 15 miles per hour over the speed limit.
Chief Tim Dolan says "the public will want an investigation" into the incident.
Officers said in their police reports that Jenkins resisted arrest so they had to subdue him before placing him in two sets of handcuffs.
Jenkins ended up at North Memorial Medical Center where he had seven stitches above his eye. He was charged with assault and with refusing to submit to alcohol tests, but those charges have been dropped.
Officer Christopher Hughes Arrested for Drunk Driving
Officer Christopher Hughes, 39, was booked over the weekend, CHP Officer Lizz Dutton said.
Dutton said the case was reported as a medical emergency Saturday afternoon at Hazel Avenue and Piedra Way.
Hughes' vehicle was spotted in a lane of the road and he slumped over the steering wheel, Dutton said.
When CHP officers responded, they found Hughes was found to be intoxicated, the CHP said.
Sacramento police Sgt. Norm Leong confirmed the arrest and said the department is conducting an administrative investigation.
Officer Finess Brown Accused of Hitting Wife for the Third Time
Wife Catina D. Brown, 36, accused husband, Officer Finess Brown, 37, of hitting her in her right eye during an argument over the car keys, a cellular telephone and her reference to a man about 8:45 p.m. Thursday, Sgt. Garry Carter reported.
The wife didn’t have any visible injuries, Carter reported.
She accused him in June 2007 and in February of domestic assault. She agreed in court in February to attend counseling sessions with her husband with a minister. She has an order of protection against her husband but agreed to let him live with her.
Circuit Court Judge J. Mark Rogers told Officer Brown in February he didn’t want a pattern to develop.
“Mr. Brown, if things fall through, you should remove yourself from the process,” Rogers said. “If something develops — and I’m not going to order it — you remove yourself from the situation.”
Mrs. Brown told Carter Thursday she was trying to leave the home but her husband would not give her the keys. They argued earlier because she said he would not let her see the phone numbers on his cell phone.
The wife told her husband, “The man was right. I can make it on my own,” Carter reported.
She accused her husband of going into a rage and demanded to know who the man was. She reported he hit her in the eye between 8 and 8:30 a.m. She also told Carter her husband told her she deserved what she got when he hit her in the temple and spit on her.
The wife said she replied, “OK, you finally admit that,” Carter reported.
She told Carter her husband threatened her if she called police. She did not want to prosecute him.
Police spokesman Kyle Evans said Detective Jennifer West is investigating.
Officer Brown didn’t want to comment, except to say he worked during the weekend and no one from the police department has questioned him about his wife’s report.
Monday, August 17, 2009
Officer Anthony Miller Sentenced to Prison for Child Porn

A police officer, who lives in western Wisconsin, is sentenced to serve time in prison for possessing child pornography.
Monday, Anthony T. Miller was sentenced to five years in prison. He lives in New Richmond, but works in Minnesota. He has been a police officer with the city of Hastings for 11 years.
The Wisconsin Department of Justice says Miller admitted downloading and trading child pornography for the past two years.
Press Release:
NEW RICHMOND - Anthony Miller, who told investigators he was a Hastings Minnesota police officer, was sentenced by Judge Vlack today on two counts of Possession of Child Pornography. He received 14 years on the first count with 4 years of initial confinement and 10 years of extended supervision. On count two Miller received 15 years with 5 years of initial confinement and 10 years extended supervision to be served concurrently.
In addition, Miller must provide a DNA sample, register as a Sex Offender, not use a computer or access the Internet without prior written approval, not possess pornography and may not have contact with any child under 18 without prior written approval.
Miller was originally charged on December 18, 2008 with Possession of Child Pornography and Sexual Exploitation of a Child.
"Sadly, a man sworn to protect society has committed a crime victimizing our most vulnerable," said Wisconsin Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen, whose office investigated the crime with the U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement and the New Richmond Police Department. "Today's sentence sends a strong message: download and distribute child pornography and you will go to prison for a long time."
Audra Harmon Sues Sheriff's Department for Tasering
A police video captured by a dashboard camera shows Deputy Sean Andrews yanking Audra Harmon out of her minivan by the arm and knocking her down with two Taser shots in January.
Harmon was charged with disorderly conduct, resisting arrest and speeding. Her lawyer says prosecutors dismissed the charges after watching the videotape.
Harmon claims Andrews was improperly trained. She says a Taser isn’t supposed to be used against people who pose no threat.
In a notice of claim filed Thursday with the Onondaga (ahn-uhn-DAH’-guh) County clerk, Harmon accuses Andrews of wrongful conduct. She’s seeking unspecified monetary damages.
You Tube Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Dik-mgCDcg
Officers Kevin Fujioka & Shayne Souza Arrested
Clark County spokeswoman Stacey Welling said officers Kevin Fujioka, 37, and Shayne Souza, 47, were arrested Saturday night near Desert Breeze Park, about six miles west of the Las Vegas Strip.
Scott Wilson, a 38-year-old social worker from Honolulu, also was arrested, Welling said Monday.
Park police approached the men in a white van because it was parked sideways across two spots in the parking lot, Welling said. As officers approached, the van drove off.
After a short pursuit, Souza and Fujioka got out of the van and ran from police, authorities said. Welling said officers pepper-sprayed Souza when he resisted arrest.
All three men were charged with marijuana possession, Welling said. Fujioka also was charged with driving under the influence of a narcotic, and Souza was charged with drug paraphernalia possession, resisting a police officer and obstruction of justice. Wilson was charged with having an open alcohol container in a vehicle, Welling said.
Michelle Yu, spokeswoman for the Honolulu Police Department, confirmed that the agency has two officers with the same names as Fujioka and Souza, but she said the department had not heard about the arrests and could not immediately comment.
Yu said Fujioka is a patrol officer who has worked at the department 13 years, while Souza is a SWAT officer who has been with the department 20 years.
Welling said the men identified themselves as police officers from the Hawaii city.
Tom Wagner, president of the Nevada Police Athletic Federation, said the arrests happened during a men's softball tournament that was part of the 2009 Nevada Police & Fire Games. The five-day event of various sports and games involves about 2,000 police and firefighters from across the country, Wagner said.
He called the arrests "shocking" and said it's possible that the players and their team would not be invited to return to the games.
"It's unfortunate but we definitely are going to be speaking to that coach and that police department and getting the story and deciding what our action will be as a federation," Wagner said.
Andron Reed Dies After Beating At County Jail
It seems things went a little bit too far. Young Andron Reed died or was killed soon after he was handed over to County Sheriff’s deputies late Friday night. He had been arrested after leading state troopers on a high-speed chase down Interstate 24, which ended in a slight accident. Luckily for all no one was injured according to the highway patrol officers who took Andron and his brother Octavius into custody at the scene. Of course Andron was arrested on a variety of charges ranging from evading arrest to driving under the influence and even assault, but how many times have we heard about people being falsely charged with assault by the police to justify or cover their actions.
After Andron was booked at the Rutherford County jail, they immediately took him to a cell, apparently within ear shot of his brother Octavius, who was able to hear Andron's screams as he was being beaten by Sheriff’s deputies. The TBI said Andron Reed was found unconscious and not moving by the jail house nurse who had him taken by ambulance to the Middle Tennessee Medical Center, where he later died.
TBI agents only have the information provided by the same jailers who may have murdered Andron. They claim that he was combative during the arrest and booking process. Since Andron Reed is dead he can't dispute the claim. If The TBI really is investigating the tragic death of this eighteen year old boy it will all hinge on the the autopsy. If it is a real autopsy and not another cover up, the results should tell us how Andron Reed died, or was murdered. If it is determined that he was murdered, one of the 'untouchable' police could actually be charged with the murder, something which almost never happens in the US unless the police are actually careless enough to be video recorded by witnesses while shooting an unarmed person in the back.
Bush is no longer the president and yet the corrupt police state he turned America into continues. Obama promised change, but has changed nothing about the egregious cruelty and abuse of authority by the police. Hundreds die in police custody each year, when will the American people rise up and say no more, no more tazer torture deaths, no more stripping naked and molesting of our wives, sons, and daughters, no more permanently disfiguring and disabling beatings. When will America start screening police applicants to weed out the sublimated sadists and killers? When will the legal system start punishing the police instead of consistently finding them innocent?