Corrections Officer Vincent Czechorosky Arrested for Armed Robbery

Police in Nye County have arrested a Nevada corrections officer in connection with a pair of armed robberies at a Pahrump convenience store.

Pahrump resident Vincent Matthew Czechorosky, 24, was taken into custody by the Nye County sheriff’s office early Wednesday morning after a car chase that ended with a deputy firing shots at the suspect’s vehicle.

Nye County Sheriff Tony DeMeo said deputies found Czechorosky’s Department of Corrections badge in the vehicle along with a handgun and money from the most recent robbery.

Corrections spokeswoman Suzanne Pardee confirmed on Thursday that Czechorosky worked at High Desert State Prison in Indian Springs, where he was in his third year with the department.

“That’s ‘was,’” Pardee said. “Let’s just say he’s been terminated as of yesterday.”

The Rebel gas station at Pahrump’s busiest intersection was robbed at gunpoint on Sept. 21 and again at about 12:30 a.m. Wednesday by a man dressed in black.

After the second robbery, deputies were searching the area near the gas station when they came across a vehicle parked on the side of the road with its lights off. The vehicle took off when deputies approached, and officers gave chase.

DeMeo said that when deputies cornered Czechorosky in a playground parking lot, he sped toward them, prompting Deputy Jeffrey Benson to fire two shots into the suspect’s windshield.

DeMeo said Czechorosky stopped his vehicle and fled on foot, only to be captured in the desert by a police dog.

Czechorosky was booked on multiple charges, including attempted murder of a police officer, assault with a deadly weapon, robbery with a deadly weapon, burglary and grand larceny. He is being held without bail.

DeMeo said state corrections officials called his office to express their concern and regret over the incident.

“They were deeply troubled by it, as I would be if it was one of my people,” he said.
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Other Information: http://www.mercurynews.com/news/ci_13527899?nclick_check=1

Russellville Officers in Court for Beating Death

A federal appeals court has refused to drop a lawsuit against five Russellville policemen.

The family of Bobby Lee Rylee says he died after the policemen beat him.

The case has been in the Federal Appeals Court for nearly six months and the court's decision will allow it to go to trial. The Rylee family's lawyers say they are pleased the case will finally be back in motion.

Three years after 61-year-old's death, the plaintiff's lawyer Charles Harrison says, the family is still terribly troubled and upset. Harrison charges that Rylee was a victim of police brutality.

"He was a peaceful man that did not deserve the beating that he received and it's still a horrific event for them to think that that's the way that their father left this earth," he said.

Russellville police say they pulled Rylee over just after 1 a.m. in July 2006 for acting strange and veering out of his lane. When they tried to arrest him, they say Rylee resisted, hit one officer and stabbed another with a pen, so they called for backup. By the time the fight was over, Rylee suffered a broken neck, legs and had several bruises on his head. Pictures are too graphic to show.

The officers argue Rylee broke his neck when he fell on the pavement, along with two other officers, but the family's lawyer is skeptical.

"Our position and we think our evidence will show is that his neck was broken during the course of this beating and stomping and kicking," said Harrison.

Defense Lawyers for officers Lee Goemmer, Bobby Stevens, Keith Spears, Terry Cob and Todd Winesburg say, the policemen used just enough force to subdue Rylee and the whole scuffle could have been avoided if he had cooperated with the officers.

In addition, Defense Attorney Keith Wren says the victim refused medical treatment when he was arrested and taken to the Pope County detention center. Riley died five days later in the hospital.

"While we recognize that he was injured during the incident, and that may have ultimately led to his death, that doesn't necessarily mean that the force that was used was excessive," said Wren.

Earlier in the case, the court ordered the defense to attend a settlement conference, but the two parties couldn't resolve the case. The trial is expected to start sometime early to mid-2010.

One of the police officers involved was suspended for a brief period, but all five are back on the force.

Officer Dan McDow Investigated for Bringing Contrabrand Across Border

A San Luis Obispo police officer, currently under a criminal investigation for attempting to bring contraband across the border from Mexico, has faced allegations of elderly abuse in the past, CalCoastNews has learned.

Interviews with sources in the know say San Luis Obispo Police Chief Deborah Linden has either mishandled or ignored reports that officer Dan McDow, one of two San Luis Obispo officers suspended as a result of the border investigation, had attempted to take advantage of an elderly woman suffering from dementia.

In early 2007, 87-year-old Margaret Bazzani, known to suffer from dementia and auditory delusions, called police to her home in San Luis Obispo repeatedly for various reasons, including hearing strange noises outside the residence.

McDow responded on one occasion and subsequently began making regular visits to her home.

Following a call from a Bank of America employee concerned when McDow brought the wheelchair-bound woman to the bank to look into the contents of her safety deposit box, Bazzani’s children started to question the officer’s intentions, her son said.

Shortly afterwards, the widow’s son, Leonard Bazzani, discovered a gold coin worth about $1,000 had disappeared from his mother’s safety deposit box.

Family members began asking questions and learned that the patient’s caregivers had called county Adult Protective Services officials at least three times to report that McDow appeared to be taking advantage of the elderly Bazzani.

Leonard Bazzani then took his concerns to Linden, who had police administrators look into the son’s allegations.

“They said it was his business what he (McDow) does after hours,” Leonard Bazzani said. “We than hired (San Luis Obispo) attorney Hank Mott, who said it sounded like elder abuse.”

On July 30, 2007, Mott sent the following report of possible elder abuse to Linden:

“Dear Chief Linden,

“I represent the adult children of Margaret Kelly Bazzani, a widow age 87 years.

“Mrs. Bazzani suffers from dementia and is under medical treatment. She is receiving around the clock assistance from caregivers….

“A member of your department, officer Dan McDow, has been visiting with my client’s mother. Mrs. Bazzani has advised my clients that McDow brought a person to her home to prepare a will for her, to handle her finances, and do her taxes.

“Mrs. Bazzani has told numerous persons that officer McDow has proposed marriage to her. McDow is approximately 50 years younger than her. Adult Protective Services has been called numerous times by Mrs. Bazzani’s caregivers due to their concerns that McDow is taking advantage of her.

“McDow was recently overheard by her caregivers, on Mrs. Bazzani’s speaker phone, advising Mrs. Bazzani she should not have a CAT Scan because her family was trying to prove she was crazy and not to allow Adult Protective Services in her home in the future.

“Mrs. Bazanni is easily taken advantage of and I request that you immediately investigate the actions of McDow so that an 87 year old widow suffering from dementia is not taken advantage of by one of your own officers.”

In response to the letter, Linden ordered McDow to stay away from the elderly woman, adding that she would look into the allegations of elderly abuse.

But since the 2007 order to stay away from the woman, Linden has refused to make public the department’s inquiries into McDow’s relationship with Margaret Bazzani.

“Linden said they had conducted an investigation, but it was a personnel issue, and as such, it was not public information,” Leonard Bazzani said. “She said McDow would be fired if he contacted my mother again.”

In late 2007, a few days after Margaret Bazzani passed away, someone broke into her home by kicking in the door. However, once inside, the thief was able to open, with a key, a locked cabinet in which the elderly woman kept thousands of dollars in a vase.

Aside from the contents of the vase, and a picture of Leonard Bazzani, removed from a frame, nothing else was taken from the home during the burglary, the son said.

City officials did not respond when asked why it took a letter from an attorney to get Linden to keep her officer away from Margaret Bazzani. In addition, city officials have not yet responded to a FOIA request for information about the department’s investigation into the allegations of possible elderly abuse.

On Sept. 15, immigration officials detained McDow and fellow officer Armando Limon at the San Ysidro port of entry because of suspicions that the officers were attempting to transport contraband into the United States.

Authorities at the San Ysidro port of entry have not said what kind of contraband was involved and what prompted U.S. border inspectors to inspect the officers and the vehicle they were in.

"Officers Limon and McDow are on paid administrative leave and have been since September 16, 2009, the day the City learned of their detention by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement,” city attorney Jonathan Lowell told CalCoastNews in an e-mail.

Former Officer Glenn Coyne Shoots Self

A former Grand Junction police officer accused of sexually assaulting a woman was found dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound in Jefferson County, authorities said.

The body of Glenn Coyne, 35, was found Tuesday afternoon at the Days Inn Hotel, 15059 W. Colfax Ave., according to the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office.

Coyne, who had recently posted bond in Mesa County after being arrested Oct. 1 on suspicion of first-degree sexual assault and first-degree burglary, was the lone occupant of the room, the Sheriff's Office said.

Coyne, who had been a Grand Junction officer for two years, was fired after his arrest.

He was accused of assaulting a woman who called him for follow-up help after Coyne and other officers went to her Grand Junction home on an unspecified family matter.

District Attorney Pete Hautzinger told The Associated Press that the investigation into allegations against Coyne remains active, and an affidavit remains sealed. He said there are no other suspects in the case.

Coyne is survived by his wife and two children.
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Previous Post: http://whathappenedtoprotectandserve.blogspot.com/2009/10/officer-glenn-coyne-arrested-for-sexual.html
Other Information:
http://www.gjsentinel.com/news/content/news/stories/2009/10/07/100809_1a_Coyne_death.html

Former Officer Jared Rohrig Pleads Not Guilty to Posing As Twin for Sex

A former Connecticut police officer has pleaded not guilty to allegations he posed as his twin brother to have sex with a woman, and then raped her when she realized the ruse and tried to leave.

Twenty-five-year-old Jared Rohrig of Milford appeared in Milford Superior Court on Wednesday. He says he's innocent of first-degree sexual assault and criminal impersonation charges.

The victim told Milford police that she was in a relationship with Rohrig's brother, Joseph, and went to see him at the Rohrigs' home in July.

Police say the woman realized during sex that she was with Jared Rohrig, because he didn't have a tattoo like his brother. She alleges Jared Rohrig continued the sex against her will when she tried to leave.

Jared Rohrig resigned from the Orange police department last month.
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http://www.upi.com/Top_News/2009/10/08/Twin-allegedly-pretended-to-be-brother/UPI-92271255043017/

Lt Troy Sallee Arrested for Drunk Driving

An officer with the Payette County Sheriff's office has resigned after being arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence and leaving the scene of an accident.

Sheriff Chad Huff says Lt. Troy Sallee was arrested late on Oct. 1.

He says Sallee resigned from the force the next day.

Huff says at the time of the arrest Sallee was on administrative leave during an internal investigation into an unrelated matter.

Huff says Sallee was a 12-year veteran of the Payette County Sheriff's office.
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http://www.ktvb.com/news/crime/stories/ktvbn-oct0709-deputy_dui.1f31f0c91.html

Officer Douglas Paulsen Arrested for Enticing Minor

A West Valley police officer assigned to Hunter High School as a school resource officer has been arrested in Layton after investigators there say he arrived for a prearranged sexual rendezvous with someone he believed was a 15-year-old boy.

Douglas L. Paulsen, 41, has been charged in 2nd District Court with six counts of dealing in material harmful to a minor, a third-degree felony, and one count of enticing a minor over the Internet, a class A misdemeanor.

A detective posing as a 15-year-old boy answered an online sex ad in early September that allegedly was posted by Paulsen, said Layton Police Lt. Garrett Atkin. The detective and Paulsen allegedly began exchanging e-mails.

"During their conversations, the adult male sent the undercover detective pornographic images," Atkin said.

Atkin said Paulsen and the "boy" set up a meeting at the Layton Hills Mall with the understanding that they would move to another location to engage in sex. When Paulsen arrived at the mall, he was taken into custody without incident.

Atkin said he could not release additional details about the case, citing the ongoing nature of the investigation.

Paulsen has worked with the West Valley Police Department for several years. His most recent assignment was working as the school resource officer for Hunter High School.

"Based on the allegation our officer is facing, we have placed him on paid administrative leave," said West Valley Police Capt. Anita Schwemmer.

West Valley police had little to say about the investigation Wednesday, referring all questions to Layton police.

As for his duties at the high school, Schwemmer said her department did not believe any student there was victimized.

"He actually has been a school resource officer at Hunter High School for several years," she said. "We've never had any complaints, rumors or information that has caused us any concern or any unethical behavior on his part at the school. We are interviewing individuals at the school to make sure there was no inappropriate behavior there."

Ben Horsley, spokesman for the Granite District, also referred questions about the case to the two police departments. However, he noted, "We don't believe our students have been impacted."

Paulsen was released Wednesday from the Davis County Jail following an initial court appearance.
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http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=148&sid=8220332

Deputy Mike Chauvin Charged with Having Sex with Minor

A 23-year veteran deputy of the Harrison County Sheriff’s Department was in custody Wednesday, accused of having sex with a minor who often baby-sat his adolescent son at the deputy’s Orange Grove home, Harrison County Sheriff Melvin Brisolara said.

The sheriff said 48-year-old Mike Chauvin, who’s been serving as a school resource deputy at North Woolmarket Elementary School for the past eight years, initially was suspended with pay Monday night as soon as the parents of the victim, now 17, came in to report their suspicions about Chauvin possibly engaging in sex acts with their daughter.

Brisolara said the Sheriff’s Department started conducting an internal investigation, but quickly realized that the case was turning criminal and turned over their findings to the Gulfport Police Department because the crime allegedly occurred in their jurisdiction at Chauvin’s home. Gulfport police made the arrest Wednesday, charging Chauvin with one count of sexual battery.

The investigation is continuing to determine if other charges would be filed, such as an enhanced charge of sexual battery while in a position of trust or authority. The maximum penalty for sexual battery is 20 years in prison.

The sheriff said Chauvin apparently began a sexual relationship with the girl sometime after she started baby-sitting for him in the past two years. “She was younger (than 17) when this happened,” Brisolara said.

On Wednesday, Harrison County sheriff’s investigators were continuing to work with Gulfport investigators to determine if additional charges will follow.

Brisolara said he hadn’t spoken to Chauvin since the investigation started, adding “I have no intention of talking to him.”

Brisolara was working at the Sheriff’s Department when Chauvin, whom he described as a quiet man, joined the force, first serving as a reserve officer before going full-time and working over the years in patrols and community relations before taking over as a school resource officer. Brisolara said the complaint this week was the first the Sheriff’s Department has received against him during his tenure.

Since Brisolara started serving his first term in office, he said he’s had to get rid of other sheriff’s deputies for violating departmental policies and procedures, and “this is the first criminal case I’ve worked (involving a deputy) since I’ve been in office.”

The sheriff said Chauvin was terminated Wednesday. After his arrest, he was taken to the Harrison County jail, where Brisolara said Chauvin was being placed in isolation for safety reasons.

As for the investigation that led to the arrest of one of Brisolara’s own deputies, he said he had no regrets.

Corrections Deputy Carlos Lopez Arrested for Sexual Assault

A Mendocino County corrections deputy found himself on the wrong side of cell bars after he was arrested on suspicion of sexually assaulting a woman as she was being released from jail.

Authorities say Carlos Alberto Lopez was booked into Mendocino County Jail Tuesday after he was accused of unlawfully touching the woman as she was being released.

Mendocino County Sheriff Tom Allman says the arrest of the 38-year-old Lopez comes after investigations by the Sheriff's Department internal affairs division and the Mendocino County District Attorney's Office.

Lopez was released after posting $15,000 bail. He has been placed on paid administrative leave.

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Information from: The Press Democrat, http://www.pressdemo.com

Three LAPD Officers Charged with Perjury & Conspiracy

Three Los Angeles police officers were charged today with perjury and conspiracy for allegedly lying under oath in a drug possession case that was dismissed last year when a videotape sharply contradicted their testimony.

The felony charges were brought by the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office.

In February, the U.S. Justice Department opened its own investigation into the officers' actions.

At issue are the actions of officers at a Hollywood apartment complex where a security camera documented the 2007 arrest of Guillermo Alarcon Jr.

At Alarcon's trial last year, Officers Richard Amio and Evan Samuel testified that they were on patrol in Los Angeles when they chased Alarcon, 29, into his Hollywood apartment building. The officers told jurors that they saw him throw away a black object.

They testified that Samuel quickly picked up the object and found about $260 worth of powder and crack cocaine inside. But footage from a security camera at the apartment building, which is managed by Alarcon's mother, showed that officers searched for more than 20 minutes before an object allegedly containing cocaine was found.

They were aided by other officers, including Manuel Ortiz, who testified about the case at a preliminary hearing in January. The quality of the tape, a copy of which was obtained by The Times, is poor and it is difficult to clearly hear what is being said. But at one point, soon after the drugs were found, an officer seems to make a reference to the arrest report that needed to be filled out.

"Be creative in your writing," the officer appears to tell another after the discovery. Alarcon's attorney argued at trial that his client was innocent and that the officers had planted evidence and then lied about it.

After viewing the videotape, Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Monica Bachner dismissed the charges at the request of prosecutors. The judge also declared Alarcon factually innocent.



http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-lapd-perjury7-2009oct07,0,17370.story

Former Sheriff Chris Abril Now Charged with Larceny & DWI

Former Polk County Sheriff Chris Abril is now charged with larceny. He is accused of stealing booze from Elmos Pub. Tuesday night Abril was charged with driving while impaired.

Abril resigned as sheriff last year, a day before pleading guilty to two counts of soliciting indecent liberties with minors.

He was on probation when officers arrested him Tuesday.

They say he was swerving over the center line on South Trade Street near Pierces tire in Tryon.

The Polk County Sheriff’s Office has not released the entire report to News Channel 7. According to what we do have from the Sheriff’s Office, deputies pulled over their former boss after they say they saw him go left of center. They say Abril had an open container and failed roadside breathalizers.

Under the rules of his probation he is subject to drug and alcohol tests.

Pam Johnson says her bartender told Abril not to drive when he left Elmos pub and Grill Tuesday night, “He said he had one and someone did come in to drive him home and when they were leaving as far as we know that was his driver.“

Abril was released on his on recognizance but his drivers license was revoked.
He is scheduled for a hearing in November.

By the way Thursday is Abril’s 48th birthday.
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http://tryondailybulletin.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3134&Itemid=251

Rickey Massey Dies After Being Tasered

An Albany man died Friday night after being stunned by Panama City Police officers during a joint narcotics investigation with the Bay County Sheriff's Office and the Bay Area Drug and Gang Enforcement Squad (BADGES), Florida Department of Law Enforcement spokesperson Michael Morrison said Monday.

The state department is currently investigating the incident that led to the death of Rickey R. Massey, 38, of Albany.

According to Florida authorities, Panama City police and the Bay County Sheriff's Office were conducting a joint narcotics operation near Turtle Lake apartments in Panama City around 2:30 p.m. Friday when they stopped a vehicle with four occupants who they believed to be in possession of drugs.

When officers approached the vehicle, they saw Massey swallowing what appeared to be cocaine. Authorities said that when they tried to stop Massey, he resisted and a struggle between Massey and officers ensued.

One of the officers used a Taser on Massey in an effort to subdue him.

Authorities said that after the Taser was applied, Massey began to have medical problems and was taken to a hospital, where he later died.

Panama City medical examiners performed an autopsy of Massey's body on Saturday and are currently waiting for the toxicology report and a review of tissue samples before determining the cause of death, officials said.

It is unknown at this time whether drugs or the Taser was the cause of Massey's death.

Bernard Crapps, 30, of Panama City and Jarell Daniels, 25, of Albany were in the vehicle with Massey and have been charged with possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Eric Oneal Sims, 24, who was also in the vehicle, is facing weapons and drug charges.

Morrison said that the Florida law enforcement officials are currently investigating the incident and are interviewing witnesses.

"We are currently on a fact-finding mission," he said. "There is an active investigation that is ongoing and we will have the results of that investigation soon."

Officer Anthony Rollins Under House Arrest for Sexual Assault

An Anchorage police officer accused of sexually assaulting women while on duty has been released on $100,000 bail.

Anthony Rollins will be under house arrest with electronic monitoring until his trial.

Rollins will be allowed to go to church on Sunday, but otherwise he's confined to his home.

The 41-year-old is a 13-year police veteran who was indicted in July and pleaded not guilty to 14 felonies and six misdemeanors.
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More Information: http://www.ktuu.com/Global/story.asp?S=11262472

Officer James Mansberger Arrested for Public Intoxication

A suspended Fort Wayne police officer has been arrested, for the second time in a week.

33-year-old James Mansberger was taken into custody in Mishawaka on charges of public intoxication and leaving the scene of an accident early Sunday.

This, after mansberger was arrested last Wednesday on drinking and driving charges in Antwerp, Ohio.

He was suspended from the Fort Wayne police force in July for failing to file a report after he crashed his squad car.

He resigned on Friday.

YouTube Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjsxGFND2vg

Officer Anthony Santo Arrested for Sexually Assaulting Minor

An 18-year veteran of the Norwalk Police Department has been placed on administrative leave after he was arrested Friday by Greenwich Police for allegedly sexually assaulting a minor.

Officer Anthony Santo, 42, turned himself into the Greenwich Police Department on a warrant for second-degree sexual assault and risk of injury to a minor.

Greenwich Police said the arrest stems from a three-month long investigation into the sexual assault of a minor and would not divulge further details about the arrest.

Norwalk Police Chief Harry Rilling said the arrest is related to an incident that occurred five or six years ago at a home in Greenwich. He could not give details of the arrest because the investigation is ongoing.

Rilling said the department will await the outcome of the criminal investigation before deciding whether to take further action in the matter.

"He's been a member of the department for quite some time," he said. "We've never had any complaints about him from the community or his fellow officers."

Sources close to The Hour said the sexual-assault victim may have only recently revealed the allegations to police. Under Connecticut state law, the statute of limitations to file a rape charge is 30 years after the incident occurred.

Friday's arrest marks the third time in three years that a Norwalk police officer has been charged with sex crimes.

Former Lieut. Thomas Cummings was arrested in January 2008 on multiple charges stemming from accusations of inappropriate sexual contact with two teenage boys.

Former officer Ray DeCamillo was recently released from prison after serving a nine-month sentence for sexually assaulting a 20-year-old Norwalk woman while on duty in 2006. He registered on the New Canaan sex-offender registry in September.

Trooper Daniel Martin in Trouble Again for Using Excessive Force

An Oklahoma Highway Patrol trooper who was suspended after being involved in a scuffle with an emergency medical technician in May was put on paid administrative leave Sunday in connection with another incident.

MultimediaPhotoview all photos Troopers Daniel Martin and Tommy Allen were placed on administrative leave after a Holdenville man filed a complaint after he was arrested on Saturday.

"Basically, there was a traffic stop last night and out of that an individual was jailed and the guy apparently contacted the department today wanting to file a complaint," said patrol Capt. Chris West. "Based on the nature of the complaint and what Martin went through (previously), we thought we'd just go ahead and pull him off and investigate."

The Holdenville man was not a party in the initial traffic stop, West said, and got involved during the incident.

"It was another individual that got involved," West said. "We'll know more tomorrow."

West didn't identify the man filing the complain, but Khristopher Douglas told KWTV-9 that he was on a friend's property when the troopers pulled up. Douglas said they demanded that he move away from the house and toward the street. When he did, he said he was thrown to the ground, beaten with a club and arrested.

"He (Martin) started beating me with the nightstick and the other officer jumped on my back and put a knee in my back and I was getting hit with the nightstick," Douglas said.

This is the second time this year Martin has been investigated for his actions. In July, Martin was suspended for five days after an investigation of a May 24 scuffle with emergency medical technician Maurice White Jr.

In that incident, Martin pulled over an ambulance in Paden after the driver, Paul Franks, failed to yield to Martin's patrol car while responding to a call of a stolen vehicle. Martin later pulled the ambulance over, saying Franks gave him an obscene gesture, which Franks denies.

White approached Martin from the back of the ambulance. Martin said White kept getting in his way, and finally Martin tried to arrest White for obstructing an officer. That sparked the first of two scuffles as Martin said he tried to arrest White but the paramedic threw up his arms to resist the arrest.

A cell-phone video of the incident was placed on YouTube.

Martin was previously the chief of police at Fairfax in Osage County from March 1999 to July 2000, which ended with his firing. He also served in the Stillwater Police Department from October 2000 to March 2007.

Carlos Rodriguez Dies After Being Tasered by Deputies

A man died after sheriff's deputies used a Taser stun gun to subdue him during an altercation at an apartment complex in Norcross. Twenty-seven-year-old Carlos Rodriguez died yesterday at a hospital from injuries he received during a fight with two deputies.

Gwinnett County Sheriff's Department spokeswoman Stacey Bourbonnais says the deputies first went to the apartment complex to serve an unrelated eviction. But they noticed Rodriguez, who appeared heavily intoxicated.

The sheriff's department says that when deputies approached him, he became combative and got into a fight with them. Authorities say another man tried to subdue Rodriguez by using a chokehold. An autopsy is pending and the two deputies were placed on paid administrative leave while the incident is being investigated.


http://www.portcityunderground.com/?p=102546

Highway Patrol Officer Richard Handwork Arrested for Cruelty to Child

A California Highway Patrol officer has been arrested in Northern California on suspicion of child cruelty and spousal abuse.

The California Highway Patrol says 44-year-old Richard Joseph Handwork of Yuba City was arrested Friday at the CHP office in Yuba City on suspicion of inflicting corporal injury to a spouse or cohabitant and suspicion of willful cruelty to a child.

Authorities did not release details about the alleged crimes.

Capt. Jim Young, commander of the Yuba-Sutter CHP office, said an internal investigation is under way. Handwork has been placed on administrative duty until it is completed.

Handwork was released from the Sutter County Sheriff's Department on $50,000 bail. He is scheduled to appear in court Nov. 2.

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Other Information:
http://www.appeal-democrat.com/news/chp-87275-handwork-office.html
Information from: Appeal-Democrat, http://www.appeal-democrat.com/

Officer Glenn Coyne Arrested for Sexual Assault

A Grand Junction police officer accused of burglary and sexually assaulting a woman while he was off duty, has been released from jail after posting bail.

Glenn Coyne was being held on $250,000 bond after his arrest Thursday on suspicion of first-degree assault and first-degree burglary. The 35-year-old officer has been fired after two years on the force.

Authorities say Coyne is accused of assaulting a woman who called him for follow-up help after Coyne and other officers went to her house on an unspecified family matter. Authorities say the alleged assault happened after Coyne's shift at 1 a.m. Tuesday.

Coyne's home phone is unlisted, and it wasn't clear whether he had an attorney.

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Information from: The Daily Sentinel, http://www.gjsentinel.com/

Lt Manny Escoto Charged with Contempt of Court

A Uintah County police lieutenant has personally apologized to the judge who filed a contempt-of-court complaint against him.

Naples Police Lt. Manny Escoto has been accused by 8th District Judge A. Lynn Payne of disregarding instructions given to him after the judge signed a search warrant in late July. On Wednesday, Escoto told Payne he misunderstood the judge's decision to limit the scope of the search warrant in question. He offered to resign immediately from the police force as a demonstration of his remorse.

Payne, who said he'd never held an officer in contempt in his 22 years on the bench, rejected Escoto's offer, saying that wasn't what he wanted. He made Escoto promise not to resign.

In a Sept. 15 complaint, Payne said Escoto appeared in his chambers seeking a warrant to access information on a cell phone. Authorities were investigating allegations that an unnamed juvenile had engaged in sexual activity with a 12-year-old girl. They believed the phone contained text messages, images and videos related to the juvenile's alleged sexual activity with other possible victims, according to the search-warrant application.

"Although the proposed warrant only requested the search of the cell phone, it was apparent to the court that Lt. Escoto also sought authority to search the records of Alltel Inc.," Payne wrote in his complaint, noting the cell-phone company was not a party in the case.

"The court informed Lt. Escoto that the court would not authorize a search of the records of Alltel Inc.," Payne continued, "and that an investigative subpoena would have to be issued to obtain the records."

Payne said he called the prosecutor involved in the investigation, Mike Drechsel, and spoke with him while Escoto was still in the judge's chambers. Payne said he reiterated the need for a subpoena to access phone-company records, and Drechsel agreed to prepare the required paperwork.

The judge noted that the conversation with Drechsel took place on speakerphone, allowing Escoto to hear what was said by both parties.

"The court signed the warrant, and when handing the warrant to Lt. Escoto, the court asked Lt. Escoto if he understood that the warrant only authorized the search of the cell phone and did not authorize him to search the records of Alltel Inc.," Payne wrote. "Lt. Escoto indicated that he understood."

The judge said Drechsel later informed him that Escoto had served the search warrant on Alltel, which Payne said was done "without the authority of the court" and "in violation of the court's specific directive not to do so."

Naples Police Chief Mark Watkins said he has conducted an informal investigation into the judge's allegations against Escoto, his second in command.

The chief said Escoto maintains that he believed Payne had authorized him to serve the warrant on Alltel "that one time" for the purpose of securing text-message records, which are only accessible for 10 days. Watkins said the lieutenant believed that the judge's order that a subpoena be secured for phone-company records would apply to future investigations.

"He follows the rules," Watkins said. "That's what leads me to believe there was a misunderstanding."

Payne has set an Oct. 28 date for a hearing on the matter.

Lt Michael Leary Arrested for Real Estate Fraud

A Sacramento County sheriff's lieutenant who served on the Elk Grove city council has been arrested on charges of real estate fraud.

Sacramento County District Attorney's spokeswoman Shelly Orio says 49-year-old Michael Leary was arrested Friday on grand theft and forgery charges.

Leary is charged with stealing a $610,000 home he co-owned with his girlfriend by altering a grant deed in January 2006, and two counts of passing the document as being legitimate. Investigators say he later evicted his girlfriend.

A sheriff's spokesman says the 27-year veteran has been placed on paid leave.

Leary lost an election to retain his Elk Grove council seat last year.

He's posted $15,000 bail and is due in court for an Oct. 9 court hearing. There was no phone or attorney listing for him.

Drew Peterson's Trial Will Not be Moved

A judge on Friday refused to move Drew Peterson's murder trial and said a law that prosecutors want to use to allow his ex-wife he's accused of killing to "testify from the grave" is constitutional.

Will County Judge Stephen White's rulings were setbacks for Peterson, a former Bolingbrook police officer who garnered national attention after the October 2007 disappearance of his fourth wife, Stacy Peterson. White also will decide which statements prosecutors can use at Peterson's trial.

Peterson, 55, has pleaded innocent to first-degree murder in the 2004 death of his third wife, Kathleen Savio. He also is a suspect in Stacy Peterson's disappearance. He has denied wrongdoing.

Peterson's attorneys had asked to move the trial, saying the often extensive and often inflammatory publicity surrounding Peterson made it impossible to receive a fair trial in Will County. They also said that that during Peterson's three decades as a police officer he might have arrested or ticketed potential jurors and their family members.

Prosecutors argued that Peterson and his attorneys have themselves to blame for much of the publicity, pointing to the numerous interviews they have given on local and national media.

Will County State's Attorney James Glasgow also has said that his office would agree to a change of venue if it became clear during jury selection that a fair trial was impossible.

Peterson's attorney, Joel Brodsky, said the ruling on the change of venue was not a surprise. He said there still is a chance the judge could agree to moving the trial out of the county if it becomes clear during jury selection that prospective jurors are so biased against Peterson that he could not receive a fair trial.

White ruled that the state's so-called "hearsay" law is constitutional. Peterson's attorneys argued that it denies suspects' right to confront their accusers. But prosecutors said the Illinois law is in line with well-established federal law and, in fact, several other states have similar laws that have survived more than two dozen legal challenges.

Glasgow would not discuss which statements he intends to try to admit as evidence at the trial, but it is clear his office wants to let Savio herself tell jurors why Peterson wanted her dead.

"In essence, what you're basically allowing the victim of a violent crime to do is testify from the grave," he said shortly after Peterson was arrested in May.

Possible evidence in the case might include letters written by Savio, who was seeking orders of protection, in which she said Peterson would kill her to shut her up and her sister's testimony at a coroner's jury that Savio told her family it would be no accident if she died.

Brodsky said he has not decided whether to appeal the judge's decision on the hearsay law to the Illinois Supreme Court.

Police Brutality Could Cost Milwaukee $3 Million

In what could be the biggest police brutality settlement in Milwaukee history, City Attorney Grant Langley is recommending the city pay $3 million to a man who was paralyzed after his 2003 arrest.

The officer accused in the beating was later fired for covering up an incident in which he and other officers went sledding on duty.

If the Common Council agrees, the city would have to borrow the money to settle the federal civil rights lawsuit filed by Curtis Harris. Two council committees will consider the deal this week.

In December 2003, Officer Kevin Clark and his partner, Officer Joseph Schankey, arrested Harris at his sister's home after he was accused of threatening her and her children. Harris previously had been convicted of obstructing police. The officers also reported Harris was drunk, an allegation he denied.

While Harris was being booked at the 3rd District police station, Clark threw him to the floor. Clark claimed Harris was about to take a swing at him. Harris said that wasn't possible because Clark was behind him.

In his lawsuit, Harris alleged that Clark slammed Harris' head into a wall and drove his knee into Harris' back. As a result, Harris said he became a quadriplegic for life. He filed suit against Clark, Schankey and the city.

Less than two months after arresting Harris, Clark became entangled in a separate incident that eventually cost him his job.

In late January 2004, he and other officers working on the 3rd District late shift decided to go sledding at Calvary Cemetery on W. Blue Mound Road. Clark crashed his sled and broke several ribs.

A sergeant in the group then ordered the officers to devise a coverup, in which they claimed Clark was injured while pursuing a burglary suspect. The sergeant even recommended Clark for a commendation, which was never awarded.

Clark collected $11,485 in worker's compensation before the scam was exposed. He pleaded guilty to insurance fraud, was fined $500 and fired by then-Police Chief Nannette Hegerty. The sergeant was convicted of misconduct in public office and resigned, and another officer involved in the coverup was convicted of obstructing justice and fired.

Langley said Clark's disciplinary record would have led to questions about his credibility if he had to testify before a jury.

With future medical expenses for Harris projected at more than $4 million, Langley said he was concerned jurors might award Harris more than the $3 million proposed in the settlement.

Langley said this would be the largest settlement of an excessive-force suit that he can recall in the 38 years he has worked for the city attorney's office, including 25 years in his current post.

The Harris settlement would be almost twice the $1.6 million that the city paid last year in a settlement with the family of Justin Fields, who was shot and killed while fleeing police in 2003. The family of Daniel Bell, who was killed by police in a 1958 incident that was covered up for 20 years, won $1.6 million in a jury trial.

Among other cases, the Harris settlement would be nearly as much as the $3.2 million total that the city paid in two separate 2007 reverse-discrimination settlements with 28 current and former police lieutenants who accused former Police Chief Arthur Jones of refusing to promote them to captain because they are white men.

But a much higher-profile police brutality case is still working its way through the courts. Frank Jude Jr. is seeking $30 million in a federal civil rights lawsuit against the city and eight former officers linked to his beating at a 2004 Bay View party.

Six of those officers have been convicted of criminal civil rights violations, including five who were fired and one who resigned. A seventh officer was acquitted and reinstated, and the eighth was never charged.

Deputy Manuel Silva Arrested for Extortion

A Broward County Sheriff’s deputy was arrested on extortion, burglary and drug charges, marking the third time this year a Broward deputy has been charged with a crime.

Manuel Silva, 34, was arrested Friday under allegations that he possessed oxycodone and other drugs without a prescription.

Sheriff officials have not released any more information, including whether he committed crimes while on duty.

He remains in jail, according to the Broward County Jail website.

Broward County Sheriff Manuel Silva was arrested on drug, burglary and extortion charges on Friday, marking the third Broward deputy to be criminally charged this year In August, Broward Sheriff’s deputy Jonathan Bleiweiss was arrested for allegedly using his authority to coerce sex from male illegal immigrants. He faces 58 charges.

In April, Broward Sheriff’s deputy Charles Grady resigned after he was sentenced to two years probation for inappropriately touching women during traffic stops.

Deputy Jeffrey Swartz Charged with Domestic Violence

A deputy with the Hernando County Sheriff's Office is accused of assaulting his wife.

Jeffrey P. Swartz, 34, was charged Saturday with domestic battery and placed on administrative leave, according to a sheriff's office report.

Swartz has been employed with the agency since April 2001 and is currently assigned as a District 2 detective.

Swartz had a "get together" at his residence in which alcoholic beverages were consumed, the report said.

An argument between Swartz and his wife took place, which turned into a physical altercation, the report stated.

Swartz pushed his wife onto the floor of their bedroom. Swartz then placed his arms around her neck, but she was able to break free, the report stated.

The deputy continued being aggressive and grabbed his wife's arms, which prevented her from moving them, the report stated. After breaking Swartz' grasp, she was able to call the sheriff's office for help, the report stated.

The wife sustained red marks on the front of her neck and right arm, which is consistent with her allegations, the report stated.

Swartz had red marks on his right arm. Neither Swartz nor the victim required medical attention, the report stated.

A witness who was at the residence during part of the battery said Swartz threw the victim to the bedroom floor, the report stated. Swartz was transported to the Hernando County Jail without incident.

Sgt. Donna Black, spokeswoman for the sheriff's office, declined to comment further about the case.

Detective Oscar Sandino Charged with Making Lewd Remarks to Prisoner

A veteran detective was arrested Friday on charges of making lewd remarks to a female prisoner, police sources said.

The suspect, Detective Oscar Sandino, 36, was sued in June by a Queens woman who accused him of sodomizing her in a police station bathroom. There were no criminal charges, the sources said.

The latest incident involved a court officer arrested for obstructing governmental administration, who accused Sandino of making a sexual remark to her while she was being moved from a holding cell on Sept. 16.

Sandino was charged with harassment and official misconduct, sources said.

In the federal lawsuit, still pending, a 29-year-old woman said Sandino - following a 2008 drug raid at her apartment - groped and sodomized her while she was in custody.

Officer Andrew Kelly Charged with Vehicular Manslaughter

The New York Police Department has suspended a third officer following an alleged drunken driving accident that killed a pastor's daughter on a Brooklyn street.

An off-duty officer, Andrew Kelly, has pleaded not guilty to vehicular manslaughter and driving while intoxicated.

The officer was suspended after surveillance video showed he gave Kelly gum and bottles of water at the scene. Another officer was suspended last week for fleeing the scene of the accident.

Vionique Valnord (vee-oh-NEEK' val-NORD') was killed early Sunday as she tried to hail a cab after a wedding reception.

Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly has called the case is 'disturbing.' The department's internal probe continues.

Sgt. Jason McGinness Indicted for Stealing at Traffic Stop

A Clay County grand jury has indicted a former Claycomo police sergeant, alleging he stole more than $500 from a Spanish-speaking worker during a vehicle stop last July.

The jury indicted Jason McGinness on Sept. 22, police said Thursday. A language barrier delayed the investigation, according to Police Chief Matt Coonce.

The victim lives in Laredo, Texas, and travels throughout the country constructing grain elevators. Police also interviewed people who were traveling with him at the time.

McGinness was fired after an initial investigation found he had violated the workers’ civil rights, Coonce said.
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http://www.kctv5.com/news/21179991/detail.html

Officer Andrew Kelly No Hero

A cop who mowed down a preacher's daughter was no hero at the scene, family members and sources familiar with the probe of the drunk driving crash told the Daily News Friday.

"That story is a bunch of bull," a source said referring to Officer Andrew Kelly's claim that he gave the victim CPR moments after the Sunday morning accident.

"He barely touched the girl. His hands were almost on her stomach, not her chest."

Investigators believe someone who was at the same Brooklyn wedding that victim Vionique Valnord had just attended was desperately pumping her chest and giving her mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.

"His mouth never even touched her mouth," the source said, adding that a second person who also attended the wedding was helping with the mouth-to-mouth.

Kelly's hero pose outraged Valnord's family.

"I think it's an insult," Valnord's father, the Rev. Varius Valnord told the News.

"He's trying to take the blame from himself. He's the one to blame. I forgive him, but the lord will do the right thing."

The 7-year-veteran cop was charged with vehicular manslaughter and DWI for slamming his Jeep Cherokee into Valnord as she hailed a cab in Old Mill Basin.

Three passengers, including a fellow officer, fled. It took seven hours to get Kelly's blood for an alcohol test. NYPD Internal Affairs investigators are probing for a possible cover-up by cops at the scene.

One officer has been suspended for giving Kelly two bottles of water and gum after the crash, News reported earlier Friday.

Kelly's lawyer, Arthur Aidala, handed a prosecutor a condolence card for Valnord's family in court Friday, and again insisted the officer wasn't drunk.

Aidala earlier this week said that Kelly "brought her back to life" and that she was breathing when he "handed" Valnord over to the paramedics. "She never regained consciousness," a source told The News.

Kelly had worked a regular shift at the 68th Precinct earlier in the day before going to a bar, then to a friend's house to watch the Notre Dame football game, and then to a second bar where he allegedly had six-to-eight drinks.

His blood alcohol level later found no booze in his system. Witnesses told investigators Kelly was unsteady, had glassy eyes and smelled of alcohol, although he was given gum and water and was chain-smoking cigarettes at the scene.

"This would be another example of police attempting to help cover-up for a fellow officer who may have committed a serious crime," said lawyer Sanford Rubenstein, who the family has hired.

"No matter what spin is being attempted, the facts speak for themselves. He was not sober at the time of this tragedy."
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Other Information: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/03/nyregion/03dwi.html

Officer Dustin Whitehead Arrested for Misconduct

Illinois State Police arrested a city officer for "actions relating to the officer's official conduct as a police officer," according to a news release sent out by the Marion Police Department.

According to Marion Mayor Bob Butler, the officer is a patrolman who has been on the force five or six years. The officer has been placed on administrative leave by the Marion Police Department pending the results of the investigation.

The officer has been identified as Dustin Whitehead by media reports. Whitehead, a native of Marion, was formerly employed at the Williamson County Jail.

According to Illinois State Police, investigators handed the case over the Williamson County State's Attorney's Office for charges to be filed. Our attempts to reach Williamson County State's Attorney Chuck Garnati were unsuccessful.

Heartland News also contacted the Williamson County Jail to see if the officer in question is not in their custody. Jailers say the officer is not and has not been in their jail.

Illinois State Police continue the investigation into the incident.
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http://www.mariondaily.com/newsnow/x1699610242/Arrested-Marion-officer-identified