Town of Beloit Police Chief John Wilson has filed charges against one of his officers and requests the officer be suspended for up to 90 days.
A recently appointed disciplinary committee will hold a hearing and could act on the matter Tuesday.
Wilson on Sept. 22 filed a document listing five charges against officer Mike Bogdonas. The charges were a result of a complaint filed by a resident after Bogdonas responded to a July 12 domestic incident.
The charges accuse Bogdonas of behaving in a manner unbecoming an officer, being disloyal to the police department and lying, according to a copy of the complaint obtained by the Gazette.
According to the complaint:
-- During the July 12 incident, Bogdonas told a family member involved in the July 12 incident that if Bogdonas wasn’t “a cop, I’d probably go over and punch” his own mother-in-law in the head.
-- Bogdonas talked extensively about his personal life during the response.
-- Bogdonas told an accused batterer he would have done the same thing.
-- During the incident, Bogdonas talked about internal matters at the police department. He mentioned recent disputes and investigations in the department and spoke negatively about Wilson and Town Administrator Bob Museus.
-- During an internal investigation of the matter, Bogdonas denied the accusations against him. He made false and misrepresentative statements.
His actions at the July 12 incident and his responses during the investigation violate the police department’s code of conduct, according to the charging document.
The disciplinary hearing will look a lot like a court hearing, town attorney Bill Henderson said. The three committee members will hear testimony from both sides, he said.
Then the committee will go into closed session to make a decision, Henderson said. The committee’s decision is final and will not need to go to the town board for approval, he said.
The committee could take up to three days to make a decision, Henderson said.
The committee members are Robert Harris, Karl Salzberg and Dee Nyre.
Because the town does not have a police committee, state statutes allow it to appoint a disciplinary committee or hearing officer when necessary, Henderson said.
Recently, Bogdonas was one of three department members investigated by the Rock County Sheriff’s Office.
A resident had accused Bogdonas of calling him in January and sharing information about a criminal investigation.
In May, Rock County District Attorney David O’Leary closed the case against Bogdonas and declined to file charges.
A second investigation turned up the fact that Wilson had told a waitress about the sheriff’s investigation. She told Sgt. Willie Abegglen, who told Bogdonas.
Abegglen was suspended for three days without pay. Wilson received a letter of reprimand.
Monday, November 23, 2009
Friday, November 20, 2009
Sgt. Don LeDuff Accused of Shoplifting Perfume
A sergeant in the New Orleans Police Department's juvenile division retired Friday after he was accused of shoplifting a perfume bottle in a Metairie mall, authorities said.
Sergeant Don G. LeDuff, who served 34 years on the force, was accused of pilfering a bottle of fragrance from the J.C. Penney store at Lakeside Shopping Center in plain view of mall security guards, said Col. John Fortunato, a Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office spokesman.
Deputies issued LeDuff a misdemeanor summons for theft of an item worth less than $100. The Sheriff's Office notified NOPD's Public Integrity Bureau, Fortunato said, and LeDuff opted to retire "with more than 30 years on the job," New Orleans police spokesman Garry Flot said.
It wasn't clear Saturday if the accusations would affect LeDuff's retirement status, Flot said. LeDuff did not return a telephone message.
LeDuff's legal entanglement offered an ironic twist to a career that began in 1975.
In the days after Hurricane Katrina, he was credited with fending off looters intent on breaking into the Marriott Convention Center Hotel, according to a story in New Orleans CityBusiness.
The following year, the nonprofit NOLA's Ark, which planned to repair the flooded homes of at least 50 metro-area first responders, rewarded LeDuff by selecting his eastern New Orleans home as one of the first three to be fixed.
Sergeant Don G. LeDuff, who served 34 years on the force, was accused of pilfering a bottle of fragrance from the J.C. Penney store at Lakeside Shopping Center in plain view of mall security guards, said Col. John Fortunato, a Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office spokesman.
Deputies issued LeDuff a misdemeanor summons for theft of an item worth less than $100. The Sheriff's Office notified NOPD's Public Integrity Bureau, Fortunato said, and LeDuff opted to retire "with more than 30 years on the job," New Orleans police spokesman Garry Flot said.
It wasn't clear Saturday if the accusations would affect LeDuff's retirement status, Flot said. LeDuff did not return a telephone message.
LeDuff's legal entanglement offered an ironic twist to a career that began in 1975.
In the days after Hurricane Katrina, he was credited with fending off looters intent on breaking into the Marriott Convention Center Hotel, according to a story in New Orleans CityBusiness.
The following year, the nonprofit NOLA's Ark, which planned to repair the flooded homes of at least 50 metro-area first responders, rewarded LeDuff by selecting his eastern New Orleans home as one of the first three to be fixed.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Brian Cardall Dies After Being Tasered
Prosecutors in southern Utah announced Thursday they will not file charges against Hurricane City police for the death of a mentally ill man they subdued with a Taser.
That's in spite of a medical examiner's report which says the Taser may be what killed him.
Cause of Brian Cardall's death
Officers at the scene attributed Brian Cardall's death to a controversial medical diagnosis called "excited delirium." But the medical examiner's report KSL News obtained Thursday said some elements of that supposed disorder did not occur.
The cause of Brian Cardall's death was ventricular fibrillation--a faulty rhythm in the heart muscle--after he was tased. The medical examiner's report says it "is consistent with findings seen in cases of electrocution," but the report did not conclusively find it was caused by the Taser.
Cardall died of cardiac arrest last June after he was hit by a Taser and then given two jolts of 50,000 volts. He had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder and was experiencing a manic episode, running naked on a rural stretch of state Route 59.
After Cardall's wife called 911 for medical assistance, police officer Ken Thompson fired Taser darts into Cardall's chest.
A team of prosecutors recommended unanimously that Thompson not be charged with a crime.
Washington County prosecutors' findings
Washington County Attorney Brock Belnap said Officer Thompson "responded to a tense, uncertain and rapidly unfolding situation in a manner consistent with his training."
During a press conference Thursday afternoon, Hurricane Police Chief Lynn Excell said, "I was there. I know what happened at the scene. The evidence in this case clearly shows that the officers were justified and that their actions were justified and that their actions were reasonable under that circumstance."
Peter Stirba, who is the attorney representing Hurricane City, said, "We view this as a very deep human tragedy for everyone involved.
But they refused to answer any questions about the investigation or the medical examiner's report.
The report says "it is possible that the [Taser] is a primary or contributory cause of death" and that certain factors increased the risk. Among those was that the Taser's electric darts were not impeded by clothing, so they penetrated into muscle very close to the heart.
"Sometimes two and two equals four; and I think that's what the ME's report said, that he was killed by the tasering," said Cardall family attorney Karra Porter. "What the family wanted, and still wants, is for a more thorough investigation of what happened."
Cardall family's response to report
As for the Cardall family, Porter said they are disappointed but not surprised by the report. She said the investigation failed to address "key evidence" in the case from an eyewitness account of the tasing.
"The prosecutor's office makes no effort to explain the clear contradiction of Officer Thompson's claim that Brian was running at him with the account of both the eyewitness and Anna Cardall that Brian took only a single step towards Thompson," said Porter in the statement.
Porter also told KSL News, "They really still don't explain why Officer Thompson tased Brian again when he's sitting on the ground."
In addition, Porter said the report failed to address the fact that Thompson "got out of the car with his Taser already drawn" and that Thompson "knew that Brian had no weapon."
"In light of the county attorney's decision, the family will discuss their options for ensuring that the full truth emerges regarding Brian's death," said Porter. "I think they also want to feel reassured that steps are being taken to prevent other senseless deaths in the future." [CLICK HERE to read the full statement from Karra Porter].
More than 400 people have died over the years after being tased by police.
As Porter alluded to, the Cardall family is contemplating further legal action. They're also upset that Cardall's wife was detained at the county jail for more than an hour right after her husband died and wasn't even allowed to get a diaper for their baby.
Response from Nami Utah
Meanwhile, the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) of Utah says the Cardall case shows how important it is that all Utah law enforcement officers receive crisis intervention training.
Sherri Wittmer of NAMI Utah says Utah has one of the best CIT programs in the nation, and it includes how to deal with people who are mentally ill.
That's in spite of a medical examiner's report which says the Taser may be what killed him.
Cause of Brian Cardall's death
Officers at the scene attributed Brian Cardall's death to a controversial medical diagnosis called "excited delirium." But the medical examiner's report KSL News obtained Thursday said some elements of that supposed disorder did not occur.
The cause of Brian Cardall's death was ventricular fibrillation--a faulty rhythm in the heart muscle--after he was tased. The medical examiner's report says it "is consistent with findings seen in cases of electrocution," but the report did not conclusively find it was caused by the Taser.
Cardall died of cardiac arrest last June after he was hit by a Taser and then given two jolts of 50,000 volts. He had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder and was experiencing a manic episode, running naked on a rural stretch of state Route 59.
After Cardall's wife called 911 for medical assistance, police officer Ken Thompson fired Taser darts into Cardall's chest.
A team of prosecutors recommended unanimously that Thompson not be charged with a crime.
Washington County prosecutors' findings
Washington County Attorney Brock Belnap said Officer Thompson "responded to a tense, uncertain and rapidly unfolding situation in a manner consistent with his training."
During a press conference Thursday afternoon, Hurricane Police Chief Lynn Excell said, "I was there. I know what happened at the scene. The evidence in this case clearly shows that the officers were justified and that their actions were justified and that their actions were reasonable under that circumstance."
Peter Stirba, who is the attorney representing Hurricane City, said, "We view this as a very deep human tragedy for everyone involved.
But they refused to answer any questions about the investigation or the medical examiner's report.
The report says "it is possible that the [Taser] is a primary or contributory cause of death" and that certain factors increased the risk. Among those was that the Taser's electric darts were not impeded by clothing, so they penetrated into muscle very close to the heart.
"Sometimes two and two equals four; and I think that's what the ME's report said, that he was killed by the tasering," said Cardall family attorney Karra Porter. "What the family wanted, and still wants, is for a more thorough investigation of what happened."
Cardall family's response to report
As for the Cardall family, Porter said they are disappointed but not surprised by the report. She said the investigation failed to address "key evidence" in the case from an eyewitness account of the tasing.
"The prosecutor's office makes no effort to explain the clear contradiction of Officer Thompson's claim that Brian was running at him with the account of both the eyewitness and Anna Cardall that Brian took only a single step towards Thompson," said Porter in the statement.
Porter also told KSL News, "They really still don't explain why Officer Thompson tased Brian again when he's sitting on the ground."
In addition, Porter said the report failed to address the fact that Thompson "got out of the car with his Taser already drawn" and that Thompson "knew that Brian had no weapon."
"In light of the county attorney's decision, the family will discuss their options for ensuring that the full truth emerges regarding Brian's death," said Porter. "I think they also want to feel reassured that steps are being taken to prevent other senseless deaths in the future." [CLICK HERE to read the full statement from Karra Porter].
More than 400 people have died over the years after being tased by police.
As Porter alluded to, the Cardall family is contemplating further legal action. They're also upset that Cardall's wife was detained at the county jail for more than an hour right after her husband died and wasn't even allowed to get a diaper for their baby.
Response from Nami Utah
Meanwhile, the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) of Utah says the Cardall case shows how important it is that all Utah law enforcement officers receive crisis intervention training.
Sherri Wittmer of NAMI Utah says Utah has one of the best CIT programs in the nation, and it includes how to deal with people who are mentally ill.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Jail Guard Joey Montoya Charged with Raping Female Prisoner
An Española jail guard faces a rape charge after his alleged sexual assault of a female detainee.
Police also are investigating the role of another guard there, who was placed on administrative leave after the incident.
Joey Montoya, 21, was on duty at Española Police Department's holding facility Saturday when he left with a 20-year-old woman who was there for alcohol detox following a domestic dispute, according to police Lt. Christian Lopez.
Montoya offered the woman a ride home in his own vehicle and, along the way, he drove her to an area behind Española High School, where the two had sex, Lopez said.
Montoya admitted to the intercourse, but said it was consensual. Lopez said the woman told police that she went a long with the encounter out of intimidation.
According to a police statement of probable cause, the woman begrudgingly went along with it. "(She) stated that she never told Mr. Montoya no or to stop because she did not know where she was at and didn't want him to leave her there," the report states.
Montoya then dropped off the woman at the same home where she had been involved in the dispute that landed her in detox.
Before the woman got out of Montoya's truck, the officer "told her that she could not say anything because he would get into a lot of trouble," according to the report.
The woman then told her mother - with whom she had the earlier domestic dispute - and the mother called police.
Officers originally were dispatched to the woman's home at about 5 a.m. Saturday after receiving a call that she and her mother were involved in an altercation, Lopez said. The woman had left with her boyfriend before police arrived.
But the couple argued inside the boyfriend's vehicle and he ended up dropping her off on N.M. 106, on the south side of town. A Santa Clara Pueblo tribal officer in the area saw the woman walking alongside the road and contacted Española police.
An officer then came by and took the woman - who had been drinking - to the hold- ing facility to sober up.
"She was intoxicated on the side of the road and we couldn't take her home where she had been involved in the incident with her mother," Lopez said. "Our concern was her safety at that point."
While at the facility - which is typically used to temporarily hold people for detox or following their arrests - the woman was told to strip out of her clothes and put on a jail jumpsuit. However, she didn't stay in custody very long after Montoya allegedly offered her a ride home, which the woman accepted, Lopez said.
Montoya was arrested at his home that afternoon. He faces charges of criminal sexual penetration and intimidation of a witness. The language in the rape charge states that the woman was "confined in a correctional facility or jail when the perpetrator is in a position of authority over the inmate."
Because of Montoya's job, Lopez would not say where he was jailed. The lieutenant did say that Montoya is out on bond.
Another guard who was working there at the time - whom Lopez would not name because he has not been charged - has been put on leave and police are investigating his role from that day.
Police also are investigating the role of another guard there, who was placed on administrative leave after the incident.
Joey Montoya, 21, was on duty at Española Police Department's holding facility Saturday when he left with a 20-year-old woman who was there for alcohol detox following a domestic dispute, according to police Lt. Christian Lopez.
Montoya offered the woman a ride home in his own vehicle and, along the way, he drove her to an area behind Española High School, where the two had sex, Lopez said.
Montoya admitted to the intercourse, but said it was consensual. Lopez said the woman told police that she went a long with the encounter out of intimidation.
According to a police statement of probable cause, the woman begrudgingly went along with it. "(She) stated that she never told Mr. Montoya no or to stop because she did not know where she was at and didn't want him to leave her there," the report states.
Montoya then dropped off the woman at the same home where she had been involved in the dispute that landed her in detox.
Before the woman got out of Montoya's truck, the officer "told her that she could not say anything because he would get into a lot of trouble," according to the report.
The woman then told her mother - with whom she had the earlier domestic dispute - and the mother called police.
Officers originally were dispatched to the woman's home at about 5 a.m. Saturday after receiving a call that she and her mother were involved in an altercation, Lopez said. The woman had left with her boyfriend before police arrived.
But the couple argued inside the boyfriend's vehicle and he ended up dropping her off on N.M. 106, on the south side of town. A Santa Clara Pueblo tribal officer in the area saw the woman walking alongside the road and contacted Española police.
An officer then came by and took the woman - who had been drinking - to the hold- ing facility to sober up.
"She was intoxicated on the side of the road and we couldn't take her home where she had been involved in the incident with her mother," Lopez said. "Our concern was her safety at that point."
While at the facility - which is typically used to temporarily hold people for detox or following their arrests - the woman was told to strip out of her clothes and put on a jail jumpsuit. However, she didn't stay in custody very long after Montoya allegedly offered her a ride home, which the woman accepted, Lopez said.
Montoya was arrested at his home that afternoon. He faces charges of criminal sexual penetration and intimidation of a witness. The language in the rape charge states that the woman was "confined in a correctional facility or jail when the perpetrator is in a position of authority over the inmate."
Because of Montoya's job, Lopez would not say where he was jailed. The lieutenant did say that Montoya is out on bond.
Another guard who was working there at the time - whom Lopez would not name because he has not been charged - has been put on leave and police are investigating his role from that day.
Officer Brandon Cameron Arrested for Domestic Violence
A North Augusta police officer has been fired after he was arrested for domestic violence.
North Augusta Public Safety Department suspended Brandon Cameron earlier this month.
After an internal investigation, the department decided to fire him.
He is accused of throwing his girlfriend on the ground when the two were fighting.
Cameron had been on the force for three years.
-------------------------
http://www.nbcaugusta.com/news/local/70406432.html
North Augusta Public Safety Department suspended Brandon Cameron earlier this month.
After an internal investigation, the department decided to fire him.
He is accused of throwing his girlfriend on the ground when the two were fighting.
Cameron had been on the force for three years.
-------------------------
http://www.nbcaugusta.com/news/local/70406432.html
Monday, November 16, 2009
Michael Jacobs Dies After Being Tasered
A Tarrant County grand jury Monday declined to indict a Fort Worth police officer who used a Taser for 54 seconds on a man whose death was ruled a homicide.
Michael Jacobs, 24, was hit with the stun gun after he refused to cooperate with officers and became combative, police said. He died April 18.
The Tarrant County Medical Examiner ruled his death was a homicide, one of the few such cases in the country involving the use of Tasers.
Officer Stephanie Phillips has remained on duty and was not suspended or placed on restricted duty.
Data downloaded from her Taser showed she shocked Jacobs for 49 seconds, and a second time for 5 seconds, police said.
His parents had called police to their home that day to help control Jacobs, who had a mental illness, his family said.
The grand jury heard 17 witnesses over six days, said Tarrant County District Attorney Joe Shannon.
"It was the most comprehensive grand jury investigation in my experience," Shannon said. "Anybody who had any information on the subject was heard."
Shannon said he expected no further action.
Jacobs' family declined to comment, but an activist who has met with the family in the past said the grand jury's decision was "a travesty of justice.'
"I'm not sure how an officer can inject 50,000 volts into a human being and not at least be indicted for involuntary manslaughter," said Rev. Kyev Tatum, president of the Fort Worth branch of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. "You have a medical examiner ruling it was a homicide -- a death at the hands of another human being."
Fort Worth Police Chief Jeffrey Halstead forwarded a copy of the city's internal investigation to the FBI, but there is no indication the federal agency has launched its own probe.
The chief declined to be interviewed Monday, citing a lawsuit filed by Jacobs' family, but did issue a written statement.
"The police department appreciates the grand jury’s thoughtful deliberation and impartial decision in regards to this case," he said. "We continue to lift up the Jacobs family in prayer during this difficult time for them. Officer Stephanie Phillips will remain on duty as a Fort Worth police officer and will face no disciplinary action. This case is considered closed.”
Taser International did not return a call seeking comment. In October, the company advised police departments not to shoot the stun gun at a suspect's chest, saying there is a small chance of an "adverse cardiac event."
Michael Jacobs, 24, was hit with the stun gun after he refused to cooperate with officers and became combative, police said. He died April 18.
The Tarrant County Medical Examiner ruled his death was a homicide, one of the few such cases in the country involving the use of Tasers.
Officer Stephanie Phillips has remained on duty and was not suspended or placed on restricted duty.
Data downloaded from her Taser showed she shocked Jacobs for 49 seconds, and a second time for 5 seconds, police said.
His parents had called police to their home that day to help control Jacobs, who had a mental illness, his family said.
The grand jury heard 17 witnesses over six days, said Tarrant County District Attorney Joe Shannon.
"It was the most comprehensive grand jury investigation in my experience," Shannon said. "Anybody who had any information on the subject was heard."
Shannon said he expected no further action.
Jacobs' family declined to comment, but an activist who has met with the family in the past said the grand jury's decision was "a travesty of justice.'
"I'm not sure how an officer can inject 50,000 volts into a human being and not at least be indicted for involuntary manslaughter," said Rev. Kyev Tatum, president of the Fort Worth branch of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. "You have a medical examiner ruling it was a homicide -- a death at the hands of another human being."
Fort Worth Police Chief Jeffrey Halstead forwarded a copy of the city's internal investigation to the FBI, but there is no indication the federal agency has launched its own probe.
The chief declined to be interviewed Monday, citing a lawsuit filed by Jacobs' family, but did issue a written statement.
"The police department appreciates the grand jury’s thoughtful deliberation and impartial decision in regards to this case," he said. "We continue to lift up the Jacobs family in prayer during this difficult time for them. Officer Stephanie Phillips will remain on duty as a Fort Worth police officer and will face no disciplinary action. This case is considered closed.”
Taser International did not return a call seeking comment. In October, the company advised police departments not to shoot the stun gun at a suspect's chest, saying there is a small chance of an "adverse cardiac event."
Monday, November 09, 2009
Stay Safe
Thanks to everyone who has visited this site, but I will no longer be posting any more news about crimes being committed by authority figures. I can’t take the disappointment that I feel every time I post a story about a person, above all others, should know better than to commit a crime.
If anyone is interested... I am willing to sell this site. Just email me and we will discuss details.
If anyone is interested... I am willing to sell this site. Just email me and we will discuss details.
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Trooper Arturo Perez Charged with Using Excessive Force
A state trooper has retired and is being criminally investigated by the Texas Rangers after he allegedly used excessive force during a DWI arrest earlier this month on the Dallas North Tollway.
Department of Public Safety officials say that the incident involving Trooper Arturo Perez, 42, was captured on his in-car video camera. The Texas Rangers will turn their findings over to Dallas County prosecutors, according to a media release.
"The videotape is one of the most horrific videotapes I've ever seen," said Randall Isenberg, an attorney representing the woman arrested that night.
On Oct. 23, DPS Director Steven McCraw began the process to fire Perez over misconduct that included the excessive force incident, the release said. He retired before that process was complete.
Perez told officials that he encountered the 22-year-old Plano woman shortly before 3 a.m. on Oct. 11. The woman had been involved in an accident near Lemmon Avenue, smelled of alcohol and failed several field sobriety reports, he told officials.
He also told officials that she resisted him throughout the encounter and tried to walk away from him before he handcuffed her. He repeatedly told her to stop resisting or she would get hurt.
He told officials that as he escorted her to his squad car, she jerked away violently and threw her elbow up, so he jerked her toward the ground. She instead struck a concrete ledge, injuring her chin. He denied using excessive force.
"I did not intend for [the woman] to be injured in any way," he wrote.
Isenberg, a former prosecutor and state district judge, said she was not drunk and was not physically resisting Perez. He said she was trying to explain to him that a drunken friend whom she was taking home had jerked on the wheel, causing her to hit a concrete wall.
"The officer is handcuffing her and it's apparent that she's not happy with being arrested," Isenberg said. "She uses inappropriate verbal words to express her displeasure."
Isenberg, who has viewed the in-car video, said Perez pushes his handcuffed client chin-first into the ledge, causing her feet to leave the ground.
"She crumples to the ground like a sack of potatoes," Isenberg said. "Even if she's trying to resist, he doesn't need to use any force; all he needs to do is ask his partner standing three feet away to help him."
Perez joined the DPS in 2006 and previously worked for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice for nearly 16 years.
Department of Public Safety officials say that the incident involving Trooper Arturo Perez, 42, was captured on his in-car video camera. The Texas Rangers will turn their findings over to Dallas County prosecutors, according to a media release.
"The videotape is one of the most horrific videotapes I've ever seen," said Randall Isenberg, an attorney representing the woman arrested that night.
On Oct. 23, DPS Director Steven McCraw began the process to fire Perez over misconduct that included the excessive force incident, the release said. He retired before that process was complete.
Perez told officials that he encountered the 22-year-old Plano woman shortly before 3 a.m. on Oct. 11. The woman had been involved in an accident near Lemmon Avenue, smelled of alcohol and failed several field sobriety reports, he told officials.
He also told officials that she resisted him throughout the encounter and tried to walk away from him before he handcuffed her. He repeatedly told her to stop resisting or she would get hurt.
He told officials that as he escorted her to his squad car, she jerked away violently and threw her elbow up, so he jerked her toward the ground. She instead struck a concrete ledge, injuring her chin. He denied using excessive force.
"I did not intend for [the woman] to be injured in any way," he wrote.
Isenberg, a former prosecutor and state district judge, said she was not drunk and was not physically resisting Perez. He said she was trying to explain to him that a drunken friend whom she was taking home had jerked on the wheel, causing her to hit a concrete wall.
"The officer is handcuffing her and it's apparent that she's not happy with being arrested," Isenberg said. "She uses inappropriate verbal words to express her displeasure."
Isenberg, who has viewed the in-car video, said Perez pushes his handcuffed client chin-first into the ledge, causing her feet to leave the ground.
"She crumples to the ground like a sack of potatoes," Isenberg said. "Even if she's trying to resist, he doesn't need to use any force; all he needs to do is ask his partner standing three feet away to help him."
Perez joined the DPS in 2006 and previously worked for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice for nearly 16 years.
Detective Kevin Spellman Charged with Killing Pedestrian While Drunk Driving
One day after the arrest of an off-duty police detective on charges he killed a pedestrian while driving drunk, the authorities provided more details about the five-hour gap between the accident and the time the police were able to obtain a sample of the detective’s blood, saying the detective’s case was processed more quickly than is normal in such cases.
Prosecutors said the detective, Kevin C. Spellman, 42, a 22-year veteran of the force, was driving a Chevrolet Malibu that struck and killed Drana Nikac, 67, as she crossed Kingsbridge Avenue in the Bronx early on Friday morning. He was charged with second-degree vehicular homicide, criminally negligent homicide and driving while intoxicated.
It was the second time in five weeks that an off-duty police officer was charged with killing a civilian when driving drunk. On Sept. 27, Officer Andrew Kelly, 30, was arrested after the sport-utility vehicle he was driving struck Vionique Valnord-Kassime as she tried to flag a cab, the authorities said.
In that case, prosecutors said Officer Kelly refused a breath test at the scene, and a blood test seven hours later showed he had no alcohol in his system. He has pleaded not guilty.
Police officials said they worked quickly to process Detective Spellman’s case in the hours between the 6:30 a.m. accident, and noon, when they drew the blood sample. Steven Reed, a spokesman for the Bronx district attorney, said his office also moved promptly, and he disputed the idea that the time frame of more than five hours represented any kind of delay.
“Focusing solely on a time line in a vacuum is an oversimplification of what’s involved,” Mr. Reed said in a statement. “The mere notification of an incident is not the same as having all of the information that the law requires before a search warrant can be issued.”
On Friday morning, a sergeant at the scene told prosecutors that Detective Spellman’s speech was slurred, his eyes were glassy and he smelled of alcohol, according to the text of the criminal complaint. About 7:40 a.m., another officer heard Detective Spellman say that had not seen the victim, who “came out of nowhere,” the complaint said.
At 8 a.m., Detective Spellman refused a breath test at the scene, according to Paul J. Browne, the Police Department’s chief spokesman. Shortly afterward, police officials contacted prosecutors to make them aware of the case, Mr. Browne said.
Detective Spellman was taken to the 45th Precinct station house, and by 9:46 a.m., he was videotaped refusing a second, more sophisticated breath test, Mr. Browne said.
With that refusal, police officials and prosecutors set about trying to obtain the blood sample.
Shortly after 10 a.m., a sergeant who had been at the scene of the accident arrived at the Bronx district attorney’s office to work with prosecutors on an application for a court order. Mr. Reed said that by law, a police officer was required to request such an order in person.
In the meantime, officials with the Internal Affairs Bureau ordered Detective Spellman be taken to Jacobi Medical Center to await a blood test.
State Supreme Court Justice Harold Adler signed an order to take the detective’s blood at 11:39 a.m. Friday, said Kali Holloway, a spokeswoman for the State Office of Court Administration.
By noon, Detective Spellman’s blood was drawn, the authorities said.
-----------------------------
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/31/nyregion/31cop.html
Prosecutors said the detective, Kevin C. Spellman, 42, a 22-year veteran of the force, was driving a Chevrolet Malibu that struck and killed Drana Nikac, 67, as she crossed Kingsbridge Avenue in the Bronx early on Friday morning. He was charged with second-degree vehicular homicide, criminally negligent homicide and driving while intoxicated.
It was the second time in five weeks that an off-duty police officer was charged with killing a civilian when driving drunk. On Sept. 27, Officer Andrew Kelly, 30, was arrested after the sport-utility vehicle he was driving struck Vionique Valnord-Kassime as she tried to flag a cab, the authorities said.
In that case, prosecutors said Officer Kelly refused a breath test at the scene, and a blood test seven hours later showed he had no alcohol in his system. He has pleaded not guilty.
Police officials said they worked quickly to process Detective Spellman’s case in the hours between the 6:30 a.m. accident, and noon, when they drew the blood sample. Steven Reed, a spokesman for the Bronx district attorney, said his office also moved promptly, and he disputed the idea that the time frame of more than five hours represented any kind of delay.
“Focusing solely on a time line in a vacuum is an oversimplification of what’s involved,” Mr. Reed said in a statement. “The mere notification of an incident is not the same as having all of the information that the law requires before a search warrant can be issued.”
On Friday morning, a sergeant at the scene told prosecutors that Detective Spellman’s speech was slurred, his eyes were glassy and he smelled of alcohol, according to the text of the criminal complaint. About 7:40 a.m., another officer heard Detective Spellman say that had not seen the victim, who “came out of nowhere,” the complaint said.
At 8 a.m., Detective Spellman refused a breath test at the scene, according to Paul J. Browne, the Police Department’s chief spokesman. Shortly afterward, police officials contacted prosecutors to make them aware of the case, Mr. Browne said.
Detective Spellman was taken to the 45th Precinct station house, and by 9:46 a.m., he was videotaped refusing a second, more sophisticated breath test, Mr. Browne said.
With that refusal, police officials and prosecutors set about trying to obtain the blood sample.
Shortly after 10 a.m., a sergeant who had been at the scene of the accident arrived at the Bronx district attorney’s office to work with prosecutors on an application for a court order. Mr. Reed said that by law, a police officer was required to request such an order in person.
In the meantime, officials with the Internal Affairs Bureau ordered Detective Spellman be taken to Jacobi Medical Center to await a blood test.
State Supreme Court Justice Harold Adler signed an order to take the detective’s blood at 11:39 a.m. Friday, said Kali Holloway, a spokeswoman for the State Office of Court Administration.
By noon, Detective Spellman’s blood was drawn, the authorities said.
-----------------------------
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/31/nyregion/31cop.html
Sgt Chad Lakey Arrested for Sexual Battery on Child
An Osceola sheriff's sergeant arrested Friday on a domestic child-sex charge was moved Saturday to the Orange County Jail for his protection.
Chad Lakey, 33, who comes from a family of law officers, was arrested after a South Carolina woman told police he molested her daughter. The incident is said to have happened at Lakey's St. Cloud home in summer 2008. It was reported three weeks ago, St. Cloud Capt. Bret Dunn said.
Bail on the charge of domestic sexual battery of a child older than 12 is $2,500. Lakey, a former St. Cloud police detective, was placed on administrative leave while the Sheriff's Office conducts an internal investigation, department spokeswoman Twis Lizasuain said Saturday.
Lakey is married to St. Cloud police Sgt. Dhalyn Lakey, and his father, Jim Lakey, is a retired Kissimmee police sergeant who lost in the Republican primary for Osceola sheriff in 2004.
Officer David Reeves Charged with Armed Robbery
An ex-Riverside police officer accused of carrying out several off-duty armed robberies in Moreno Valley and Riverside while still on the force pleaded not guilty today to multiple felony charges.
David R. Reeves, 28, of Moreno Valley, is charged with four counts of armed robbery, two counts of attempted armed robbery, assault with a deadly weapon, attempted kidnapping, burglary, being in possession of stolen property and enhancements alleging the use of a gun in the commission of a felony.
He's being held in lieu of $500,000 bail at the Robert Presley jail in Riverside.
Reeves, along with his two lawyers, appeared before Riverside County Superior Court Judge Richard Fields, who set a felony settlement conference in the case for Dec. 12.
The defendant was arrested Oct. 14 after allegedly trying to rob an AutoZone on Sunnymead Boulevard in Moreno Valley. He was terminated from the Riverside police force, after seven years on the job, the day after his arrest.
"These alleged crimes are extremely serious," Riverside police Sgt. Jaybee Brennan said when Reeves was charged. "Quite frankly, if the allegations are true, nobody here will be standing by him. A lot of people are upset. It's a shock."
The first robbery occurred Oct. 13 at an AutoZone at 19486 Van Buren Blvd. in south Riverside.
The criminal complaint alleges that the following day, Reeves robbed three men, one of whom he allegedly tried to abduct, and then broke into and attempted to rob the AutoZone at 23510 Sunnymead Ave. in Moreno Valley, where he was apprehended.
He was carrying a stolen Itratec 9 mm handgun at the time of his arrest, according to court papers.
If convicted on all counts, Reeves could face more than 30 years in prison.
David R. Reeves, 28, of Moreno Valley, is charged with four counts of armed robbery, two counts of attempted armed robbery, assault with a deadly weapon, attempted kidnapping, burglary, being in possession of stolen property and enhancements alleging the use of a gun in the commission of a felony.
He's being held in lieu of $500,000 bail at the Robert Presley jail in Riverside.
Reeves, along with his two lawyers, appeared before Riverside County Superior Court Judge Richard Fields, who set a felony settlement conference in the case for Dec. 12.
The defendant was arrested Oct. 14 after allegedly trying to rob an AutoZone on Sunnymead Boulevard in Moreno Valley. He was terminated from the Riverside police force, after seven years on the job, the day after his arrest.
"These alleged crimes are extremely serious," Riverside police Sgt. Jaybee Brennan said when Reeves was charged. "Quite frankly, if the allegations are true, nobody here will be standing by him. A lot of people are upset. It's a shock."
The first robbery occurred Oct. 13 at an AutoZone at 19486 Van Buren Blvd. in south Riverside.
The criminal complaint alleges that the following day, Reeves robbed three men, one of whom he allegedly tried to abduct, and then broke into and attempted to rob the AutoZone at 23510 Sunnymead Ave. in Moreno Valley, where he was apprehended.
He was carrying a stolen Itratec 9 mm handgun at the time of his arrest, according to court papers.
If convicted on all counts, Reeves could face more than 30 years in prison.
Friday, October 30, 2009
Correction Officer Timothy Munroe Charged with Beating Two Inmates
A New York City correction officer has been charged with beating two inmates at Rikers Island in separate incidents.
Timothy Munroe pleaded not guilty to an indictment charging him with assault and falsifying records.
Bronx District Attorney Robert Johnson says Munroe punched an inmate in the face and broke his nose as punishment for disruptive behavior on Dec. 12, 2008.
The inmate reported the alleged assault after he was taken to a clinic.
In another incident, Munroe is accused of punching another inmate in the face over an argument on Jan. 24. He was also accused of filing a report with fake details on the incident.
Munroe's attorney didn't immediately return a call seeking comment.
He faces four years in prison, if convicted.
Timothy Munroe pleaded not guilty to an indictment charging him with assault and falsifying records.
Bronx District Attorney Robert Johnson says Munroe punched an inmate in the face and broke his nose as punishment for disruptive behavior on Dec. 12, 2008.
The inmate reported the alleged assault after he was taken to a clinic.
In another incident, Munroe is accused of punching another inmate in the face over an argument on Jan. 24. He was also accused of filing a report with fake details on the incident.
Munroe's attorney didn't immediately return a call seeking comment.
He faces four years in prison, if convicted.
Officer Ismael Ramirez Charged with Coercing Woman to Have Sex
A Medina police officer has been accused of coercing a woman to have sex to make charges against her go away.
Officer Ismael Gaston Garcia Ramirez is charged with official misconduct. The 30-year-old is scheduled to be arraigned Nov. 12 in King County Superior Court.
Documents from Issaquah police say he pulled over the woman in November 2008 and found a small amount of marijuana in her car.
Prosecutors say he told her she was sexy and could make the charges go away.
About a week later they met at an Issaquah pub and he took her to his home where he is accused of having sex with her over her objections.
He asked the prosecutor to drop the marijuana charge because the amount was too small.
----------------------------
More Information:
http://www.tdn.com/articles/2009/10/31/breaking_news/doc4aec7aa6cd447545672173.txt
Officer Ismael Gaston Garcia Ramirez is charged with official misconduct. The 30-year-old is scheduled to be arraigned Nov. 12 in King County Superior Court.
Documents from Issaquah police say he pulled over the woman in November 2008 and found a small amount of marijuana in her car.
Prosecutors say he told her she was sexy and could make the charges go away.
About a week later they met at an Issaquah pub and he took her to his home where he is accused of having sex with her over her objections.
He asked the prosecutor to drop the marijuana charge because the amount was too small.
----------------------------
More Information:
http://www.tdn.com/articles/2009/10/31/breaking_news/doc4aec7aa6cd447545672173.txt
Trooper Casey Myers Arrested for DUI
What happens in Pullman obviously doesn't stay in Pullman.
A State Patrol trooper who works in King County is on administrative leave after being charged with drunken driving near Washington State University earlier this month.
Casey Myers, 26, was arrested for DUI shortly before 3 a.m. on Oct. 9, according to the Moscow-Pullman Daily News. According to the newspaper report, Myers was stopped by Pullman police for failing to stop at a stop sign.
State Patrol Capt. Jeff DeVere tells The Seattle Times that Myers was on vacation when he was stopped. When Myers returned to work on Oct. 16 he was placed on administrative leave with pay.
Myers has been with the State Patrol for four years, DeVere said. The trooper will remain on administrative leave until after the State Patrol completes its own investigation, DeVere said.
Myers was the arresting officer in several pending DUI cases in King County, said Dan Donohoe, spokesman for King County Prosecutor Dan Satterberg. The cases won't likely be impacted by his arrest, Donohoe said.
A State Patrol trooper who works in King County is on administrative leave after being charged with drunken driving near Washington State University earlier this month.
Casey Myers, 26, was arrested for DUI shortly before 3 a.m. on Oct. 9, according to the Moscow-Pullman Daily News. According to the newspaper report, Myers was stopped by Pullman police for failing to stop at a stop sign.
State Patrol Capt. Jeff DeVere tells The Seattle Times that Myers was on vacation when he was stopped. When Myers returned to work on Oct. 16 he was placed on administrative leave with pay.
Myers has been with the State Patrol for four years, DeVere said. The trooper will remain on administrative leave until after the State Patrol completes its own investigation, DeVere said.
Myers was the arresting officer in several pending DUI cases in King County, said Dan Donohoe, spokesman for King County Prosecutor Dan Satterberg. The cases won't likely be impacted by his arrest, Donohoe said.
Court Rules Fatal Tasering Wasn't Justified
The 11th Circuit rebuked Orlando officers for Tasering an unarmed man eight to 12 times in two minutes, causing his death. Judge Stanley Marcus said the repeated shocks were "grossly disproportionate to any threat posed and unreasonable under the circumstances."
According to an eye witness, Anthony Carl Oliver Sr. flagged down officer Lori Fiorino from a grassy median. She allegedly pulled out her Taser gun and asked him what was wrong. "They're shooting at me," he told her, and pointed across the street.
Fiorino tried to calm him down, and later said he had been "very fidgety."
The witness said Oliver wasn't belligerent and threatened or cursed at the officer.
Fiorino called for backup, and she and responding officer David Burk considered taking Oliver in for a psychiatric evaluation, because they thought he might be mentally unstable.
When Burk tried to get Oliver to cross the street, Oliver "struggled and pulled away from him," according to the ruling.
Without warning, Fiorino Tasered him in the stomach, bringing him to the ground. Once the five-second pulse wore off, she Tasered him again. The witness said Oliver never got up after the first Tasering, and never hit, punched, kicked or threatened the officers.
Oliver, who was lying on the hot asphalt, allegedly screamed that it was "too hot." Fioriono said she may have Tasered Oliver 11 or 12 times, explaining that she kept pulling the trigger until he stayed on the ground. Her Taser log showed eight times in two minutes, with each shock lasting five seconds.
After officers handcuffed Oliver, he began foaming at the mouth, according to Fiorino. She said she was unable to remove all the Taser prongs from his body.
Paramedics put him on a stretcher and loaded him into an ambulance, where he began to have a seizure. He was pronounced dead at Florida Hospital, a result of "being struck by a Taser," according to a forensic pathologist.
Amy Shirley Oliver filed suit on behalf of Oliver's estate, claiming the officers' use of excessive force had killed him.
Fiorino and Burk asked the district court to dismiss the case on the basis of qualified immunity, but the district court refused.
The Atlanta-based appeals court affirmed.
"The justification for the repeated use of Taser force, at least beyond an initial Taser shock, was minimal," Judge Marcus wrote.
Oliver was not accused or suspected of any crime, posed no immediate threat to officers or others, did not act belligerently, was not trying to flee, and
was "largely compliant and cooperative with officers," Marcus noted.
"We agreed with the district court's determination that the force employed was so utterly disproportionate to the level of force reasonably necessary that any reasonable officer would have recognized that his actions were unlawful," the court concluded.
According to an eye witness, Anthony Carl Oliver Sr. flagged down officer Lori Fiorino from a grassy median. She allegedly pulled out her Taser gun and asked him what was wrong. "They're shooting at me," he told her, and pointed across the street.
Fiorino tried to calm him down, and later said he had been "very fidgety."
The witness said Oliver wasn't belligerent and threatened or cursed at the officer.
Fiorino called for backup, and she and responding officer David Burk considered taking Oliver in for a psychiatric evaluation, because they thought he might be mentally unstable.
When Burk tried to get Oliver to cross the street, Oliver "struggled and pulled away from him," according to the ruling.
Without warning, Fiorino Tasered him in the stomach, bringing him to the ground. Once the five-second pulse wore off, she Tasered him again. The witness said Oliver never got up after the first Tasering, and never hit, punched, kicked or threatened the officers.
Oliver, who was lying on the hot asphalt, allegedly screamed that it was "too hot." Fioriono said she may have Tasered Oliver 11 or 12 times, explaining that she kept pulling the trigger until he stayed on the ground. Her Taser log showed eight times in two minutes, with each shock lasting five seconds.
After officers handcuffed Oliver, he began foaming at the mouth, according to Fiorino. She said she was unable to remove all the Taser prongs from his body.
Paramedics put him on a stretcher and loaded him into an ambulance, where he began to have a seizure. He was pronounced dead at Florida Hospital, a result of "being struck by a Taser," according to a forensic pathologist.
Amy Shirley Oliver filed suit on behalf of Oliver's estate, claiming the officers' use of excessive force had killed him.
Fiorino and Burk asked the district court to dismiss the case on the basis of qualified immunity, but the district court refused.
The Atlanta-based appeals court affirmed.
"The justification for the repeated use of Taser force, at least beyond an initial Taser shock, was minimal," Judge Marcus wrote.
Oliver was not accused or suspected of any crime, posed no immediate threat to officers or others, did not act belligerently, was not trying to flee, and
was "largely compliant and cooperative with officers," Marcus noted.
"We agreed with the district court's determination that the force employed was so utterly disproportionate to the level of force reasonably necessary that any reasonable officer would have recognized that his actions were unlawful," the court concluded.
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Chief Randy Rizzo Arrested for Public Intoxication
Atlantic Beach police chief Randy Rizzo admitted he drank ''too many beers'' and that led to his arrest Wednesday morning by Horry County officers outside a pool hall.
Rizzo, 39, of Conway was charged with public disorderly/public intoxication and was later was suspended from his position, according to Town Manager William Booker.
''That officer had every right to charge me,'' Rizzo said. ''I'm guilty. I'm not going to deny the fact. I'll pay like anyone else.''
Rizzo was arrested soon after the officer, Scott Calderwood, saw Rizzo drive his truck in a parking lot. Rizzo said he told the officer he was moving his vehicle to a safer place and had called his wife to pick him up, but got a verbal altercation with another officer that led to his arrest.
''I was trying to be a good Samaritan and not do anything illegal,'' Rizzo said. ''Unfortunately the officer got upset with me.''
Rizzo was booked into J. Reuben Long Detention Center at 3:04 a.m. and released at 4:03 a.m. after posting $262 bail.
Booker said he spoke with Rizzo on Wednesday morning before suspending him.
''He told me he was guilty of having too much to drink,'' Booker said. ''He said he was guilty. People here are pretty disappointed this happened.''
Atlantic Beach Town Councilman Donnell Thompson said ''wow'' when he learned of Rizzo's arrest.
''I would expect Booker to make the right decision,'' Thompson said of Rizzo's future.
It was not immediately known if Rizzo will be paid during the suspension, Booker said. ''I'm leaning toward it being unpaid,'' Booker said.
Booker said he plans to talk with Horry County officials before determining the length of the suspension.
''They just have to determine if I can do this job because of this charge,'' Rizzo said.
Despite telling officers at the scene he was drinking, Rizzo was not given a field sobriety test at the scene, said Sgt. Robert Kegler of Horry County police.
''The officer made the decision he made,'' Kegler said. ''Not every traffic stop is the same.''
The suspension leaves Atlantic Beach with three police officers. Booker said he would speak to the officers before determining if the town needs to ask Horry County police for patrol assistance.
Calderwood reported he saw Rizzo walking from Break Room Billiards to the parking lot of the Food Lion at the intersection of S.C. 544 and Myrtle Ridge Road at 1:45 a.m., according to an incident report.
Rizzo was ''extremely unsteady on his feet and appeared almost to fall,'' the report shows.
Rizzo entered a Dodge Ram truck near the Sonic on S.C. 544 when Calderwood approached Rizzo. Rizzo closed the truck door, started the vehicle and drove it to Break Room Billiards, the officer reported.
Calderwood reported that he asked Rizzo if he had too much to drink and Rizzo replied, ''No.''
Rizzo began slurring his words and told the officer he had been drinking.
Rizzo asked Calderwood twice if he knew who he was and the officer replied that he did and that ''it didn't matter,'' the report shows.
The report shows that Rizzo told Calderwood he would call his wife to pick him up, but later Rizzo got back in the truck and drove past the officer's vehicle.
Rizzo disputes he was in his vehicle twice and that's what led to the argument and his arrest.
''I didn't get in my vehicle twice,'' Rizzo said. ''I may have gone out once to get cigarettes or something.''
Rizzo said he was moving his truck closer to Break Room Billiards because he felt it would be safer there overnight.
The officer reported that he stopped the vehicle in the parking lot and that Rizzo attempted to exit. Rizzo was asked if he was carrying a ''duty weapon,'' the report shows.
The officer's supervisor arrived and Rizzo became ''loud and upset'' before he was arrested.
Calderwood reported that Rizzo asked ''why I was doing this to him.''
''I would have charged me just like anyone else,'' Rizzo said.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Officer Travis Dowell Accused of Choking Daughter
A Tippecanoe County sheriff's officer accused of choking his daughter in a February incident has voluntarily resigned as a sergeant and will be reassigned as a deputy, Sheriff Tracy Brown said today.
The move came as a result of a meeting Monday that Travis Dowell had with Brown.
Brown said he is going to submit a formal letter to the sheriff's office's merit commission next week during the commission's regular meeting.
Dowell last Friday signed a diversion agreement in Tippecanoe Superior Court 5 that could result in all charges against him being dropped as long as he meets certain conditions, which include having him stay out of trouble for a year.
Officers were called to Dowell's Clarks Hill home on Feb. 4 after reports of a physical altercation between Dowell and his then 18-year-old daughter, Tara Dowell. The charges against Travis Dowell stemmed from an investigation by the Indiana State Police.
After the February incident, Dowell was demoted from lieutenant to sergeant and was assigned to administrative duties.
Brown said Dowell will continue to work in an administrative job at the Tippecanoe County Jail for the next three to four weeks until he is assigned to a deputy's role.
Brown said the drop in pay from a lieutenant to a deputy is about $7,000 a year.
The move came as a result of a meeting Monday that Travis Dowell had with Brown.
Brown said he is going to submit a formal letter to the sheriff's office's merit commission next week during the commission's regular meeting.
Dowell last Friday signed a diversion agreement in Tippecanoe Superior Court 5 that could result in all charges against him being dropped as long as he meets certain conditions, which include having him stay out of trouble for a year.
Officers were called to Dowell's Clarks Hill home on Feb. 4 after reports of a physical altercation between Dowell and his then 18-year-old daughter, Tara Dowell. The charges against Travis Dowell stemmed from an investigation by the Indiana State Police.
After the February incident, Dowell was demoted from lieutenant to sergeant and was assigned to administrative duties.
Brown said Dowell will continue to work in an administrative job at the Tippecanoe County Jail for the next three to four weeks until he is assigned to a deputy's role.
Brown said the drop in pay from a lieutenant to a deputy is about $7,000 a year.
-------------------------------------
Officer Candi Perry Indicted for Misconduct & False Reporting
A metro police officer has been suspended without pay after being indicted by a Marion County grand jury.
The officer in question is Community Police Officer Candi Perry.
"She has been indicted on an official misconduct which is a D felony and a false reporting which is an E misdemeanor," said Helen Marchal, chief of staff to the Marion County Prosecutor.
Charges date back to a June homicide investigation with questions about whether Perry had a relationship with a suspect or informant and what she may or may not have known.
"The allegations that were considered by the grand jury included information that Miss Perry impeded a homicide investigation by giving false information to another officer," Marchal said.
Perry was well known as a community officer. She made Officer of the Year back in 2008. She also spoke on WIIH-TV in September of '07.
Backing has grown for Officer Perry. She has a Web page devoted to her. It's called, ‘Please Support Officer Candi Perry.’ It reads; she states she has done nothing wrong. Please help her get back on the beat so she may make a difference in the neighborhood.
24-Hour News 8 tracked down her attorney, former public safety director Robert Turner who said Perry was helping in the investigation and now is being set up.
"What they really wanted her to do was identify the witness, he comes in, homicide then goes out and arrests the suspect, so that they can announce to you guys that we busted this case, not this Spanish liaison lady, but we did it because we're crack detectives and she made 'em mad and they indicted her," said Turner.
No word yet on a further court date for Perry.
The officer in question is Community Police Officer Candi Perry.
"She has been indicted on an official misconduct which is a D felony and a false reporting which is an E misdemeanor," said Helen Marchal, chief of staff to the Marion County Prosecutor.
Charges date back to a June homicide investigation with questions about whether Perry had a relationship with a suspect or informant and what she may or may not have known.
"The allegations that were considered by the grand jury included information that Miss Perry impeded a homicide investigation by giving false information to another officer," Marchal said.
Perry was well known as a community officer. She made Officer of the Year back in 2008. She also spoke on WIIH-TV in September of '07.
Backing has grown for Officer Perry. She has a Web page devoted to her. It's called, ‘Please Support Officer Candi Perry.’ It reads; she states she has done nothing wrong. Please help her get back on the beat so she may make a difference in the neighborhood.
24-Hour News 8 tracked down her attorney, former public safety director Robert Turner who said Perry was helping in the investigation and now is being set up.
"What they really wanted her to do was identify the witness, he comes in, homicide then goes out and arrests the suspect, so that they can announce to you guys that we busted this case, not this Spanish liaison lady, but we did it because we're crack detectives and she made 'em mad and they indicted her," said Turner.
No word yet on a further court date for Perry.
Officer Carmine Giarrusso Arrested for False Report
The police have charged a former Cranston police officer with falsely reporting a crime after he complained that an acquaintance struck him with a truck at the intersection of Vine Street and George Waterman Road.
The police said they decided to arrest Carmine Giarrusso, 47, of 38 Lyman Ave., after concluding that he had not been hit by a truck driven by Richard D’Abate as alleged, but intentionally stepped in front of D’Abate’s stopped truck.
D’Abate, 44, of 9 Acorn St., told the police that Giarrusso had been feuding with him for years, going back to when Giarrusso had an affair with D’Abate’s then-wife. He said that when Giarrusso saw the truck at the intersection around 8:30 a.m. Sunday, he intentionally stepped in front of the stopped vehicle and complained that D’Abate had hit him.
An argument ensued, D’Abate said, and when Giarrusso realized that D’Abate was taking pictures, Giarrusso went back to the truck and slapped his hands on the hood. When the arrived, Giarrusso repeatedly urged them to check the hood for fingerprints, saying it would prove that he was hit and that he had to place his hands on the hood to brace himself from the impact. Giarrusso also told police that in addition to causing him pain in his shoulder, hip and knee, D’Abate’s vehicle also struck Giarrusso’s girlfriend, Lorna Casali, who was walking with him, and had also hit her dog.
The police said Giarrusso gestured frequently during their interview and did not act like someone who had just been hit by a truck. In addition, the police said the dusty truck did not show any scuff marks that indicated it had hit something. They said D’Abate’s version was supported by a photo he had taken showing Giarrusso slapping his hands on the truck, and by a statement from another witness. After Giarrusso signed a formal complaint at the police station, he was arrested on charges of making a false report of a crime. He was released later on $1,000 personal recognizance.
The police said they decided to arrest Carmine Giarrusso, 47, of 38 Lyman Ave., after concluding that he had not been hit by a truck driven by Richard D’Abate as alleged, but intentionally stepped in front of D’Abate’s stopped truck.
D’Abate, 44, of 9 Acorn St., told the police that Giarrusso had been feuding with him for years, going back to when Giarrusso had an affair with D’Abate’s then-wife. He said that when Giarrusso saw the truck at the intersection around 8:30 a.m. Sunday, he intentionally stepped in front of the stopped vehicle and complained that D’Abate had hit him.
An argument ensued, D’Abate said, and when Giarrusso realized that D’Abate was taking pictures, Giarrusso went back to the truck and slapped his hands on the hood. When the arrived, Giarrusso repeatedly urged them to check the hood for fingerprints, saying it would prove that he was hit and that he had to place his hands on the hood to brace himself from the impact. Giarrusso also told police that in addition to causing him pain in his shoulder, hip and knee, D’Abate’s vehicle also struck Giarrusso’s girlfriend, Lorna Casali, who was walking with him, and had also hit her dog.
The police said Giarrusso gestured frequently during their interview and did not act like someone who had just been hit by a truck. In addition, the police said the dusty truck did not show any scuff marks that indicated it had hit something. They said D’Abate’s version was supported by a photo he had taken showing Giarrusso slapping his hands on the truck, and by a statement from another witness. After Giarrusso signed a formal complaint at the police station, he was arrested on charges of making a false report of a crime. He was released later on $1,000 personal recognizance.
Officer Candi Perry Charged with Giving False Report
Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Officer Candi Perry is a former officer of the year, speaks Spanish fluently and is accused of official misconduct and false reporting during a homicide investigation.
It was on June 25th that a homeless man - Herman Baker - was found shot to death in an alley near west 32nd Street and Rader Street. Officer Perry was on duty and her attorney claims was simply trying to shield a potential witness from a potential suspect. However, the grand jury indictment alleges Perry gave false information to another officer.
Perry's lawyer argues she isn't a homicide detective and any mistakes she made were innocent and unintentional.
There is no word of arrests in the Clark murder case.
Perry was arrested Tuesday and released last night on $10,000 bond. She faces a November 4th court date.
---------------------------------
http://www.wibc.com/news/Story.aspx?id=1159257
It was on June 25th that a homeless man - Herman Baker - was found shot to death in an alley near west 32nd Street and Rader Street. Officer Perry was on duty and her attorney claims was simply trying to shield a potential witness from a potential suspect. However, the grand jury indictment alleges Perry gave false information to another officer.
Perry's lawyer argues she isn't a homicide detective and any mistakes she made were innocent and unintentional.
There is no word of arrests in the Clark murder case.
Perry was arrested Tuesday and released last night on $10,000 bond. She faces a November 4th court date.
---------------------------------
http://www.wibc.com/news/Story.aspx?id=1159257
Officer Reginald Fisher Arrested Again
A suspended Atlanta police officer indicted for shooting an unarmed man was arrested a second time while out on bond Wednesday.
Officer Reginald Fisher was arrested a second time in Clayton County. Fisher was charged with misdemeanor battery in connection with a domestic incident.
Police said the mother of Fisher's child went to the precinct and accused Fisher of refusing to let her leave his house. The woman said Fisher grabbed her arm and wrist and left bruises.
On Tuesday, Fisher was indicted by a grand jury on charges that he allegedly shot an unarmed Tramaine Miller back in May. Miller was struck in the face and has undergone numerous surgeries to remove the bullet fragments.
The shooting happened on May 5 at the Cityview at Burney Park apartments. Officer Fisher said Miller was acting suspicious and wouldn't obey commands.
Officer Reginald Fisher was arrested a second time in Clayton County. Fisher was charged with misdemeanor battery in connection with a domestic incident.
Police said the mother of Fisher's child went to the precinct and accused Fisher of refusing to let her leave his house. The woman said Fisher grabbed her arm and wrist and left bruises.
On Tuesday, Fisher was indicted by a grand jury on charges that he allegedly shot an unarmed Tramaine Miller back in May. Miller was struck in the face and has undergone numerous surgeries to remove the bullet fragments.
The shooting happened on May 5 at the Cityview at Burney Park apartments. Officer Fisher said Miller was acting suspicious and wouldn't obey commands.
University Officer Webster Simmons Charged with Rape and Sodomy
A Duke University police officer is arrested here in Houston county, accused of raping and sodomizing a female acquaintance.
37-year-old Webster Simmons of Rougemont, North Carolina is charged with first degree rape and sodomy.
The Houston County Sheriff's office says Simmons was in Dothan visiting family this past weekend.
Authorities say Simmons drugged his victim at a local bar, used bondage to subdue her, and then raped her in his truck.
Investigators say they found a whip, handcuffs, and other sexual bondage items in Simmons' car.
The victim claims she woke up during the rape, was handcuffed and had a gag in her mouth.
“This is not the type of rapes and sodomies that we commonly see with this type of bondage and this type of material that have been used during the commission of the rape. So it does disturb us, it makes us wonder if this individual has committed these types of crimes anywhere in the United States where may have been,” said Houston Co. Sheriff Andy Hughes.
Simmons has been suspended by Duke University Police.
His bond is set at $120,000 dollars.
------------------------------
http://www.newsobserver.com/news/story/161330.html
37-year-old Webster Simmons of Rougemont, North Carolina is charged with first degree rape and sodomy.
The Houston County Sheriff's office says Simmons was in Dothan visiting family this past weekend.
Authorities say Simmons drugged his victim at a local bar, used bondage to subdue her, and then raped her in his truck.
Investigators say they found a whip, handcuffs, and other sexual bondage items in Simmons' car.
The victim claims she woke up during the rape, was handcuffed and had a gag in her mouth.
“This is not the type of rapes and sodomies that we commonly see with this type of bondage and this type of material that have been used during the commission of the rape. So it does disturb us, it makes us wonder if this individual has committed these types of crimes anywhere in the United States where may have been,” said Houston Co. Sheriff Andy Hughes.
Simmons has been suspended by Duke University Police.
His bond is set at $120,000 dollars.
------------------------------
http://www.newsobserver.com/news/story/161330.html
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Officer Anthony Molinario Arrested for Burglary
A Jean Lafitte police officer has been arrested after allegedly burglarizing a car, said Sheriff Newell Normand.
Normand said 27-year-old Anthony Molinario, of 1120 St. Marie in Luling, faces a charge of simple burglary of a vehicle.
Witnesses, who had parked their vehicle behind the Town Hall and then went for a walk, returned to their vehicle to find a suspect wearing a police uniform inside their vehicle. Normand said the witnesses saw the suspect leave in a reddish colored Jeep SUV. After recording the license plate, Normand said they notified the Sheriff’s Department.
Normand said after an investigation, deputies identified Molinario as the suspect. Molinario denied the accusation, but “showed signs of deception” during a polygraph examination, Normand said.
Molinario is now in the Jefferson Parish correctional center.
Normand said 27-year-old Anthony Molinario, of 1120 St. Marie in Luling, faces a charge of simple burglary of a vehicle.
Witnesses, who had parked their vehicle behind the Town Hall and then went for a walk, returned to their vehicle to find a suspect wearing a police uniform inside their vehicle. Normand said the witnesses saw the suspect leave in a reddish colored Jeep SUV. After recording the license plate, Normand said they notified the Sheriff’s Department.
Normand said after an investigation, deputies identified Molinario as the suspect. Molinario denied the accusation, but “showed signs of deception” during a polygraph examination, Normand said.
Molinario is now in the Jefferson Parish correctional center.
Sgt Eric Janik Arrested for Pointing his Weapon in Haunted House
Authorities in Maryland said an off-duty police officer was arrested for pulling his handgun and pointing it at the chest of an actor in a haunted house.
Baltimore County police said Baltimore Police Department Sgt. Eric Michael Janik, 36, pointed his gun at Michael Brian Morrison, 32, who was dressed as "Leatherface" from "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre," while walking through "The House of Screams" in Essex with a female city police officer and his 9-year-old daughter just after 10 p.m. Sunday, the Baltimore Sun reported Tuesday.
County police said Janik, who smelled of alcohol and was slurring his speech after the incident, initially denied pulling out his handgun during the haunted house tour but later told officers he drew the weapon and pointed it at the ground. However, multiple witnesses said he pointed the gun at Morrison.
Janik, who was suspended from the police department, was charged with first- and second-degree assault and reckless endangerment. He was released on $25,000 bail.
Baltimore County police said Baltimore Police Department Sgt. Eric Michael Janik, 36, pointed his gun at Michael Brian Morrison, 32, who was dressed as "Leatherface" from "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre," while walking through "The House of Screams" in Essex with a female city police officer and his 9-year-old daughter just after 10 p.m. Sunday, the Baltimore Sun reported Tuesday.
County police said Janik, who smelled of alcohol and was slurring his speech after the incident, initially denied pulling out his handgun during the haunted house tour but later told officers he drew the weapon and pointed it at the ground. However, multiple witnesses said he pointed the gun at Morrison.
Janik, who was suspended from the police department, was charged with first- and second-degree assault and reckless endangerment. He was released on $25,000 bail.
Deputy Jessie Alvarez Arrested for Drunk Driving
A Kern County sheriff's deputy is facing drunken driving charges after he was arrested when he stopped while off-duty to assist at a traffic accident.
A California Highway Patrol spokeswoman says after Jessie Alvarez stopped at the accident early Friday on Interstate 5 in Buttonwillow, the CHP officer on the scene suspected the deputy was under the influence of alcohol.
CHP Officer Maria Pagano says the 30-year-old Alvarez was cited and and released on suspicion of misdemeanor drunken driving after being given a breath sample.
Sheriff Donny Youngblood confirmed that Alvarez is the subject of an administrative investigation, but he said he could release no further information.
———
Information from: The Bakersfield Californian, http://www.bakersfield.com
A California Highway Patrol spokeswoman says after Jessie Alvarez stopped at the accident early Friday on Interstate 5 in Buttonwillow, the CHP officer on the scene suspected the deputy was under the influence of alcohol.
CHP Officer Maria Pagano says the 30-year-old Alvarez was cited and and released on suspicion of misdemeanor drunken driving after being given a breath sample.
Sheriff Donny Youngblood confirmed that Alvarez is the subject of an administrative investigation, but he said he could release no further information.
———
Information from: The Bakersfield Californian, http://www.bakersfield.com
Officer Reginald Fisher Charged with Shooting Man in Face
An Atlanta police officer accused of shooting a man in the face while he was off-duty has been indicted by a Fulton County grand jury.
Reginald Fisher was charged Tuesday on two counts of aggravated assault, aggravated battery and violation of oath for allegedly shooting Tramaine Miller at a southeast Atlanta apartment building.
Authorities said Fisher was working an unauthorized off-duty security job when he encountered the victim on the night of May 5.
Miller, who was unarmed, was shot in the lower left jaw.
The 27-year-old was not involved in any illegal activity, as Fisher suspected, but was at the apartment to help his quadriplegic aunt take her medicine.
---------------------------
http://www.11alive.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=136848&catid=3
Reginald Fisher was charged Tuesday on two counts of aggravated assault, aggravated battery and violation of oath for allegedly shooting Tramaine Miller at a southeast Atlanta apartment building.
Authorities said Fisher was working an unauthorized off-duty security job when he encountered the victim on the night of May 5.
Miller, who was unarmed, was shot in the lower left jaw.
The 27-year-old was not involved in any illegal activity, as Fisher suspected, but was at the apartment to help his quadriplegic aunt take her medicine.
---------------------------
http://www.11alive.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=136848&catid=3
Monday, October 26, 2009
Officer Troy Meade Charged with Manslaughter
Police officers in the United States rarely face criminal charges for using force in the line of duty.
The first-degree manslaughter charge filed Monday against Everett police officer Troy Meade is unprecedented in Snohomish County history.
Meade, an 11-year veteran, is accused of recklessly causing the death of Niles Meservey, 51. The officer fatally shot Meservey after he refused to get out of his car.
Speculation that Meade could be charged for his actions in the line of duty generated great concern among Everett police officers.
The weeks leading up to the decision have been hard on everyone, a longtime Everett police detective said, speaking on the condition that he not be identified.
The detective said he and other officers understand the importance of a thorough, careful investigation and an independent decision by prosecutors. On the other hand, they also worry that it may be difficult for anybody to truly understand the perspective of the officer involved in this case.
“Troy is in a position where he just has milliseconds to make a decision,” the detective said. “Everybody else has months and months to armchair-quarterback the incident.”
Everett police policy bars anyone from speaking about the matter, with the exception of the police chief or his designee, department spokesman Sgt. Robert Goetz said.
Goetz and Everett Police Chief Jim Scharf on Monday referred calls to Louis Peterson, a Seattle attorney representing Everett.
Peterson didn’t respond for requests for comments. Instead Everett city spokeswoman Kate Reardon sent out a written statement.
Because of pending litigation against the city and the charge against officer Meade, Reardon wrote, “The City and its police department cannot comment further at this time.”
She said, “For today, this is how we have to respond.”
Police are allowed to use force if the officer can reasonably justify that he or she perceives a threat, said David Klinger, an associate professor of criminology at the University of Missouri in St. Louis who studies use of force by police.
“It’s very rare that a police officer is indicted,” Klinger said.
In the vast majority of cases when police use their weapons, the suspect is armed with a knife, gun or other weapon, and someone’s life is in jeopardy, the professor said.
No organization nationally tracks officer-involved violence or the number of times police are charged, Klinger said.
“We don’t even know how many people the cops shoot in the U.S. every year,” he said. “If we don’t know how many time cops kill people, how many times they shoot people, we certainly don’t know how many times police are indicted.”
The most recent case of an officer facing criminal charges was the New Year’s Day shooting by police of an unarmed man at an Oakland, Calif., transit stop. Former Bay Area Rapid Transit officer Johannes Mehserle is charged with first-degree murder in the killing of Oscar Grant, 22. The case is working its way through the courts.
One Everett officer, again speaking so long as he isn’t identified, said there has been some concern that there may be public pressure to file charges against Meade given publicity about other recent police shootings here.
“Some sort of political call to action would be my concern,” the officer said.
Since November, a special task force of detectives has been called on five times to investigate deaths by law enforcement in Snohomish County.
There also is some concern that the decision to charge Meade will affect other officers’ decisions to use lethal force.
“Maybe it will be in the back of their minds and they’ll use less-than-lethal force when less-than-lethal is not appropriate,” the officer said.
Officers go through hours of training to identify when it’s reasonable to use deadly force. Being second-guessed again and again is difficult, he said.
Police increasingly are confronted with dangerous situations by people who may be armed, dangerous and ready to use violence against officers, said John Gray, a former Arlington Police chief, now an instructor of police training at Northwestern University in Chicago.
While the number of officers who are killed in the line of duty has either leveled off or dropped in recent years, assaults on officers have increased, Gray said.
The reduction in deaths likely is a result of improved protective gear and training, he said. Snohomish County and Western Washington are recognized as having superior training to many other areas of the country, he said.
Still, even with the very best policies and training, there are aberrations in performance.
“People change and they make bad decisions and they have to be held accountable,” he said.
Now that an officer has been charged, Everett’s department likely is going to look inward at its policies and procedures, Gray said.
It has been years since a police officer in Snohomish County has been accused of criminal conduct in a line-of-duty death, and that case didn’t result in charges.
In 1992, a member of the sheriff’s office SWAT team fatally shot Robin Marie Pratt during a raid on her Everett apartment. The team was there to arrest her husband on what proved to be bogus allegations that he had been involved in a fatal armored car robbery.
A six-member inquest jury spent three days hearing testimony from the SWAT team members and forensic experts. A majority of jurors determined the death of the unarmed woman was a criminal act, and they held one of the SWAT team members responsible.
No charges were filed by Greg Canova, the special prosecutor hired to decide how the case should be handled. He is now a King County Superior Court judge but then was a senior assistant state attorney general.
At the time, Canova said his nearly five-month review of Pratt’s shooting turned up no legal grounds to justify criminal charges. He interviewed the inquest jury members after their verdict and said most really believed no crime had occurred and were confused by jury instructions. Among other factors in the decision not to file charges was that the SWAT officer fired a single shot from the fully automatic weapon, Canova said. That indicated the officer didn’t intentionally shoot Pratt, he said.
-----------------------
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5j_P9a-yi_U9kGD6yWRBMtZL_eYggD9BJ2J600
The first-degree manslaughter charge filed Monday against Everett police officer Troy Meade is unprecedented in Snohomish County history.
Meade, an 11-year veteran, is accused of recklessly causing the death of Niles Meservey, 51. The officer fatally shot Meservey after he refused to get out of his car.
Speculation that Meade could be charged for his actions in the line of duty generated great concern among Everett police officers.
The weeks leading up to the decision have been hard on everyone, a longtime Everett police detective said, speaking on the condition that he not be identified.
The detective said he and other officers understand the importance of a thorough, careful investigation and an independent decision by prosecutors. On the other hand, they also worry that it may be difficult for anybody to truly understand the perspective of the officer involved in this case.
“Troy is in a position where he just has milliseconds to make a decision,” the detective said. “Everybody else has months and months to armchair-quarterback the incident.”
Everett police policy bars anyone from speaking about the matter, with the exception of the police chief or his designee, department spokesman Sgt. Robert Goetz said.
Goetz and Everett Police Chief Jim Scharf on Monday referred calls to Louis Peterson, a Seattle attorney representing Everett.
Peterson didn’t respond for requests for comments. Instead Everett city spokeswoman Kate Reardon sent out a written statement.
Because of pending litigation against the city and the charge against officer Meade, Reardon wrote, “The City and its police department cannot comment further at this time.”
She said, “For today, this is how we have to respond.”
Police are allowed to use force if the officer can reasonably justify that he or she perceives a threat, said David Klinger, an associate professor of criminology at the University of Missouri in St. Louis who studies use of force by police.
“It’s very rare that a police officer is indicted,” Klinger said.
In the vast majority of cases when police use their weapons, the suspect is armed with a knife, gun or other weapon, and someone’s life is in jeopardy, the professor said.
No organization nationally tracks officer-involved violence or the number of times police are charged, Klinger said.
“We don’t even know how many people the cops shoot in the U.S. every year,” he said. “If we don’t know how many time cops kill people, how many times they shoot people, we certainly don’t know how many times police are indicted.”
The most recent case of an officer facing criminal charges was the New Year’s Day shooting by police of an unarmed man at an Oakland, Calif., transit stop. Former Bay Area Rapid Transit officer Johannes Mehserle is charged with first-degree murder in the killing of Oscar Grant, 22. The case is working its way through the courts.
One Everett officer, again speaking so long as he isn’t identified, said there has been some concern that there may be public pressure to file charges against Meade given publicity about other recent police shootings here.
“Some sort of political call to action would be my concern,” the officer said.
Since November, a special task force of detectives has been called on five times to investigate deaths by law enforcement in Snohomish County.
There also is some concern that the decision to charge Meade will affect other officers’ decisions to use lethal force.
“Maybe it will be in the back of their minds and they’ll use less-than-lethal force when less-than-lethal is not appropriate,” the officer said.
Officers go through hours of training to identify when it’s reasonable to use deadly force. Being second-guessed again and again is difficult, he said.
Police increasingly are confronted with dangerous situations by people who may be armed, dangerous and ready to use violence against officers, said John Gray, a former Arlington Police chief, now an instructor of police training at Northwestern University in Chicago.
While the number of officers who are killed in the line of duty has either leveled off or dropped in recent years, assaults on officers have increased, Gray said.
The reduction in deaths likely is a result of improved protective gear and training, he said. Snohomish County and Western Washington are recognized as having superior training to many other areas of the country, he said.
Still, even with the very best policies and training, there are aberrations in performance.
“People change and they make bad decisions and they have to be held accountable,” he said.
Now that an officer has been charged, Everett’s department likely is going to look inward at its policies and procedures, Gray said.
It has been years since a police officer in Snohomish County has been accused of criminal conduct in a line-of-duty death, and that case didn’t result in charges.
In 1992, a member of the sheriff’s office SWAT team fatally shot Robin Marie Pratt during a raid on her Everett apartment. The team was there to arrest her husband on what proved to be bogus allegations that he had been involved in a fatal armored car robbery.
A six-member inquest jury spent three days hearing testimony from the SWAT team members and forensic experts. A majority of jurors determined the death of the unarmed woman was a criminal act, and they held one of the SWAT team members responsible.
No charges were filed by Greg Canova, the special prosecutor hired to decide how the case should be handled. He is now a King County Superior Court judge but then was a senior assistant state attorney general.
At the time, Canova said his nearly five-month review of Pratt’s shooting turned up no legal grounds to justify criminal charges. He interviewed the inquest jury members after their verdict and said most really believed no crime had occurred and were confused by jury instructions. Among other factors in the decision not to file charges was that the SWAT officer fired a single shot from the fully automatic weapon, Canova said. That indicated the officer didn’t intentionally shoot Pratt, he said.
-----------------------
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5j_P9a-yi_U9kGD6yWRBMtZL_eYggD9BJ2J600
Sgt. Cher Sneider Accused of Trying to Date Suspect
Police Sgt. Cher Sneider was demoted to patrol officer and suspended for 15 work days without pay on Monday after the Police and Fire Commission determined she tried to date a criminal suspect and then lied about it.
The commission stopped short of firing her, which acting Police Chief Daniel Meister had requested.
Sneider's demotion was warranted, commission members said, because her untruthfulness during the Police Department investigation and the commission hearing last week into her conduct undermined her ability to supervise.
Sneider was hired in January 2000 and has been a sergeant since November 2006. She was earning $68,910 annually as a sergeant. A top paid patrol officer in the department earns about $59,259 annually.
Meister had filed administrative charges against Sneider earlier this year, accusing her of lying and inappropriate conduct and sought her dismissal from the force.
According to the administrative charges filed against her, Sneider, while off duty on May 10, 2008, had an on-duty patrol officer access a secure police database to get Sneider the phone number of a man who was under investigation by the department.
Sneider, who has been on paid administrative leave since November 2008, thought the man was "hot" and wanted to call him so she could go out with him, according to the charging document and testimony at the hearing.
The man, identified only as John Doe in the document, was a city resident with a known criminal history with the department. At the time, city police were investigating him and his residence on suspicion of illegal activity, including illegal drugs, the charging document states.
Sneider made four calls with her personal cell phone to the man's residence on May 10, 2008, one call the following day and two calls on May 17, 2008, the document says. She also stopped at his home May 11, but he wasn't there, the document states.
Sneider, who testified during a two-day hearing last week, denied trying to have a relationship with the man and said she only contacted the suspect as part of an investigation into a noise complaint.
Sneider's attorney, Gordon McQuillen, said Monday that Sneider might appeal the discipline. He said evidence presented by Meister did not prove Sneider accessed Doe's number for personal reasons.
Commission members, in a seven-page decision, said Sneider's testimony was unconvincing.
"It is not credible that Sneider would be making legitimate and necessary police-related calls . . . while out visiting a succession of taverns on a Saturday night and drinking alcoholic beverages. It is not believable that Sneider would pursue this issue off duty as late as 12:06 a.m. on Sunday morning, May 11, 2008, which is the time she made her last call to the Doe residence," the commission wrote.
Police Department rules require that officers engage in professional conduct, refrain from associating with people of questionable character, use city resources only for work and "speak the truth at all times."
A separate insubordination charge against Sneider was dismissed by the commission. That charge stemmed from her request to remove a laptop computer mount bracket from then-Chief Gary Bach's squad car to have it installed in her car. Meister earlier had issued an order that nothing be removed from Bach's squad, and Sneider was accused of ignoring the mandate.
The commission said it is disappointing that department personnel and commission time was spent looking into the laptop mount issue.
"The commission is concerned that this situation is symptomatic of poor management, system-wide disregard for authority and continuing deterioration in the chain of command with the police department. This matter should have been handled internally," the commission said.
-----------------------
http://www.620wtmj.com/news/local/66364042.html
The commission stopped short of firing her, which acting Police Chief Daniel Meister had requested.
Sneider's demotion was warranted, commission members said, because her untruthfulness during the Police Department investigation and the commission hearing last week into her conduct undermined her ability to supervise.
Sneider was hired in January 2000 and has been a sergeant since November 2006. She was earning $68,910 annually as a sergeant. A top paid patrol officer in the department earns about $59,259 annually.
Meister had filed administrative charges against Sneider earlier this year, accusing her of lying and inappropriate conduct and sought her dismissal from the force.
According to the administrative charges filed against her, Sneider, while off duty on May 10, 2008, had an on-duty patrol officer access a secure police database to get Sneider the phone number of a man who was under investigation by the department.
Sneider, who has been on paid administrative leave since November 2008, thought the man was "hot" and wanted to call him so she could go out with him, according to the charging document and testimony at the hearing.
The man, identified only as John Doe in the document, was a city resident with a known criminal history with the department. At the time, city police were investigating him and his residence on suspicion of illegal activity, including illegal drugs, the charging document states.
Sneider made four calls with her personal cell phone to the man's residence on May 10, 2008, one call the following day and two calls on May 17, 2008, the document says. She also stopped at his home May 11, but he wasn't there, the document states.
Sneider, who testified during a two-day hearing last week, denied trying to have a relationship with the man and said she only contacted the suspect as part of an investigation into a noise complaint.
Sneider's attorney, Gordon McQuillen, said Monday that Sneider might appeal the discipline. He said evidence presented by Meister did not prove Sneider accessed Doe's number for personal reasons.
Commission members, in a seven-page decision, said Sneider's testimony was unconvincing.
"It is not credible that Sneider would be making legitimate and necessary police-related calls . . . while out visiting a succession of taverns on a Saturday night and drinking alcoholic beverages. It is not believable that Sneider would pursue this issue off duty as late as 12:06 a.m. on Sunday morning, May 11, 2008, which is the time she made her last call to the Doe residence," the commission wrote.
Police Department rules require that officers engage in professional conduct, refrain from associating with people of questionable character, use city resources only for work and "speak the truth at all times."
A separate insubordination charge against Sneider was dismissed by the commission. That charge stemmed from her request to remove a laptop computer mount bracket from then-Chief Gary Bach's squad car to have it installed in her car. Meister earlier had issued an order that nothing be removed from Bach's squad, and Sneider was accused of ignoring the mandate.
The commission said it is disappointing that department personnel and commission time was spent looking into the laptop mount issue.
"The commission is concerned that this situation is symptomatic of poor management, system-wide disregard for authority and continuing deterioration in the chain of command with the police department. This matter should have been handled internally," the commission said.
-----------------------
http://www.620wtmj.com/news/local/66364042.html
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Officer James Breier Arrested for Being Drunk on the Job
A Toledo Police officer has been relieved from duty after a firefighter allegedly found him drunk on the job.
Police Chief Mike Navarre confirms that Officer James Breier was arrested Friday afternoon. Officers arrested him when they saw probable cause that he was intoxicated. He is still being paid while on leave.
The investigation is being handled by Internal Affairs.
----------------------------------
http://www.foxtoledo.com/dpp/news/local/tpd_officer_charged_with_ovi_sh_tt_ba_102409
Police Chief Mike Navarre confirms that Officer James Breier was arrested Friday afternoon. Officers arrested him when they saw probable cause that he was intoxicated. He is still being paid while on leave.
The investigation is being handled by Internal Affairs.
----------------------------------
http://www.foxtoledo.com/dpp/news/local/tpd_officer_charged_with_ovi_sh_tt_ba_102409
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Officer Johnnie Self Jr Charged with Sexual Battery & Domestic Assault
A Blacksburg police officer faces charges of sexual battery and domestic assault.
Johnnie Self, Jr. turned himself in earlier this week after he was accused of assaulting his girlfriend late Saturday.
He was released on a $100,000 bond. The Blacksburg Police Department says Self is now on leave from the department.
The Montgomery County Sheriff's Department has taken over the investigation. A special prosecutor from Carroll County will take on the case.
---------------------------------------------
http://www.roanoke.com/news/nrv/wb/223684
Johnnie Self, Jr. turned himself in earlier this week after he was accused of assaulting his girlfriend late Saturday.
He was released on a $100,000 bond. The Blacksburg Police Department says Self is now on leave from the department.
The Montgomery County Sheriff's Department has taken over the investigation. A special prosecutor from Carroll County will take on the case.
---------------------------------------------
http://www.roanoke.com/news/nrv/wb/223684
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)