Post by WaTcHeR on Dec 28, 2006 18:37:42 GMT -5
12.28.2006 - DEMOPOLIS - Police officer Terrence Smith has been placed on administrative leave due to an undisclosed incident.
Public Safety Director Jeff Manuel said that Smith has been placed on administrative leave for violating departmental policy for an undetermined amount of time. He said that the Marengo County Sheriff's Department is also investigating Smith.
“Our part of it is just an internal investigation of violations to our departmental policies,” said Detective Sgt. Tim Soronen. “It really is not a public matter.”
Manuel said that he asked the sheriff's department to look into the incident after receiving the initial compliant.
“It was a complaint that I received that was forwarded to the sheriff's department at my request,” said Manuel. “They were then asked to assist.”
Soronen said that the department sent the criminal investigation out of office so that the investigation would remain unbiased.
“The initial compliant was filed here, but we referred it to them,” said Soronen. “We didn't want it to appear that we were doing the investigation on our own people. We always get someone else to do investigations involving members of our department.”
Manuel said that the differences in an internal and criminal investigation also contributed to sending the compliant to a different agency.
“A criminal investigation cannot require someone to cooperate,” said Manuel. “An internal investigation can require cooperation. That is why they are being run separately.”
Manuel said that the incident allegedly occurred while the officer was on duty. He also said that he does not anticipate Smith returning to the department. He said that if Smith is charged and convicted of a criminal case then he will not return to the force.
The Marengo County Sheriff's Department did not return messages inquiring about their criminal investigation of the incident related to Smith's administrative leave and Smith could not be reached for comment at the time of press.
www.demopolistimes.com/articles/2006/12/20/news/news9893.txt
Public Safety Director Jeff Manuel said that Smith has been placed on administrative leave for violating departmental policy for an undetermined amount of time. He said that the Marengo County Sheriff's Department is also investigating Smith.
“Our part of it is just an internal investigation of violations to our departmental policies,” said Detective Sgt. Tim Soronen. “It really is not a public matter.”
Manuel said that he asked the sheriff's department to look into the incident after receiving the initial compliant.
“It was a complaint that I received that was forwarded to the sheriff's department at my request,” said Manuel. “They were then asked to assist.”
Soronen said that the department sent the criminal investigation out of office so that the investigation would remain unbiased.
“The initial compliant was filed here, but we referred it to them,” said Soronen. “We didn't want it to appear that we were doing the investigation on our own people. We always get someone else to do investigations involving members of our department.”
Manuel said that the differences in an internal and criminal investigation also contributed to sending the compliant to a different agency.
“A criminal investigation cannot require someone to cooperate,” said Manuel. “An internal investigation can require cooperation. That is why they are being run separately.”
Manuel said that the incident allegedly occurred while the officer was on duty. He also said that he does not anticipate Smith returning to the department. He said that if Smith is charged and convicted of a criminal case then he will not return to the force.
The Marengo County Sheriff's Department did not return messages inquiring about their criminal investigation of the incident related to Smith's administrative leave and Smith could not be reached for comment at the time of press.
www.demopolistimes.com/articles/2006/12/20/news/news9893.txt