Post by WaTcHeR on Jan 15, 2007 12:25:34 GMT -5
01.15.2007 One veteran Gallatin police officer resigned this week and another retired in separate scandals involving officers who watched “pornographic” materials on the job and internal investigation leaks.
Police Lt. Susan Morrow, a 25-year veteran, and police Sgt. Jeff Petty, a 12-year employee, turned in resignation letters dated Jan. 9, the same day they were asked to leave by Gallatin Police Chief John Tisdale.
High-ranking officers signed those documents Jan. 10, records show.
These two resignations come on the heels of three other officers calling it quits at the Gallatin Police Department. Former officers Chris Miller, Junior Fields and Jonathan Outlaw resigned in October following investigations into allegations of Miller having sex with a minor and Fields and Outlaw leaving it unreported.
Morrow told investigators she asked ADA Sallie Wade Brown during the probe whether Fields would be charged with a crime, and she told Fields about it.
She had previously denied having conversations with Brown to police Cmdr. Dennis Thrasher.
Miller was indicted by the grand jury on one count of statutory rape last month for allegedly having a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old girl. Neither Fields nor Outlaw faces any criminal charges.
Personnel records show Morrow previously said she told former officer Justin McCrory about the resignation of Gary Chansler — an officer who worked with the police explorers, a group of teens and young adults, affiliated with the Boy Scouts of America.
She denied telling McCrory that the resignation involved a female, but she agreed to take a voice stress analysis, which showed deception related to this issue.
She later told Lt. Kate Novitsky she had shared that detail, records show.
“As a result of your actions, you compromised the ability of the investigating officers to do their job. During your departmental hearing, you provided no legitimate reason for your actions,” Tisdale wrote in Morrow’s termination letter.
“You have admitted culpability to all of the instances outlined above. This is completely unacceptable. The citizens of Gallatin deserve the best police department and the best police officers that are available.”
Morrow turned in a brief retirement letter.
“On January 5, 2007, I completed 25 years of service with the Gallatin Police Department, and I am submitted my retirement immediately,” Morrow wrote.
Petty said most of his officers watched a “pornographic DVD” and a “Girls Gone Wild” video in the patrol room, and a female officer could have been present, personnel records show.
He also told investigators two of his on-duty officers exposed their “testicles or scrotum” to each other inside the police department, records show.
A female officer viewed a cell phone displaying nude or inappropriate pictures of a female that was passed around during a shift briefing, records show.
He admitted observing and having knowledge of officers using Tasers to “drive stun,” putting the device directly on someone’s body, on civilians twice, records show.
When officers normally use Tasers they are deployed from a distance because they shoot out metal darts, which penetrate the skin and deliver an electric shock.
“You have admitted that you were aware of all the instances outlined above, but you failed to take any action whatsoever – either to stop the action while it was occurring or to counsel and discipline the officers assigned to your command about their inappropriate behavior,” Tisdale wrote in Petty’s termination letter.
“…Your failure to act evinces a complete dereliction of duty and is wholly incompatible with the mission of this department. The seriousness of these incidents cannot be minimized.”
Petty wrote positively about his former colleagues in his resignation letter.
“It has been an honor to serve with the men and women of the Gallatin Police Department,” he wrote. “They all serve the city with honor and dedication, truest to their profession.
“I will miss each and every one of you and hope the department will continue to be one of the best around. I hope that I will be remembered as one that was honest and fair to everyone.”
Neither Morrow nor Petty faces any criminal allegations, police said.
www.rctimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070115/MICRO060101/70114002/1310/MTCN0301
Police Lt. Susan Morrow, a 25-year veteran, and police Sgt. Jeff Petty, a 12-year employee, turned in resignation letters dated Jan. 9, the same day they were asked to leave by Gallatin Police Chief John Tisdale.
High-ranking officers signed those documents Jan. 10, records show.
These two resignations come on the heels of three other officers calling it quits at the Gallatin Police Department. Former officers Chris Miller, Junior Fields and Jonathan Outlaw resigned in October following investigations into allegations of Miller having sex with a minor and Fields and Outlaw leaving it unreported.
Morrow told investigators she asked ADA Sallie Wade Brown during the probe whether Fields would be charged with a crime, and she told Fields about it.
She had previously denied having conversations with Brown to police Cmdr. Dennis Thrasher.
Miller was indicted by the grand jury on one count of statutory rape last month for allegedly having a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old girl. Neither Fields nor Outlaw faces any criminal charges.
Personnel records show Morrow previously said she told former officer Justin McCrory about the resignation of Gary Chansler — an officer who worked with the police explorers, a group of teens and young adults, affiliated with the Boy Scouts of America.
She denied telling McCrory that the resignation involved a female, but she agreed to take a voice stress analysis, which showed deception related to this issue.
She later told Lt. Kate Novitsky she had shared that detail, records show.
“As a result of your actions, you compromised the ability of the investigating officers to do their job. During your departmental hearing, you provided no legitimate reason for your actions,” Tisdale wrote in Morrow’s termination letter.
“You have admitted culpability to all of the instances outlined above. This is completely unacceptable. The citizens of Gallatin deserve the best police department and the best police officers that are available.”
Morrow turned in a brief retirement letter.
“On January 5, 2007, I completed 25 years of service with the Gallatin Police Department, and I am submitted my retirement immediately,” Morrow wrote.
Petty said most of his officers watched a “pornographic DVD” and a “Girls Gone Wild” video in the patrol room, and a female officer could have been present, personnel records show.
He also told investigators two of his on-duty officers exposed their “testicles or scrotum” to each other inside the police department, records show.
A female officer viewed a cell phone displaying nude or inappropriate pictures of a female that was passed around during a shift briefing, records show.
He admitted observing and having knowledge of officers using Tasers to “drive stun,” putting the device directly on someone’s body, on civilians twice, records show.
When officers normally use Tasers they are deployed from a distance because they shoot out metal darts, which penetrate the skin and deliver an electric shock.
“You have admitted that you were aware of all the instances outlined above, but you failed to take any action whatsoever – either to stop the action while it was occurring or to counsel and discipline the officers assigned to your command about their inappropriate behavior,” Tisdale wrote in Petty’s termination letter.
“…Your failure to act evinces a complete dereliction of duty and is wholly incompatible with the mission of this department. The seriousness of these incidents cannot be minimized.”
Petty wrote positively about his former colleagues in his resignation letter.
“It has been an honor to serve with the men and women of the Gallatin Police Department,” he wrote. “They all serve the city with honor and dedication, truest to their profession.
“I will miss each and every one of you and hope the department will continue to be one of the best around. I hope that I will be remembered as one that was honest and fair to everyone.”
Neither Morrow nor Petty faces any criminal allegations, police said.
www.rctimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070115/MICRO060101/70114002/1310/MTCN0301