|
Post by Critique on Jan 5, 2007 18:36:21 GMT -5
December 7, 2006 BY AMBER HUNT and BEN SCHMITT For the third time in a week -- and the fifth time in recent months -- an area law-enforcement officer's weapon landed in the hand of a thief Wednesday, prompting a hunt not only for the pincher but also for the gun. Late Wednesday, Detroit police announced they had arrested the suspect without incident and also recovered the gun. From a semi-automatic rifle to a submachine gun to a Glock pistol and others, weapons belonging to officers from West Bloomfield, Monroe County, Wayne County and Detroit have been stolen -- far more than usual in such a short span, according to one police lieutenant. "In my 30 years here, we'd had one pistol stolen before," said Lt. Carl Fuhs of the West Bloomfield Township Police Department, which employs an officer whose 9mm submachine gun was stolen from his department-issued SUV as he attended a Tigers game in downtown Detroit. The gun still is missing. The most recent theft occurred Wednesday during a daring escape by a prisoner. Police say Deandre Riley, 23, of Detroit wrestled a Glock from an officer as Riley was being admitted to Detroit Receiving Hospital after complaining he didn't feel well. After Riley stole the gun, police said, he hijacked an ambulance -- with a patient, a medic and an EMT student in the back -- and drove away. He ditched the ambulance in Midtown after the student jumped out the back and the medic told Riley the vehicle was being tracked. Late Wednesday, police found Riley walking near Fenkell and Dexter on Detroit's west side after a getting a tip, police said. The theft came a day after an off-duty Detroit officer's service weapon was stolen during a fight at an east-side pizzeria. In that case, the gun was recovered and three suspects were arrested. Last week, a Wayne County sheriff's deputy reported his Colt M4 Carbine assault rifle missing from his undercover patrol vehicle, parked at his Northville home. The rifle hasn't been found. And in June, a .40-caliber UMP submachine gun was stolen from the unlocked patrol vehicle of a Monroe County sheriff's deputy. The weapon was found a few days later in a pond. Dr. Laurence Miller, a clinical forensic and police psychologist in Boca Raton, Fla., said losing a weapon has a "profound effect" on officers. "For a police officer, a gun is a symbolic representation of their role as protectors of society," Miller said, adding, "It's an emasculating experience" to lose a weapon, regardless of the officer's gender. Paul Stewart, vice president of the Detroit Police Officers Association, said: "It's devastating. Any time you lose your gun, the department is going to discipline." Former Detroit Officer John Bennett, author of the city watchdog Web site www.detroituncovered.com, said an officer who loses a weapon is subject to embarrassment and humiliation. "The razzing you take is horrible," he said. If the weapon is used to hurt someone else, it's horrifying, he added. "That should never happen," said Bennett, who was a cop for seven years. "You go through training to make sure nobody can ever take your gun from you." Detroit Police Chief Ella Bully-Cummings was not available to talk about Wednesday's incident, including what training is provided to officers and what disciplinary measures an officer who loses his or her weapon could face. All departments have guidelines for securing weapons, Fuhs said, though West Bloomfield doesn't have a specific rule stating weapons shouldn't be left in patrol vehicles. "Still," he said, "you're responsible for the weapon once it's given to you." Fuhs said that the officer in his department whose gun was stolen during the baseball game was disciplined after an internal investigation. He declined to reveal the measures taken. In Wednesday's case, police said, Riley was arrested at 1 a.m., accused of driving a stolen vehicle. He was taken to the Western District lockup on 7 Mile at Woodward. About 6 a.m., after Riley complained of feeling ill, he was taken to Detroit Receiving, where he wrested the Glock from officers as they tried to handcuff him to a bed during admission, said Sgt. Eren Stephens, a police spokeswoman. Riley then fled, pointing the gun at the ambulance driver and ordering him out of the vehicle, said Michael Kowalsky, operations manager for ambulance company Medic One. As Riley sped down St. Antoine at 60 m.p.h., the EMT student in the rear of the ambulance tucked and rolled out the back, Kowalsky said. She suffered only scrapes to her hands. Another Medic One worker stayed with the patient, Kowalsky said. She told Riley the ambulance was equipped with a tracking device, prompting him to pull over at Third Avenue and Canfield, near Wayne State University. Riley fled on foot, Stephens said. He has previous convictions of carrying a concealed weapon and cocaine possession, according to the Michigan Department of Corrections. Allina Tipton, Riley's grandmother, said he suffers from schizophrenia and has not been taking his medication. www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061207/NEWS01/612070356
|
|
|
Post by Critique on Jan 5, 2007 18:36:21 GMT -5
December 7, 2006 BY AMBER HUNT and BEN SCHMITT For the third time in a week -- and the fifth time in recent months -- an area law-enforcement officer's weapon landed in the hand of a thief Wednesday, prompting a hunt not only for the pincher but also for the gun. Late Wednesday, Detroit police announced they had arrested the suspect without incident and also recovered the gun. From a semi-automatic rifle to a submachine gun to a Glock pistol and others, weapons belonging to officers from West Bloomfield, Monroe County, Wayne County and Detroit have been stolen -- far more than usual in such a short span, according to one police lieutenant. "In my 30 years here, we'd had one pistol stolen before," said Lt. Carl Fuhs of the West Bloomfield Township Police Department, which employs an officer whose 9mm submachine gun was stolen from his department-issued SUV as he attended a Tigers game in downtown Detroit. The gun still is missing. The most recent theft occurred Wednesday during a daring escape by a prisoner. Police say Deandre Riley, 23, of Detroit wrestled a Glock from an officer as Riley was being admitted to Detroit Receiving Hospital after complaining he didn't feel well. After Riley stole the gun, police said, he hijacked an ambulance -- with a patient, a medic and an EMT student in the back -- and drove away. He ditched the ambulance in Midtown after the student jumped out the back and the medic told Riley the vehicle was being tracked. Late Wednesday, police found Riley walking near Fenkell and Dexter on Detroit's west side after a getting a tip, police said. The theft came a day after an off-duty Detroit officer's service weapon was stolen during a fight at an east-side pizzeria. In that case, the gun was recovered and three suspects were arrested. Last week, a Wayne County sheriff's deputy reported his Colt M4 Carbine assault rifle missing from his undercover patrol vehicle, parked at his Northville home. The rifle hasn't been found. And in June, a .40-caliber UMP submachine gun was stolen from the unlocked patrol vehicle of a Monroe County sheriff's deputy. The weapon was found a few days later in a pond. Dr. Laurence Miller, a clinical forensic and police psychologist in Boca Raton, Fla., said losing a weapon has a "profound effect" on officers. "For a police officer, a gun is a symbolic representation of their role as protectors of society," Miller said, adding, "It's an emasculating experience" to lose a weapon, regardless of the officer's gender. Paul Stewart, vice president of the Detroit Police Officers Association, said: "It's devastating. Any time you lose your gun, the department is going to discipline." Former Detroit Officer John Bennett, author of the city watchdog Web site www.detroituncovered.com, said an officer who loses a weapon is subject to embarrassment and humiliation. "The razzing you take is horrible," he said. If the weapon is used to hurt someone else, it's horrifying, he added. "That should never happen," said Bennett, who was a cop for seven years. "You go through training to make sure nobody can ever take your gun from you." Detroit Police Chief Ella Bully-Cummings was not available to talk about Wednesday's incident, including what training is provided to officers and what disciplinary measures an officer who loses his or her weapon could face. All departments have guidelines for securing weapons, Fuhs said, though West Bloomfield doesn't have a specific rule stating weapons shouldn't be left in patrol vehicles. "Still," he said, "you're responsible for the weapon once it's given to you." Fuhs said that the officer in his department whose gun was stolen during the baseball game was disciplined after an internal investigation. He declined to reveal the measures taken. In Wednesday's case, police said, Riley was arrested at 1 a.m., accused of driving a stolen vehicle. He was taken to the Western District lockup on 7 Mile at Woodward. About 6 a.m., after Riley complained of feeling ill, he was taken to Detroit Receiving, where he wrested the Glock from officers as they tried to handcuff him to a bed during admission, said Sgt. Eren Stephens, a police spokeswoman. Riley then fled, pointing the gun at the ambulance driver and ordering him out of the vehicle, said Michael Kowalsky, operations manager for ambulance company Medic One. As Riley sped down St. Antoine at 60 m.p.h., the EMT student in the rear of the ambulance tucked and rolled out the back, Kowalsky said. She suffered only scrapes to her hands. Another Medic One worker stayed with the patient, Kowalsky said. She told Riley the ambulance was equipped with a tracking device, prompting him to pull over at Third Avenue and Canfield, near Wayne State University. Riley fled on foot, Stephens said. He has previous convictions of carrying a concealed weapon and cocaine possession, according to the Michigan Department of Corrections. Allina Tipton, Riley's grandmother, said he suffers from schizophrenia and has not been taking his medication. www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061207/NEWS01/612070356
|
|
|
Post by Critique on Jan 1, 2007 3:01:12 GMT -5
December 25, 2006 BY DENISE ROMANO Parking - legally - at spot on Cropsey Ave. in Brooklyn is $160 fine. The driveway is long gone, replaced with a sturdy fence. The house that once stood there was razed nearly a century ago. But don't even think about parking on this patch of Brooklyn curb front. Just ask Nick Carpinelli, 80, who was slapped with a $160 fine for blocking the phantom driveway at 2255 Cropsey Ave. in Bensonhurst. "I watch car after car receive the same ticket," said Carpinelli, who visits a friend daily at the nearby Bayview Manor Home for Adults. "Sometimes I leave a note on the windshield asking them to help me fight this. ... It's a terrible thing. They [cops] know it's not a ticketing area. They just never sealed the curb cut." City officials agree Carpinelli is absolutely right: No one should be ticketed for parking in front of a curb cut that leads to nowhere. "This curb cut should not exist," said Jennifer Givner, a spokeswoman for the Buildings Department. "He should not be getting ticketed." The curb cut used to lead to the circular driveway for the house demolished almost a century ago, Givner said. The building constructed in its place was converted into a hospital in 1930 and then into a retirement home in 1970. Even if it were an active driveway, no ticket should be issued without a complaint from a resident. "The law states that you can block your own driveway," Department of Transportation spokesman Craig Chin said. "So unless a complaint is filed, a cop doesn't know whether or not you live in the building and should not ticket you." Police from the 62nd Precinct did not return calls. But the area's community board has stepped up to help Carpinelli. "This is an outrage," said Howard Feuer, district manager of Community Board 11. "I would be happy to help him fight this ticket. What's going on there is ridiculous." www.nydailynews.com/front/story/483081p-406541c.html
|
|
|
Post by Critique on Jan 1, 2007 3:01:12 GMT -5
December 25, 2006 BY DENISE ROMANO Parking - legally - at spot on Cropsey Ave. in Brooklyn is $160 fine. The driveway is long gone, replaced with a sturdy fence. The house that once stood there was razed nearly a century ago. But don't even think about parking on this patch of Brooklyn curb front. Just ask Nick Carpinelli, 80, who was slapped with a $160 fine for blocking the phantom driveway at 2255 Cropsey Ave. in Bensonhurst. "I watch car after car receive the same ticket," said Carpinelli, who visits a friend daily at the nearby Bayview Manor Home for Adults. "Sometimes I leave a note on the windshield asking them to help me fight this. ... It's a terrible thing. They [cops] know it's not a ticketing area. They just never sealed the curb cut." City officials agree Carpinelli is absolutely right: No one should be ticketed for parking in front of a curb cut that leads to nowhere. "This curb cut should not exist," said Jennifer Givner, a spokeswoman for the Buildings Department. "He should not be getting ticketed." The curb cut used to lead to the circular driveway for the house demolished almost a century ago, Givner said. The building constructed in its place was converted into a hospital in 1930 and then into a retirement home in 1970. Even if it were an active driveway, no ticket should be issued without a complaint from a resident. "The law states that you can block your own driveway," Department of Transportation spokesman Craig Chin said. "So unless a complaint is filed, a cop doesn't know whether or not you live in the building and should not ticket you." Police from the 62nd Precinct did not return calls. But the area's community board has stepped up to help Carpinelli. "This is an outrage," said Howard Feuer, district manager of Community Board 11. "I would be happy to help him fight this ticket. What's going on there is ridiculous." www.nydailynews.com/front/story/483081p-406541c.html
|
|
|
Post by Critique on Dec 29, 2006 3:07:13 GMT -5
December 21, 2006 By Angelica Martinez CASA DE ORO – An El Cajon police officer accidentally shot himself in the foot while taking part in a narcotics raid early yesterday. The officer was walking in the cluttered backyard of a house on Bonita Street near San Juan Street when he tripped, slid his finger onto his weapon's trigger and fired a round into the top of his right foot, authorities said. The type of weapon wasn't released. The officer was taken to a hospital and was scheduled to undergo surgery. He was in stable condition, authorities said, but it's unknown how long recovery will take. They didn't release his identity. Sheriff's SWAT officers and narcotics investigators searched one house on the street, while El Cajon police searched another in raids that began at 6 a.m., said sheriff's Sgt. Kirk Thomson. Six people were arrested – three from each house – and there may be other arrests, Thomson said. He didn't know if the people arrested lived in those houses. They are suspected of possessing and selling methamphetamine. County health officials also condemned the two houses because they are “unfit for human habitation,” Thomson said. The yard of the house raided by El Cajon police was littered with appliances, boxes and lumber. Power to the house had been cut off in March, but officials said the residents had been illegally receiving electrical services since April. The other house wasn't kept up as well as homes in the neighborhood. www.signonsandiego.com/news/metro/20061221-9999-2m21foot.html
|
|
|
Post by Critique on Dec 29, 2006 3:07:13 GMT -5
December 21, 2006 By Angelica Martinez CASA DE ORO – An El Cajon police officer accidentally shot himself in the foot while taking part in a narcotics raid early yesterday. The officer was walking in the cluttered backyard of a house on Bonita Street near San Juan Street when he tripped, slid his finger onto his weapon's trigger and fired a round into the top of his right foot, authorities said. The type of weapon wasn't released. The officer was taken to a hospital and was scheduled to undergo surgery. He was in stable condition, authorities said, but it's unknown how long recovery will take. They didn't release his identity. Sheriff's SWAT officers and narcotics investigators searched one house on the street, while El Cajon police searched another in raids that began at 6 a.m., said sheriff's Sgt. Kirk Thomson. Six people were arrested – three from each house – and there may be other arrests, Thomson said. He didn't know if the people arrested lived in those houses. They are suspected of possessing and selling methamphetamine. County health officials also condemned the two houses because they are “unfit for human habitation,” Thomson said. The yard of the house raided by El Cajon police was littered with appliances, boxes and lumber. Power to the house had been cut off in March, but officials said the residents had been illegally receiving electrical services since April. The other house wasn't kept up as well as homes in the neighborhood. www.signonsandiego.com/news/metro/20061221-9999-2m21foot.html
|
|
|
Post by Critique on Jan 10, 2007 14:12:10 GMT -5
10/28/2003 MICHAEL C. FITZPATRICK LORAIN -- A 9-year-old boy was arrested at gunpoint and handcuffed Saturday because he was waving a toy gun over his head while seated on a bench outside a store, according to a Lorain police report. His mother, Tamyka Saunders of Sheffield Lake, said her son, Thomas Clark Jr., told Lorain police when they approached him outside a Broadway business that the gun was a toy. An officer aimed his weapon at the boy's head, ordered him to the ground, handcuffed him and arrested him for juvenile delinquency by reason of inducing panic, according to the police report. Saunders, 28, was also charged with obstruction of justice and resisting arrest when she pleaded with police not to arrest her son and to give him a warning, according to a police report. ''He doesn't deserve this. He is not a bad kid at all. That's what I was trying to explain to the officer. It's just not fair,'' Saunders said. Saunders was getting her hair done at the Northern Institute of Cosmetology on Broadway near Seventh Street when the incident began. Saunders said she and her son were spending the day together . Saunders said her son got his hair cut first, and then he went outside to play while waiting on her. A passer-by who saw the boy playing just before noon with a gun -- described by police as a black plastic toy gun -- called police, who responded to the scene and found the boy ''waving what appeared to be a black handgun above his head,'' according to a police report. The report said the gun was spray painted black and resembled a genuine gun. At that point, Officer Joe Novosielski confronted the boy at gunpoint, ordering him to drop the gun and then lie on the ground, the report said. Thomas, who his mother said has been diagnosed with attention deficit disorder, said he was frightened by the incident. Lorain police said Novosielski handled the situation properly. ''Obviously, someone got scared and called the police. Nobody driving down the street could tell it was a toy gun, so that's where the panic comes in. We charge that to anyone doing that,'' Lt. Robert Poli said. ''We're not going to tolerate anyone walking down the street, sitting on a bench ... if he's waving a gun around,'' Poli said. ''You don't know it's a toy gun.'' Saunders said police were not even going to come inside the cosmetology institute to tell her they were arresting her son. She said she learned from another woman her son was being arrested. Saunders, wearing curlers in her hair, said she raced out to the police car to attempt to intervene on her son's behalf. ''He (Novosielski) snatched me by the arm and cuffed me. People were just walking down the street shaking their heads. I did not cuss at him, and I did not yell at him, because I'm not that type of person. I feel I'm the one that was disrespected,'' Saunders said of her arrest. When informed her son was being arrested, Saunders attempted to pull her son away from the officer but moved away when told to, according to the report. Police said Saunders pleaded with them not to arrest her son and to ''just give him a warning,'' according to the report. She also told police her son ''was just playing'' and that he didn't point the gun at anyone before asking police, ''Don't you have anything better to do?'' Saunders was eventually arrested after refusing to move away from the cruiser where her son had been placed, the report said. The officer told her to finish her business at the beauty salon and then come to the station to pick up her son, according to the report. She is free on $750 bond and is scheduled to appear in Lorain Municipal Court today. The report of Thomas' arrest was forwarded to the juvenile court system, according to the police report. Lorain County Prosecutor's Office spokesman Mark Hastings said the report had not been received yet. www.zwire.com/site/10419957.html
|
|
|
Post by Critique on Jan 10, 2007 14:12:10 GMT -5
10/28/2003 MICHAEL C. FITZPATRICK LORAIN -- A 9-year-old boy was arrested at gunpoint and handcuffed Saturday because he was waving a toy gun over his head while seated on a bench outside a store, according to a Lorain police report. His mother, Tamyka Saunders of Sheffield Lake, said her son, Thomas Clark Jr., told Lorain police when they approached him outside a Broadway business that the gun was a toy. An officer aimed his weapon at the boy's head, ordered him to the ground, handcuffed him and arrested him for juvenile delinquency by reason of inducing panic, according to the police report. Saunders, 28, was also charged with obstruction of justice and resisting arrest when she pleaded with police not to arrest her son and to give him a warning, according to a police report. ''He doesn't deserve this. He is not a bad kid at all. That's what I was trying to explain to the officer. It's just not fair,'' Saunders said. Saunders was getting her hair done at the Northern Institute of Cosmetology on Broadway near Seventh Street when the incident began. Saunders said she and her son were spending the day together . Saunders said her son got his hair cut first, and then he went outside to play while waiting on her. A passer-by who saw the boy playing just before noon with a gun -- described by police as a black plastic toy gun -- called police, who responded to the scene and found the boy ''waving what appeared to be a black handgun above his head,'' according to a police report. The report said the gun was spray painted black and resembled a genuine gun. At that point, Officer Joe Novosielski confronted the boy at gunpoint, ordering him to drop the gun and then lie on the ground, the report said. Thomas, who his mother said has been diagnosed with attention deficit disorder, said he was frightened by the incident. Lorain police said Novosielski handled the situation properly. ''Obviously, someone got scared and called the police. Nobody driving down the street could tell it was a toy gun, so that's where the panic comes in. We charge that to anyone doing that,'' Lt. Robert Poli said. ''We're not going to tolerate anyone walking down the street, sitting on a bench ... if he's waving a gun around,'' Poli said. ''You don't know it's a toy gun.'' Saunders said police were not even going to come inside the cosmetology institute to tell her they were arresting her son. She said she learned from another woman her son was being arrested. Saunders, wearing curlers in her hair, said she raced out to the police car to attempt to intervene on her son's behalf. ''He (Novosielski) snatched me by the arm and cuffed me. People were just walking down the street shaking their heads. I did not cuss at him, and I did not yell at him, because I'm not that type of person. I feel I'm the one that was disrespected,'' Saunders said of her arrest. When informed her son was being arrested, Saunders attempted to pull her son away from the officer but moved away when told to, according to the report. Police said Saunders pleaded with them not to arrest her son and to ''just give him a warning,'' according to the report. She also told police her son ''was just playing'' and that he didn't point the gun at anyone before asking police, ''Don't you have anything better to do?'' Saunders was eventually arrested after refusing to move away from the cruiser where her son had been placed, the report said. The officer told her to finish her business at the beauty salon and then come to the station to pick up her son, according to the report. She is free on $750 bond and is scheduled to appear in Lorain Municipal Court today. The report of Thomas' arrest was forwarded to the juvenile court system, according to the police report. Lorain County Prosecutor's Office spokesman Mark Hastings said the report had not been received yet. www.zwire.com/site/10419957.html
|
|
|
Post by Critique on Feb 7, 2007 3:18:24 GMT -5
February 06. 2007 WILMINGTON, NORTH CAROLINA – A former Fayetteville police officer was sentenced to nearly 19 years in prison Tuesday for his role in helping a ring of burglars steal guns, drugs and electronics from houses. Jared Parsek and his eight accomplices pleaded guilty last March to a variety of charges, including conspiracy to commit civil rights violations, drug possession, and obstruction of justice. U.S. District Court Judge James Fox sentenced Parsek to 225 months in prison and ordered him to pay $54,352 in restitution. Prosecutors have said Parsek would gather information while working as an officer and then tell his accomplices about unoccupied house that could be burglarized. Parsek would then wait nearby in case he had to warn his partners about any threat, according to the indictment. The men targeted homes in Fayetteville, Raleigh and the Beech Mountain area, according to the indictment. Fox sentenced accomplice Justin McCarty to a similar term Tuesday. Another participant in the ring, Scotty Cornwell, was sentenced Tuesday to three years in prison and ordered to pay $37,700 in restitution. Three others had already been sentenced and three more are awaiting sentencing. www.wilmingtonstar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070206/APN/702062903
|
|
|
Post by Critique on Feb 7, 2007 3:18:24 GMT -5
February 06. 2007 WILMINGTON, NORTH CAROLINA – A former Fayetteville police officer was sentenced to nearly 19 years in prison Tuesday for his role in helping a ring of burglars steal guns, drugs and electronics from houses. Jared Parsek and his eight accomplices pleaded guilty last March to a variety of charges, including conspiracy to commit civil rights violations, drug possession, and obstruction of justice. U.S. District Court Judge James Fox sentenced Parsek to 225 months in prison and ordered him to pay $54,352 in restitution. Prosecutors have said Parsek would gather information while working as an officer and then tell his accomplices about unoccupied house that could be burglarized. Parsek would then wait nearby in case he had to warn his partners about any threat, according to the indictment. The men targeted homes in Fayetteville, Raleigh and the Beech Mountain area, according to the indictment. Fox sentenced accomplice Justin McCarty to a similar term Tuesday. Another participant in the ring, Scotty Cornwell, was sentenced Tuesday to three years in prison and ordered to pay $37,700 in restitution. Three others had already been sentenced and three more are awaiting sentencing. www.wilmingtonstar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070206/APN/702062903
|
|
|
Post by Critique on Jan 13, 2007 3:27:39 GMT -5
January 10, 2007 A Commerce police sergeant was fired Dec. 16 for allegedly stealing $300 in cash from an undocumented immigrant. Sgt. Larry Floyd was named in a complaint filed Oct. 30 alleging “criminal misconduct” against a private citizen, Police Chief John W. Gaissert confirmed. The investigation of Floyd continues. According to Gaissert, the internal investigation has been completed, but the summarizing report will be made public Jan. 15. The complaint apparently alleged that Floyd stole the money from an undocumented Mexican immigrant’s wallet following a traffic accident. Gaissert, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and the district attorney’s office reached the conclusion that the case was not strong enough to pursue criminal charges, the police chief said. The investigation began after the Hispanic male came forward and filed the complaint. “You have two choices (with which to proceed) once you have an allegation,” Gaissert said. “You can pursue it administratively under what is called the ‘Garrity Rule,’ which is based on case law that established guidelines of due process for police in administrative investigations, or you can conduct it (as a criminal investigation).” In the latter scenario, the officer is treated like any other criminal suspect and, for example, can refuse to talk. In the former case, any statements made by the officer may be used only for departmental investigation purposes and not for the prosecution of a criminal offense, but the officer can be compelled to take a lie detector test. “You’ve got to make that choice,” Gaissert said. “If you think you’ve got a (prosecutable) criminal case, you would pursue it that way. Otherwise, you go under Garrity.” In this case, Gaissert indicated, the language barrier and the lack of physical evidence or witnesses led to proceeding under the Garrity Rule. Other sources indicated that the complainant and Floyd were subjected to polygraph tests. The victim passed the test, while the police officer failed it, the sources said. The Peace Offices Standards and Training (POST) Council is also getting involved. That is the organization that certifies peace officers in Georgia, and its interest is in protecting the integrity of the organization through enforcement of its standards. “POST assigns an investigator. He comes in, takes the internal affairs record and all documentation developed by the agency and does his own investigation,” Gaissert said. The results of that can range from POST taking no action to suspending, probating or revoking POST certification, which is required for service as a police officer in Georgia. That investigation has not been completed in Floyd’s case. “I take this kind of allegation very seriously,” Gaissert said. “We received the complaint, we took it seriously, we investigated it and we took decisive action.” The police chief said that Floyd was a “technically competent officer” who was “well liked in the community and had a good working relationship with other officers.” Floyd was also reported to have been in the midst of a divorce. PERSONNEL FILE Floyd’s personnel file appeared fairly typical. It contained several letters of commendation, but also a notice of a three-day suspension, a demotion and a pay cut in 2004 stemming from his having his wife report him too sick to work - after which he went to see a performance of “Larry the Cable Guy.” It also contained a reprimand related to a few bounced checks. www.mainstreetnews.com/2007/January/C0110A.html
|
|
|
Post by Critique on Jan 13, 2007 3:27:39 GMT -5
January 10, 2007 A Commerce police sergeant was fired Dec. 16 for allegedly stealing $300 in cash from an undocumented immigrant. Sgt. Larry Floyd was named in a complaint filed Oct. 30 alleging “criminal misconduct” against a private citizen, Police Chief John W. Gaissert confirmed. The investigation of Floyd continues. According to Gaissert, the internal investigation has been completed, but the summarizing report will be made public Jan. 15. The complaint apparently alleged that Floyd stole the money from an undocumented Mexican immigrant’s wallet following a traffic accident. Gaissert, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and the district attorney’s office reached the conclusion that the case was not strong enough to pursue criminal charges, the police chief said. The investigation began after the Hispanic male came forward and filed the complaint. “You have two choices (with which to proceed) once you have an allegation,” Gaissert said. “You can pursue it administratively under what is called the ‘Garrity Rule,’ which is based on case law that established guidelines of due process for police in administrative investigations, or you can conduct it (as a criminal investigation).” In the latter scenario, the officer is treated like any other criminal suspect and, for example, can refuse to talk. In the former case, any statements made by the officer may be used only for departmental investigation purposes and not for the prosecution of a criminal offense, but the officer can be compelled to take a lie detector test. “You’ve got to make that choice,” Gaissert said. “If you think you’ve got a (prosecutable) criminal case, you would pursue it that way. Otherwise, you go under Garrity.” In this case, Gaissert indicated, the language barrier and the lack of physical evidence or witnesses led to proceeding under the Garrity Rule. Other sources indicated that the complainant and Floyd were subjected to polygraph tests. The victim passed the test, while the police officer failed it, the sources said. The Peace Offices Standards and Training (POST) Council is also getting involved. That is the organization that certifies peace officers in Georgia, and its interest is in protecting the integrity of the organization through enforcement of its standards. “POST assigns an investigator. He comes in, takes the internal affairs record and all documentation developed by the agency and does his own investigation,” Gaissert said. The results of that can range from POST taking no action to suspending, probating or revoking POST certification, which is required for service as a police officer in Georgia. That investigation has not been completed in Floyd’s case. “I take this kind of allegation very seriously,” Gaissert said. “We received the complaint, we took it seriously, we investigated it and we took decisive action.” The police chief said that Floyd was a “technically competent officer” who was “well liked in the community and had a good working relationship with other officers.” Floyd was also reported to have been in the midst of a divorce. PERSONNEL FILE Floyd’s personnel file appeared fairly typical. It contained several letters of commendation, but also a notice of a three-day suspension, a demotion and a pay cut in 2004 stemming from his having his wife report him too sick to work - after which he went to see a performance of “Larry the Cable Guy.” It also contained a reprimand related to a few bounced checks. www.mainstreetnews.com/2007/January/C0110A.html
|
|
|
Post by Critique on Jan 1, 2007 2:38:36 GMT -5
December 24, 2006 NASHVILLE (AP) -- A Tennessee State University police officer has been arrested on charges she stole more than a $11,000 of merchandise. Nashville police say Koren Deanna Dunn was working last night as an armed security guard at The Mall of Green Hills when she was seen carrying bags away from the Dillard's store. Police say Dunn brought empty duffel bags to work and filled them with merchandise worth about $1,200 dollars before trying to leave the store. A police spokesman says TSU officials retrieved Dunn's firearm and credentials after she was booked on the felony theft charges. www.wate.com/Global/story.asp?S=5856058
|
|
|
Post by Critique on Jan 1, 2007 2:38:36 GMT -5
December 24, 2006 NASHVILLE (AP) -- A Tennessee State University police officer has been arrested on charges she stole more than a $11,000 of merchandise. Nashville police say Koren Deanna Dunn was working last night as an armed security guard at The Mall of Green Hills when she was seen carrying bags away from the Dillard's store. Police say Dunn brought empty duffel bags to work and filled them with merchandise worth about $1,200 dollars before trying to leave the store. A police spokesman says TSU officials retrieved Dunn's firearm and credentials after she was booked on the felony theft charges. www.wate.com/Global/story.asp?S=5856058
|
|
|
Post by Critique on Dec 29, 2006 3:33:27 GMT -5
December 20, 2006 By Ravi Baichwal A Maywood police officer is accused of stealing a credit card from a crime suspect. Antoine Mitchell was a part-time officer. He was fired from that job following his arrest. He appeared in court Wednesday. Mitchell was a part-time police officer until he admitted to stealing someone's Visa check card while he was in charge of actually locking him up. Mitchell appeared in court Wednesday by video link-up. The judge noted the seriousness of the crime and set his bond at $55,000. "When one is on duty in uniform responsible for the care and custody of prisoners and then use that position to steal from them, not only steals cash that is readily useable but to steal a Visa check card, and then use that to pay bills or any other purpose, it's quite serious," said Jim Knibbs, state's attorney's office. The state says Mitchell has admitted to stealing the man's Visa card and cell phone from his bag of personal effects. Mitchell was in charge of him while he was in custody and transported between the Maywood police station and village courthouse on a traffic charge on November 21. The man complained to police that someone was using his Visa card after it went missing when he was in jail. Investigators quickly concluded it was Mitchell when Mitchell used it as a fast food restaurant and to pay his own cell phone bill of $220. "In this building you're not only surprised by the things you hear but the stupidity," said Knibbs. The police chief declined an on camera interview, but said she had the things in place to catch crooked cops. The Maywood Police department fired Mitchell on Tuesday. abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=local&id=4865671
|
|
|
Post by Critique on Dec 29, 2006 3:33:27 GMT -5
December 20, 2006 By Ravi Baichwal A Maywood police officer is accused of stealing a credit card from a crime suspect. Antoine Mitchell was a part-time officer. He was fired from that job following his arrest. He appeared in court Wednesday. Mitchell was a part-time police officer until he admitted to stealing someone's Visa check card while he was in charge of actually locking him up. Mitchell appeared in court Wednesday by video link-up. The judge noted the seriousness of the crime and set his bond at $55,000. "When one is on duty in uniform responsible for the care and custody of prisoners and then use that position to steal from them, not only steals cash that is readily useable but to steal a Visa check card, and then use that to pay bills or any other purpose, it's quite serious," said Jim Knibbs, state's attorney's office. The state says Mitchell has admitted to stealing the man's Visa card and cell phone from his bag of personal effects. Mitchell was in charge of him while he was in custody and transported between the Maywood police station and village courthouse on a traffic charge on November 21. The man complained to police that someone was using his Visa card after it went missing when he was in jail. Investigators quickly concluded it was Mitchell when Mitchell used it as a fast food restaurant and to pay his own cell phone bill of $220. "In this building you're not only surprised by the things you hear but the stupidity," said Knibbs. The police chief declined an on camera interview, but said she had the things in place to catch crooked cops. The Maywood Police department fired Mitchell on Tuesday. abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=local&id=4865671
|
|
|
Post by Critique on Feb 27, 2007 1:45:07 GMT -5
February 26, 2007 By Don Dailey SPRINGDALE, ARKANSAS – The Arkansas State Police will pay $1 million in a settlement agreement to the estate of Joseph Erin Hamley who was shot and killed by a state trooper last year in a case of mistaken identity. The State Police admitted no wrongdoing, and the Hamley family agreed the settlement would satisfy all claims against the state. The agreement set several stipulations the State Police must meet, the first of which was an appropriation bill for the money filed Monday in the Legislature. If the bill is signed into law and the appropriation funded, the money would be given to the State Police. The State Police would then have to submit the settlement agreement for approval by the Department of Finance and Administration and the appropriate committees of the Legislature, before the money could be paid to Hamley’s estate, said State Police spokesman Bill Sadler. Erin Hamley’s mother, Mary Hamley, would not discuss the settlement when reached by phone Monday. “I can’t go into that,” was all she would say concerning the agreement, which was accepted in probate proceedings and sealed by a judge in Washington County on Feb. 15. Probate case files are normally open to the public. A copy of the agreement was provided by the Arkansas State Police. Mary Hamley’s Fayetteville attorney W.H. Taylor did not immediately return several messages left at his office Monday. Hamley, 21, who had cerebral palsy, never learned to read and had difficulty communicating. State Trooper Larry Norman shot Hamley on the side of U.S. 412, west of Springdale, the morning of March 7, thinking the disabled man was Michigan prison escapee Adam Leadford. A Benton County grand jury indicted Norman in April on a misdemeanor negligent homicide charge. The grand jury said in its report that Hamley did not obey Norman and four other police officers who responded to a possible sighting of Leadford. He laid on his back on the ground, and Norman shot him with a shotgun as Hamley moved his arm toward his body, possibly in an effort to roll onto his stomach, the report said. The report said Norman was on the scene for less than a minute and the lack of communication among the officers was troubling. Sadler said that as a result of the shooting, the State Police doubled to eight the number of training hours troopers and recruits must complete in dealing with the mentally impaired. Leadford was captured after a two-county, high-speed chase about nine hours after the Hamley shooting. He had eluded police for three days. Police chased him into Wal-Mart Supercenter on Thompson Street in Springdale where he was shot in the face by a Springdale police officer and arrested.No More Mistaken Identities - CritiqueLeadford was sentenced last month to 30 years in prison for his actions in Benton County. He was sentenced to six years in prison on charges in Washington County. What’s Up Negligent Homicide Trial Former Arkansas State Trooper Larry Norman faces one charge of misdemeanor negligent homicide in the March 2006 death of Erin Hamley. Norman’s trial has been postponed twice, and a pretrial hearing is now planned March 26 before Benton County Senior Circuit Judge Tom Keith. Norman was granted medical retirement last summer due to the “enormous psychological overlay” of the incident, his attorney, John Everett of Fayetteville, has said. If found guilty, Norman could face up to one year in jail and a $1,000 fine. www.nwaonline.net/articles/2007/02/26/news/022707azhamleysettlement.txt
|
|
|
Post by Critique on Feb 27, 2007 1:45:07 GMT -5
February 26, 2007 By Don Dailey SPRINGDALE, ARKANSAS – The Arkansas State Police will pay $1 million in a settlement agreement to the estate of Joseph Erin Hamley who was shot and killed by a state trooper last year in a case of mistaken identity. The State Police admitted no wrongdoing, and the Hamley family agreed the settlement would satisfy all claims against the state. The agreement set several stipulations the State Police must meet, the first of which was an appropriation bill for the money filed Monday in the Legislature. If the bill is signed into law and the appropriation funded, the money would be given to the State Police. The State Police would then have to submit the settlement agreement for approval by the Department of Finance and Administration and the appropriate committees of the Legislature, before the money could be paid to Hamley’s estate, said State Police spokesman Bill Sadler. Erin Hamley’s mother, Mary Hamley, would not discuss the settlement when reached by phone Monday. “I can’t go into that,” was all she would say concerning the agreement, which was accepted in probate proceedings and sealed by a judge in Washington County on Feb. 15. Probate case files are normally open to the public. A copy of the agreement was provided by the Arkansas State Police. Mary Hamley’s Fayetteville attorney W.H. Taylor did not immediately return several messages left at his office Monday. Hamley, 21, who had cerebral palsy, never learned to read and had difficulty communicating. State Trooper Larry Norman shot Hamley on the side of U.S. 412, west of Springdale, the morning of March 7, thinking the disabled man was Michigan prison escapee Adam Leadford. A Benton County grand jury indicted Norman in April on a misdemeanor negligent homicide charge. The grand jury said in its report that Hamley did not obey Norman and four other police officers who responded to a possible sighting of Leadford. He laid on his back on the ground, and Norman shot him with a shotgun as Hamley moved his arm toward his body, possibly in an effort to roll onto his stomach, the report said. The report said Norman was on the scene for less than a minute and the lack of communication among the officers was troubling. Sadler said that as a result of the shooting, the State Police doubled to eight the number of training hours troopers and recruits must complete in dealing with the mentally impaired. Leadford was captured after a two-county, high-speed chase about nine hours after the Hamley shooting. He had eluded police for three days. Police chased him into Wal-Mart Supercenter on Thompson Street in Springdale where he was shot in the face by a Springdale police officer and arrested.No More Mistaken Identities - CritiqueLeadford was sentenced last month to 30 years in prison for his actions in Benton County. He was sentenced to six years in prison on charges in Washington County. What’s Up Negligent Homicide Trial Former Arkansas State Trooper Larry Norman faces one charge of misdemeanor negligent homicide in the March 2006 death of Erin Hamley. Norman’s trial has been postponed twice, and a pretrial hearing is now planned March 26 before Benton County Senior Circuit Judge Tom Keith. Norman was granted medical retirement last summer due to the “enormous psychological overlay” of the incident, his attorney, John Everett of Fayetteville, has said. If found guilty, Norman could face up to one year in jail and a $1,000 fine. www.nwaonline.net/articles/2007/02/26/news/022707azhamleysettlement.txt
|
|
|
Post by Critique on Feb 5, 2007 12:50:18 GMT -5
February 3, 2007 By LORENA MONGELLI February 3, 2007 -- WALTERBORO, S.C. - Investigators have recovered chilling surveillance video that captures a retired NYPD sergeant shooting his ex-wife in the head in Staten Island, law enforcement sources said yesterday. A South Carolina judge ordered John Galtieri, 61, held without bail as the suspect told the court he intended to fight extradition back to New York, where second-degree murder charges were filed. Galtieri was picked up in South Carolina Wednesday after fleeing the crime scene, police said. As he was led from the courtroom, Galtieri - who retired from the NYPD in 1980 - only smirked at reporters when asked if he had killed his ex-wife, Jeanne Kane. NYPD investigators who had come down to bring Galtieri back said they had interviewed him, but he refused to talk. "He just kept asking for a lawyer," a source said. A police report, filed by the officers who stopped Galtieri as he drove south on I-95, said the suspect had told them he had a gun in the trunk of his car. However, none was recovered. An NYPD source said investigators were not too concerned that they didn't have the murder weapon. "We have more than enough evidence. We have videotape," said the source. "Besides, there were no shell casings, so we don't know what kind of gun." Appearing in an orange prison jumpsuit and handcuffs, Galtieri told Magistrate Judge Kesha Gadsden that he declined to waive his right to an extradition hearing and complained that he had not been allowed to speak to a lawyer. "I have asked to speak to an attorney for the last two days, and no one would allow me to call an attorney," he said. "My wife in Florida called the local legal aid or the public defender. He instructed her to have me call him this morning, and no one would allow me to call him." Gadsden scheduled a full hearing in the state capital, Columbia, sometime next week. Police say Galtieri shot Kane, 58, on Tuesday as she sat in a car in a Staten Island parking lot waiting to pick up their daughter. Galtieri had long battled with Kane over alimony payments since they divorced in 2003, following a rocky 27-year marriage. Galtieri had been in Staten Island Tuesday to show cause in court for a lawsuit he had filed against Kane arguing that she was illegally tapping his NYPD disability pension, following several other similar lawsuits that had been dismissed. Kane's funeral is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. today at Our Lady of Angels Church, 7320 Fourth Ave., Bay Ridge, Brooklyn. www.nypost.com/seven/02032007/news/nationalnews/park_lot_vid_captured_slay_by_cop_nationalnews_lorena_mongelli__post_correspondent.htm
|
|
|
Post by Critique on Feb 5, 2007 12:50:18 GMT -5
February 3, 2007 By LORENA MONGELLI February 3, 2007 -- WALTERBORO, S.C. - Investigators have recovered chilling surveillance video that captures a retired NYPD sergeant shooting his ex-wife in the head in Staten Island, law enforcement sources said yesterday. A South Carolina judge ordered John Galtieri, 61, held without bail as the suspect told the court he intended to fight extradition back to New York, where second-degree murder charges were filed. Galtieri was picked up in South Carolina Wednesday after fleeing the crime scene, police said. As he was led from the courtroom, Galtieri - who retired from the NYPD in 1980 - only smirked at reporters when asked if he had killed his ex-wife, Jeanne Kane. NYPD investigators who had come down to bring Galtieri back said they had interviewed him, but he refused to talk. "He just kept asking for a lawyer," a source said. A police report, filed by the officers who stopped Galtieri as he drove south on I-95, said the suspect had told them he had a gun in the trunk of his car. However, none was recovered. An NYPD source said investigators were not too concerned that they didn't have the murder weapon. "We have more than enough evidence. We have videotape," said the source. "Besides, there were no shell casings, so we don't know what kind of gun." Appearing in an orange prison jumpsuit and handcuffs, Galtieri told Magistrate Judge Kesha Gadsden that he declined to waive his right to an extradition hearing and complained that he had not been allowed to speak to a lawyer. "I have asked to speak to an attorney for the last two days, and no one would allow me to call an attorney," he said. "My wife in Florida called the local legal aid or the public defender. He instructed her to have me call him this morning, and no one would allow me to call him." Gadsden scheduled a full hearing in the state capital, Columbia, sometime next week. Police say Galtieri shot Kane, 58, on Tuesday as she sat in a car in a Staten Island parking lot waiting to pick up their daughter. Galtieri had long battled with Kane over alimony payments since they divorced in 2003, following a rocky 27-year marriage. Galtieri had been in Staten Island Tuesday to show cause in court for a lawsuit he had filed against Kane arguing that she was illegally tapping his NYPD disability pension, following several other similar lawsuits that had been dismissed. Kane's funeral is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. today at Our Lady of Angels Church, 7320 Fourth Ave., Bay Ridge, Brooklyn. www.nypost.com/seven/02032007/news/nationalnews/park_lot_vid_captured_slay_by_cop_nationalnews_lorena_mongelli__post_correspondent.htm
|
|