Post by KC on Jun 14, 2006 22:49:31 GMT -5
June 14, 2006 - One troubled Dallas officer's name won't be on the short list as Police Chief David Kunkle prepares for his next round of firings.
Officer Kesha Thomas abruptly resigned Wednesday, a day before it was widely expected that she would be fired for her relationship with an Arkansas man accused of dealing drugs.
In the last two weeks, Chief Kunkle has fired nine officers for misconduct as part of a housecleaning aimed at changing the culture of his nearly 3,000-member department. As many as four firings are expected today.
Ms. Thomas' story illustrates the challenge the chief faces. She was on paid leave for about 10 months after police officials were informed of her relationship with Fred Green, who faces federal charges of drug trafficking in Arkansas.
Another officer, Roshonda Parker, is also being investigated, accused of associating with Mr. Green. She remains on paid administrative leave, and Chief Kunkle may decide her fate today.
"What the heck has taken so long?" said James Whalen, Officer Parker's attorney. "Either it's clear-cut or it's not."
Mr. Whalen said Officer Parker did not associate with Mr. Green.
Ms. Thomas' attorney said she became frustrated with the slow pace of the investigation and resigned because she found out about the status of her case through media reports.
"She didn't really think that was fair and didn't want to continue to work for somebody that treats her that way," said the attorney, Phil Burleson Jr.
Mr. Burleson said Ms. Thomas cooperated with investigators.
"When she learned of the extent of [the trouble Mr. Green was in], that's when she broke it off," he said of the relationship.
In May 2005, state troopers seized 13 kilograms (about 29 pounds) of cocaine that investigators linked to Mr. Green, 31. Federal agents soon learned through phone records of Ms. Thomas' relationship with Mr. Green.
Ms. Thomas told federal agents that Officer Parker introduced them in the spring of 2004. Mr. Green had already served prison time on a felony drug conviction.
Ms. Thomas and Mr. Green, who was living in Arkansas and owned two cellphone stores, struck up a long-distance romance.
Police and Drug Enforcement Administration records state that Ms. Thomas once saw a gun in Mr. Green's trunk and that he had asked her to wire money for him several times, but that she didn't question either of those things.
Ms. Thomas told investigators that in mid-2004, Mr. Green told her he had a warrant out for his arrest. She said he told her it was a case of mistaken identity.
"Her side of the story is that she had no indication that the individual she was dating had a criminal problem," Mr. Burleson said. "She thought he was a decent guy."
Department rules prohibit officers from associating with felons and people involved in criminal activity.
Ms. Thomas initially told investigators she stopped dating Mr. Green after she confirmed that he was wanted by authorities by using her patrol car computer in mid-2004 to check his record. She said she told him he needed to take care of the warrant.
Records show she checked his warrant status four times between November 2004 and June 2005.
Ms. Thomas later admitted that she continued to date Mr. Green.
"I did not take any police action, because I believed this was a personal matter of Mr. Green and since he had hired an attorney, the matter would be resolved," she told investigators.
Ms. Thomas also told investigators that she allowed Mr. Green to give her money after she knew about the warrant. His gifts included $6,000 for a down payment on a house.
Officer Parker told investigators that she'd had an on-again, off-again relationship with Mr. Green's cousin and that she'd known Mr. Green since her days at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff in the mid-'90s.
She told investigators that while in college, she once walked into a room in Mr. Green's house and saw a bale of marijuana. She said she closed the door, walked outside and didn't ask questions. She also said Mr. Green once gave her $400 for a car payment after she became a police officer.
Officer Parker said she last saw Mr. Green at Ms. Thomas' home outside of Dallas in the winter of 2004. She'd also been present once when Ms. Thomas checked him on her squad car computer.
"Parker stated she did not arrest Green on this occasion because she was out of her jurisdiction, and she did not contact the local police because she did not want to be involved," according to DEA records of the interview.
Mr. Whalen, Officer Parker's attorney, said his client has been drawn into the investigation unfairly. "Roshonda did not associate with Fred Green," Mr. Whalen said. "Kesha was the one who ran him on the computer."
Officer Parker, hired in 1999, graduated last in her class of 43 recruits. She has been disciplined repeatedly for being tardy to work and missing court dates. She also received a 15-day suspension for a 2003 incident in Cedar Hill in which she hit an ex-boyfriend's car with a tire iron.
In July 2005, U.S. marshals arrested Mr. Green, who was then living in DeSoto. They seized 450 grams (1 pound) of crack cocaine, 180 grams (0.4 pounds) of methamphetamine, $13,000 in cash and several weapons.
Federal investigators notified Dallas police on Aug. 10 of his connections to the officers, who were soon placed on administrative leave.
The slow pace of such investigations has been frustrating to top brass at the department, where Chief Kunkle is approaching the end of his second year on the job. The chief said he hopes the resignation is a signal that the rank and file are beginning to get the message.
"We have to change the environment where people believe that they don't have to follow the rules," Chief Kunkle said. "I'm going to try to make sure that they do it, because they have to."
Officer Kesha Thomas abruptly resigned Wednesday, a day before it was widely expected that she would be fired for her relationship with an Arkansas man accused of dealing drugs.
In the last two weeks, Chief Kunkle has fired nine officers for misconduct as part of a housecleaning aimed at changing the culture of his nearly 3,000-member department. As many as four firings are expected today.
Ms. Thomas' story illustrates the challenge the chief faces. She was on paid leave for about 10 months after police officials were informed of her relationship with Fred Green, who faces federal charges of drug trafficking in Arkansas.
Another officer, Roshonda Parker, is also being investigated, accused of associating with Mr. Green. She remains on paid administrative leave, and Chief Kunkle may decide her fate today.
"What the heck has taken so long?" said James Whalen, Officer Parker's attorney. "Either it's clear-cut or it's not."
Mr. Whalen said Officer Parker did not associate with Mr. Green.
Ms. Thomas' attorney said she became frustrated with the slow pace of the investigation and resigned because she found out about the status of her case through media reports.
"She didn't really think that was fair and didn't want to continue to work for somebody that treats her that way," said the attorney, Phil Burleson Jr.
Mr. Burleson said Ms. Thomas cooperated with investigators.
"When she learned of the extent of [the trouble Mr. Green was in], that's when she broke it off," he said of the relationship.
In May 2005, state troopers seized 13 kilograms (about 29 pounds) of cocaine that investigators linked to Mr. Green, 31. Federal agents soon learned through phone records of Ms. Thomas' relationship with Mr. Green.
Ms. Thomas told federal agents that Officer Parker introduced them in the spring of 2004. Mr. Green had already served prison time on a felony drug conviction.
Ms. Thomas and Mr. Green, who was living in Arkansas and owned two cellphone stores, struck up a long-distance romance.
Police and Drug Enforcement Administration records state that Ms. Thomas once saw a gun in Mr. Green's trunk and that he had asked her to wire money for him several times, but that she didn't question either of those things.
Ms. Thomas told investigators that in mid-2004, Mr. Green told her he had a warrant out for his arrest. She said he told her it was a case of mistaken identity.
"Her side of the story is that she had no indication that the individual she was dating had a criminal problem," Mr. Burleson said. "She thought he was a decent guy."
Department rules prohibit officers from associating with felons and people involved in criminal activity.
Ms. Thomas initially told investigators she stopped dating Mr. Green after she confirmed that he was wanted by authorities by using her patrol car computer in mid-2004 to check his record. She said she told him he needed to take care of the warrant.
Records show she checked his warrant status four times between November 2004 and June 2005.
Ms. Thomas later admitted that she continued to date Mr. Green.
"I did not take any police action, because I believed this was a personal matter of Mr. Green and since he had hired an attorney, the matter would be resolved," she told investigators.
Ms. Thomas also told investigators that she allowed Mr. Green to give her money after she knew about the warrant. His gifts included $6,000 for a down payment on a house.
Officer Parker told investigators that she'd had an on-again, off-again relationship with Mr. Green's cousin and that she'd known Mr. Green since her days at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff in the mid-'90s.
She told investigators that while in college, she once walked into a room in Mr. Green's house and saw a bale of marijuana. She said she closed the door, walked outside and didn't ask questions. She also said Mr. Green once gave her $400 for a car payment after she became a police officer.
Officer Parker said she last saw Mr. Green at Ms. Thomas' home outside of Dallas in the winter of 2004. She'd also been present once when Ms. Thomas checked him on her squad car computer.
"Parker stated she did not arrest Green on this occasion because she was out of her jurisdiction, and she did not contact the local police because she did not want to be involved," according to DEA records of the interview.
Mr. Whalen, Officer Parker's attorney, said his client has been drawn into the investigation unfairly. "Roshonda did not associate with Fred Green," Mr. Whalen said. "Kesha was the one who ran him on the computer."
Officer Parker, hired in 1999, graduated last in her class of 43 recruits. She has been disciplined repeatedly for being tardy to work and missing court dates. She also received a 15-day suspension for a 2003 incident in Cedar Hill in which she hit an ex-boyfriend's car with a tire iron.
In July 2005, U.S. marshals arrested Mr. Green, who was then living in DeSoto. They seized 450 grams (1 pound) of crack cocaine, 180 grams (0.4 pounds) of methamphetamine, $13,000 in cash and several weapons.
Federal investigators notified Dallas police on Aug. 10 of his connections to the officers, who were soon placed on administrative leave.
The slow pace of such investigations has been frustrating to top brass at the department, where Chief Kunkle is approaching the end of his second year on the job. The chief said he hopes the resignation is a signal that the rank and file are beginning to get the message.
"We have to change the environment where people believe that they don't have to follow the rules," Chief Kunkle said. "I'm going to try to make sure that they do it, because they have to."