Post by WaTcHeR on Nov 23, 2006 12:22:39 GMT -5
11.23.2006 - In the wee hours of an October morning, court records say, Melissa Porterfield struggled to get away from her estranged husband, a police officer who she said had grabbed her by the throat, pointed his service revolver in her face and screamed obscenities at her.
Officer Jeff Griffin, a three-year veteran of the Lockhart Police Department, was charged with the aggravated assault of his wife and placed on restricted duty. He was later fired after police supervisors found out about angry comments he had made to friends about his wife.
Griffin appealed his termination, and on Wednesday, a committee of Lockhart city department heads told him he was fired for good, Griffin said.
But Griffin, 35, of Lockhart, disputes his wife's description of the fight.
Griffin said he was wearing his gun the night of the incident because he had been working an off-duty assignment.
When he went over to his wife's house to return her shotgun, Griffin said, she "went bananas" and tried to take his gun out of its holster.
Griffin said he acted in self-defense by hanging on to his gun and pushing her as he tried to leave the Hays County home she shared with her 18-year-old daughter.
Porterfield could not be reached for comment Wednesday.
About two weeks before the fight, Griffin told a Lockhart police dispatcher and a former police officer that he'd like to shoot his wife after she took $8,000 from his bank account without his permission, Griffin said.
After Griffin was arrested in the October incident, the dispatcher told police supervisors about the comments, which were made while Griffin was off-duty and inside his Lockhart apartment.
Griffin doesn't dispute making the comments but says he was just venting to friends.
"I don't see how they've got any right to govern what I say inside my own house," he said.
Officially, Griffin was fired for bringing discredit upon the department and conduct unbecoming a police officer, said Lockhart Police Chief Michael Lummus, who added: "The comments, as far as I was concerned, were inappropriate."
On Wednesday, Griffin said he thought his firing was unfair.
"It ain't like I Rodney King'd somebody . . . here," he said.
Griffin said he and Porterfield were married for six years.
Porterfield had worked as a police officer for nine years, and Griffin had worked as a law enforcement officer for 12 years for agencies that include the Bastrop and Caldwell county sheriff's offices and the Sunset Valley Police Department.
Griffin had worked for the Lockhart Police Department since 2003, Lummus said. During that period, he received at least one formal reprimand and a one-day suspension from duty, Lummus said. Lummus was unaware of any commendations Griffin had received.
The American-Statesman requested access to Griffin's personnel file on Nov. 17, but Lockhart city officials said they will not make the file available for review until Monday.
Police officers are no more likely to abuse family members than anyone else, said Jitin Hingorani, a spokesman for the Texas Council on Family Violence. But police departments should still take allegations of domestic violence committed by their officers seriously, he said.
"There are cases where nothing is done and it's a good ol' boy system," Hingorani said. "It really depends on where you are in Texas."
Officer Jeff Griffin, a three-year veteran of the Lockhart Police Department, was charged with the aggravated assault of his wife and placed on restricted duty. He was later fired after police supervisors found out about angry comments he had made to friends about his wife.
Griffin appealed his termination, and on Wednesday, a committee of Lockhart city department heads told him he was fired for good, Griffin said.
But Griffin, 35, of Lockhart, disputes his wife's description of the fight.
Griffin said he was wearing his gun the night of the incident because he had been working an off-duty assignment.
When he went over to his wife's house to return her shotgun, Griffin said, she "went bananas" and tried to take his gun out of its holster.
Griffin said he acted in self-defense by hanging on to his gun and pushing her as he tried to leave the Hays County home she shared with her 18-year-old daughter.
Porterfield could not be reached for comment Wednesday.
About two weeks before the fight, Griffin told a Lockhart police dispatcher and a former police officer that he'd like to shoot his wife after she took $8,000 from his bank account without his permission, Griffin said.
After Griffin was arrested in the October incident, the dispatcher told police supervisors about the comments, which were made while Griffin was off-duty and inside his Lockhart apartment.
Griffin doesn't dispute making the comments but says he was just venting to friends.
"I don't see how they've got any right to govern what I say inside my own house," he said.
Officially, Griffin was fired for bringing discredit upon the department and conduct unbecoming a police officer, said Lockhart Police Chief Michael Lummus, who added: "The comments, as far as I was concerned, were inappropriate."
On Wednesday, Griffin said he thought his firing was unfair.
"It ain't like I Rodney King'd somebody . . . here," he said.
Griffin said he and Porterfield were married for six years.
Porterfield had worked as a police officer for nine years, and Griffin had worked as a law enforcement officer for 12 years for agencies that include the Bastrop and Caldwell county sheriff's offices and the Sunset Valley Police Department.
Griffin had worked for the Lockhart Police Department since 2003, Lummus said. During that period, he received at least one formal reprimand and a one-day suspension from duty, Lummus said. Lummus was unaware of any commendations Griffin had received.
The American-Statesman requested access to Griffin's personnel file on Nov. 17, but Lockhart city officials said they will not make the file available for review until Monday.
Police officers are no more likely to abuse family members than anyone else, said Jitin Hingorani, a spokesman for the Texas Council on Family Violence. But police departments should still take allegations of domestic violence committed by their officers seriously, he said.
"There are cases where nothing is done and it's a good ol' boy system," Hingorani said. "It really depends on where you are in Texas."