Rob
Ireland
ELKHORN
— A former Bloomfield and Genoa City police officer was arrested on April 16
after he was allegedly filmed stealing cash from the Genoa City Police
Department.
Aaron
E. Henson, 36, was arrested on charges of theft and misconduct in public
office. Henson is a five-year veteran of the village of Bloomfield Police
Department, and he also worked part time in the village of Genoa City.
Walworth
County District Attorney Daniel Necci said Waukesha County District Attorney
Brad Schimel has accepted a request to be a special prosecutor on the case.
Schimel will review the information in the case and make a decision on whether
to formerly charge Henson. Necci said that future court proceedings will occur
in Walworth County.
Henson
was booked into the Walworth County jail on April 16 at 6:49 p.m., and he was
released on a signature bond the next day at 2:25 p.m. Henson was arrested
after police raided his home as part of the theft investigation.
According
to online court records, defense attorney Frank Lettenberger is representing
Henson. On Thursday morning, Lettenberger said he can't comment on the case at
this time.
Genoa
City Police Chief Joseph Balog said he felt betrayed by the theft.
"When
I briefed my personnel, I would equate this to telling them that there was a
death in the department," Balog said on Thursday morning.
Balog
also emphasized that he acted quickly when he learned of the theft, and that
Henson was not given special treatment because he is a police officer.
"Even
when someone in our own department does something they are held
accountable," Balog said.
He
said acting quickly is necessary to ensure that the public can trust law
enforcement.
In
a press release, Bloomfield Police Chief Llyod Cole reported that on April 17,
his department was notified of the investigation into Henson. The press release
states that later that day Henson submitted his resignation to the Bloomfield
Police Department.
Cole's
press release also states that Capt. Dana Nigbor is handling the investigation.
She didn't return a message left Thursday morning seeking comment.
Fallout
Necci
said his office is reviewing the cases that Henson handled prior to his arrest.
"I
don't know how big the fallout will be, but there will be fallout," Necci
said. "There will be cases that have to be dismissed because of this. I
don't know how many, but I know that will happen."
Necci
said Henson's arrest will affect his credibility as a witness in some cases.
"Credibility
is always at issue with a witness. Despite the fact that he is an officer he is
a witness," Necci said. "If these (allegations) were allowed in at
trial, which I tend to think they would be, that would affect his credibility
greatly."
In
the village of Bloomfield, Henson recently arrested a man for fourth-offense
drunken driving, and he referred charges to the District Attorney's Office
against the man for attempting to bribe a public official.
In
that case, Henson's report included that the man he arrested offered him a
$1,000 to let him go. Henson reported that he declined the bribe. So far, the
District Attorney's Office has only filed the drunken driving charges against
the man.
The
defendant in that case is represented by defense attorney Peter Wilson. On
Thursday morning, Wilson said he isn't sure what effect, if any, Henson's
arrest will have on his client's case.
"It
would appear that the two incidents are unrelated," he said. "It obviously
goes to the officer's character, but the officer's character is not an element
of the offense that my client is charged with."
Wilson
added that Henson and his client are both presumed innocent.
Investigation
According
to the search warrant affidavit, on April 7, Balog was contacted by his
administrative assistant, who reported to him that there was money missing from
the bond box.
After
the money went missing, on April 11, the assistant photographed and recorded
the serial numbers of $230 in cash, which she then placed into the bond box.
On
April 14, the assistant discovered that the $230 of pre-recorded cash and
$1,728.30 in other bond envelopes went missing.
Later
that day, Balog photographed and recorded the serial numbers to another $400 and
installed a video camera near the bond box.
The
next day, the money went missing. Balog reviewed the video surveillance footage
and saw Henson use a fly swatter to remove the bond envelopes from the locked
bond box, according to the affidavit.
"(Balog)
observed Henson remove the envelopes that contained the money and walk out of
view of the camera," the affidavit states.
A
search warrant for Henson's home was obtained and executed the next day. Balog
has since turned the investigation over to the Walworth County Sheriff's
Department.
At
his first court appearance, Henson was ordered not to have any contact with the
village of Genoa City Police Department, the Genoa City Village Hall, the
Bloomfield Village Hall or any of the employees of either department.
According
to online court records, Henson is next scheduled to appear in court on May 1
at 1:15 p.m. in front of Judge David Reddy.
