I-Team Investigates: Was last year’s deadly officer shooting of Springfield man justified?

By Jeff Goldberg

SPRINGFIELD, Va. (WJLA) – Nearly one year after a Springfield man was fatally shot by a Fairfax County Police officer, the question remains: was gunfire justified? The case in question is still open and unresolved.

On Aug. 29, 2013, John Geer was shot and killed by an FCPD officer following a 50-minute standoff at his Springfield townhome. The 46-year-old was unarmed.

The ABC 7 I-Team is investigating why so many questions remain unanswered.

Investigators in the case have made nothing public about their investigation, and have not said whether they plan to charge the officer involved in the shooting.

But Brad Garrett, a former FBI hostage negotiator and expert on criminal investigations, says the delay in answers should not lead to conclusions.

“It does seem like a long time, even to me,” Garrett said. “You can't assume because time has gone on that this case leads towards we wanna charge him [or] we don't wanna charge him."

On the night in question, Geer had been fighting with his common-law wife, who called 911. He admitted to police he had been drinking and had a gun in the house, but not on him. Witnesses report that at one point, while standing in the doorway, Geer slowly lowered his hands before a gunshot was fired.

“Does it really fit the parameters of a justifiable shooting?” Garret said. “At this point, we don’t know.”

In February, Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney Ray Morrogh turned the case over to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, citing a conflict of interest.

Garrett says prosecutors may still not have all the evidence they need to make a decision. Prosecutors are likely interviewing witnesses and law enforcement, looking at the history of Geer and the officer in question, and reviewing the circumstances—all to get it right.

“Really, the last thing you wanna do in a case like this, particularly involving police officers, is to charge them, but you don’t have the back-up to potentially convict them,” Garrett said.

Jeff Stewart, Geer’s close friend, spoke with ABC 7 in February, expressing frustration felt by family and friends over the waiting.

“At this point, we’re looking for answers,” Stewart said. “We don’t know, because we haven’t been told anything.”

The frustration is also shared among Geer’s neighbors, like Chris Mizera.

“Something like that happens in your neighborhood, you want answers, you wanna know exactly what happened,” Mizera said. “And that hasn’t been answered yet.”

Trial Date Set For Woman Suing City Of Tallahassee Over Police Brutality

by Greg Angel

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) --  A federal judge will begin hearing testimony next year in a lawsuit filed against the City of Tallahassee Police Department on behalf of a woman claiming police brutality.

Hon. R. Hinkle of the United States District Court of North Florida in Tallahassee is scheduled to begin hearing opening arguments in the Christina West case beginning May 4, 2015.

West gained national attention following the release of video of her August 2013 DUI arrest. She was accused of drunk driving, losing control of her van and then crashing into a bedroom of a home in the Killearn neighborhood.

Officers had faced scrutiny for their handling of West during the arrest. Police say she slipped out of her handcuffs and became combative.

Dashcam video shows officers slamming her onto the ground. West sustained a broken orbital bone along with scrapes and bruises to her body.

In the federal lawsuit filed in March of 2014, West claims "...the handcuffs had fallen from Mrs. West's wrists because they were too big."

Named in the suit is the the City of Tallahassee as well as four officers with the Tallahassee Police Department. They include Officers Chris Ormerod and Matthew Smidt, and Sergeants George Creamer and William Faust. Among the allegations, the suit claims the officers used excessive force during the arrest and fabricated evidence.

While a Leon County Grand Jury cleared the officers of any wrongdoing, each were disciplined by Tallahassee Police Department with varying suspensions.

West eventually pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor reckless driving charge in the case.

Philadelphians slam police brutality

During a meeting with a US Justice Department team in Philadelphia on Thursday, a group of people lashed out at the Police Department for a long history of unjustified shootings of blacks by white police officers.

Angry residents -- most of them African American, including several mothers who said their sons had been unjustly shot by the police – were present at the meeting, Philly.com reported.

The two-hour long City Hall meeting was part of an investigation into the department’s use of deadly force.

The Philadelphia Police Department has recently launched a probe to investigate officers’ alleged use of brutality on citizens.

Philadelphia Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey was present as investigators invited the public to talk about their experience with the department and where they think police violated their duties.

In 2013 Ramsey called for an investigation when he read the figures that showed police had fatally shot or wounded 52 people in 2012, according to Philly.com.

Many people said they lacked trust in police. They also accused the police of viewing them more as their enemies rather than as respected tax-payers. Some angrily called for cops involved in fatal shootings to be jailed, according to WPVI.

Here are a few statements made by people at the meeting:

-- "We believe it's hard to get justice for the citizens of police-involved shootings because police view them more as their enemies rather than as respected, tax-payers who pay their salary and who they are supposed to protect."

-- "Philadelphia is angry. We are angry and we are tired of waiting and we are tired of being studied and analyzed. We want some results."

-- "The problem begins at the top. The district attorney and the police commissioner.”

Police brutality has been a matter of concern across the US in recent years. The Justice Department is under intense pressure to review the use of deadly force by law enforcement officers.

Congresswoman says CHP officer should be fired for beating video, police brutality

By TAMI ABDOLLAH 

LOS ANGELES — A congresswoman said Wednesday that video of a California Highway Patrol officer repeatedly punching a woman he had pinned on the side of a Los Angeles freeway is unjustifiable police brutality.

Rep. Maxine Waters said the officer should be fired for "viciously" punching the woman and the CHP must thoroughly investigate.

She called the incident a "brutal attack" and said "there is nothing that can justify the officer punching a helpless woman on a freeway."

"This type of police brutality happens too often with African-Americans and we have seen it time and time again," Waters said in a statement. "Based on the video shown of the patrol officer's forceful punching of Marlene Pinnock, this is enough to demand his dismissal."

Her comments followed similar expressions of outrage and demands for a full investigation over the last week from civil rights activists and groups including the ACLU of Southern California.

CHP Commissioner Joe Farrow met with community leaders Tuesday and vowed to complete a comprehensive investigation in weeks instead of the usual months. He says he was shocked by the video and the department's reputation has been wounded.

The CHP said the woman was walking on Interstate 10 west of downtown Los Angeles, endangering herself and people in traffic, and the officer was trying to restrain her. The woman had begun walking off the freeway but returned when the confrontation occurred.

The now-viral video shot July 1 by a passing freeway driver shows Marlene Pinnock, 51, being repeatedly punched as she's straddled by the officer on the shoulder of the freeway.

The officer, who has one and a half years on the job, hasn't been identified and is on desk duty pending completion of the internal investigation.

Sgt. Denise Joslin said officials are working in conjunction with the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office on the investigation. Members of the Los Angeles Police Department also offered their support and assistance and the U.S. attorney's office was briefed and consulted about the investigation, she said.

The investigation will primarily focus on the video itself and the officer's reason for using force, Farrow said.

Water said she will organize women to speak out about police brutality again and "demand justice and reforms that will create change within law enforcement to prevent this kind of abuse from continuing to happen."

For now, Pinnock remains in the hospital under a psychiatric hold. Her family found her covered in bruises, ice packs and taking pain medication.

"I'm just so overwhelmed," daughter Maisha Allums told reporters Tuesday. "I can't believe a CHP officer that was supposed to protect my mom and help my mom beat her like a — I can't even say like a dog because if it was a dog getting beat like that he would have been in jail."

Police Brutality Statistics In The United States Fell By 60 Percent When Cops Wear Video Cameras

     

Police brutality statistics apparently fell by 60 percent in one California town when all police officers were required to wear portable video cameras while on the job.

In a related report by The Inquisitr, a video of a CHP officer punching a fallen woman 11 times in the face went viral after it was filmed by a passing driver. But another video was even worse since it showed Albuquerque police shooting two suspects in the back, never mind when a homeless man was shot in the back.

The city of Rialto, California did a controlled study where the city’s 70 police officers were required to wear a video camera that recorded all of their interactions with the public. In 2012 alone complaints against Rialto police officers fell by 88 percent, while use of force by officers fell by almost 60 percent.

Rialto Police Chief William A. Farrar says it is not just his officers that behaved better when a camera was known to be watching:

“When you put a camera on a police officer, they tend to behave a little better, follow the rules a little better. And if a citizen knows the officer is wearing a camera, chances are the citizen will behave a little better.”

Cities like New York, Albuquerque, Fort Worth, and Oakland are considering implementing police cameras and even England is starting to adopt the practice with small-scale trial programs.

Of course, one huge negative to outfitting every cop with a camera is public privacy concerns. But even the American Civil Liberties Union, which is usually quick to protest anything that might infringe upon personal privacy, says that the notable drop in police brutality statistics is worth it:

“Although we generally take a dim view of the proliferation of surveillance cameras in American life, police on-body cameras are different because of their potential to serve as a check against the abuse of power by police officers.”

This is important because the Bureau of Justice Statistics once claimed the police brutality “rate was 6.6 complaints per 100 full-time sworn officers,” with 84 percent of these complaints targeting larger police departments. Out of the complaints that were officially investigated, “eight percent of the complaints were officially sustained, that is, there was sufficient evidence to justify disciplinary action against the officer or officers.” This means that for their report the police brutality statistics recorded a rate of 0.528 percent, mean that about one in 200 police officers actually did commit an action requiring discipline in that time frame.

Do you think cop should be required to wear video cameras at times in order to prevent police brutality, or do you consider the privacy concerns more important?

U.S. Naming a Monitor for the Police in Newark

By KATE ZERNIKE

NEWARK — The federal government will appoint a monitor to oversee this city’s Police Department as it moves to address longstanding allegations of brutality, discrimination and neglect of civilian complaints, officials said on Wednesday.

The monitor will be part of the response to an investigation begun by the Justice Department three years ago that has uncovered a pattern of constitutional violations by the police of New Jersey’s largest city. But accusations that the Newark Police Department abused residents and brushed aside their complaints predate, and ignited, the riots that tore apart the city 47 years ago this month.

While the Justice Department has stepped up investigations of police misconduct during the Obama administration, and while New Orleans and Seattle have been put under similar oversight in the past few years, the appointment of a monitor remains a relatively rare step. Civil liberties groups and some black leaders have periodically called for federal intervention since the riots.

Some, including the city’s new mayor, Ras J. Baraka, argue that mutual suspicion of Newark’s 270,000 residents and its police hurts the city as it struggles to deal with crime, including its highest murder rate in nearly 25 years.

Former Mayor Cory A. Booker, a fellow Democrat who is now a United States senator, resisted calls for a federal monitor. But at a news conference to announce his administration’s goals, Mr. Baraka, who as a councilman was an outspoken critic of police misconduct, seemed to welcome the coming appointment, saying the city would “cooperate fully and completely” with a monitor and with any plans to remedy failings identified by the investigation.

Mr. Baraka said the results of the investigation were to be announced at a news conference on Thursday. Officials later said it would be rescheduled, probably until later this month, but they confirmed the broad outlines of the plan for the monitor.

The United States attorney for New Jersey, Paul J. Fishman, began looking into Newark’s police practices in 2010 and announced a formal investigation the following May. On Wednesday, a spokeswoman for Mr. Fishman, Rebekah Carmichael, declined to discuss the findings, saying only that the investigation was nearly completed and that its results “and any necessary reforms” would be announced soon.

The New Jersey chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union also formally petitioned the Justice Department to begin an investigation in 2010, alleging in a 96-page filing that the department failed to respond adequately to lawsuits and complaints that included wrongful arrest, unlawful stops and searches and physical abuse.

The department, the petition said, repeatedly brushed aside civilian complaints. In 2008 and 2009, there were a total of 261 complaints of excessive force, unlawful arrests or searches, and bias; the department sustained just one, involving an improper search.

More recently, the civil liberties union has criticized the department for its excessive reliance on stop-and-frisk tactics. From last July through December, the Newark police made an average of 2,093 stops a month, or 91 per 1,000 residents — compared with the New York Police Department’s rate of eight stops per 1,000 residents. The group said the tactics discriminated against black residents, who make up 52 percent of Newark’s population but accounted for 75 percent of the stops.

Mr. Baraka, unveiling the recommendations of his transition team on Wednesday, talked about the need to foster respect between those who serve Newark and those who live here.

Udi Ofer, the executive director of the civil liberties union in New Jersey, said the federal oversight fit into that ambition. “This is a historic moment for Newark, one that could bring about reforms to the Police Department that will last for decades,” Mr. Ofer said. “We hope that he will use this opportunity to build a police force that is respectful of civil rights and that is accountable to the people of Newark.”

Still, Mr. Ofer said that a federal monitor was just the first step, and that he hoped the federal plans would also include the creation of a permanent civilian complaint review board, with the power to issue subpoenas and to discipline police officers for misconduct.

Police misconduct should not be investigated internally but by an outside organization

By Ira B Robins and Salvatore E. Rastrelli

Why is “Archangels of Justice” necessary?

A California Highway Patrolman beats a woman. The report he wrote about the incident is false and misleading. The Deputy Chief states that no independent investigation is necessary and that their Internal Affairs Division has integrity and will do a thorough review of the case. Exactly who recognized their integrity? Yep! They did. The CHP could face a large civil lawsuit and the offending officer, who is one of them, could face criminal charges, but that probably won’t happen. Only independent investigations, from outside of the departments involved, will get to the truth of the matter.

•           A Milwaukee County Deputy Sheriff ran a stop sign and seriously injured the woman who had been driving the other car. The Deputy Sheriff claimed that the woman was at fault. Other deputies charged her with drunk driving.  In a few days The Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Department found that the woman was not drunk nor under the influence of drugs and videos of the accident clearly show that the Deputy had run the stop sign and was at fault. It took almost a year for the charges against the woman to be dropped. Now the Deputy has filed for complete disability claiming that he had been injured in the accident. It certainly looks as if he should be charged with perjury or filing a false report.  Sheriff David Clarke has been proactive in this cover-up.

•           The Albuquerque, New Mexico, Police Department has been actively involved in the wholesale slaughter of 26 people in the past four years.  The Crap Bag District Attorney has just buried her head in the toilet and allowed this to go on for more than 14 years. Now the United States Department of Justice is involved and working out a deal to oversee the Department. But if you think they will be charging any of these police officers you will probably be wrong.

As stain of police misconduct grows, Council should reopen Cariole Horne pension case

With all the disturbing news about Buffalo police lately, it’s good to be able to say something positive. It’s too bad it’s about a brave cop whom the Police Department apparently mistreated.

Cariol Horne, who is African-American, was fired in 2008 after she tried to stop a white officer she said was choking a suspect during an arrest two years earlier. Anyone who believes that couldn’t have happened hasn’t been following the harrowing tale of suspended officer Robert E. Eloff who, if reports are correct, was a one-man crime wave.

The Horne case and issues surrounding it are a mess, starting with the firing of Horne. Gregory Kwiatkowski, the officer she says was choking a suspect, won a defamation suit against Horne and also won a lawsuit filed by the man who was allegedly choked.

Recently, though, Kwiatkowski, now retired, was indicted on charges that he used unnecessary and excessive force in connection with a separate incident. That indictment has prompted the Buffalo Common Council to consider Horne’s request to be granted pension benefits.

This should be a no-brainer. There are problems in the Buffalo Police Department, as exemplified by the Eloff case, the bribing of officers by a tow-truck operator and, also associated with Eloff, the recently posted video of a gang of officers attacking and severely beating a man outside a bar on Chippewa Street. No charges were filed against that man, Christopher J. Kozak, who was not even arrested; indeed, Eloff later gave him a ride back to his hotel.

In the Horne case, there is reason to believe the department fired the wrong person. Indeed, commenting on the raft of brutality reports coming out of the Police Department, Horne noted that, “If the message they want to give is that an officer is going to be fired if they stop it, then that’s the wrong message.”

Buffalo needs cops who will stand up for the law. If Horne had seen a civilian attacking another person, it would have been her duty to intervene. Why does that change when it’s a police officer who has crossed a line? Did that happen? The evidence is conflicting, but Horne and her supporters haven’t wavered; meanwhile, evidence of police misconduct is mounting.

Horne was fired after 19 years of service, only one year short of what the state requires to obtain pension benefits. Without them, she says, she has faced a “really rough” time, financially, emotionally and physically.

The Common Council should do what it can to rectify this matter and it should insist that the Police Department take appropriate steps to deal with a culture that seems to have given a number of officers reason to believe that they can attack citizens when they want and for whatever reason they like.

Jury awards $250,000 to ATF agent over arrest

CAPE GIRARDEAU (SMNS) -- A federal jury Thursday awarded $250,000 to a federal agent who sued a state trooper, alleging false arrest and false imprisonment, the agent's attorney reported Friday.

Ryan Becker of Jackson, a special agent for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, sued trooper D.W. Crank of the Missouri State Highway Patrol, claiming Crank violated his civil rights by arresting him without probable cause.

On March 6, 2012, Becker was driving on Interstate 55 in New Madrid County when he saw Crank's vehicle parked at the side of the road, said Becker's attorney, Stephen Walsh of Poplar Bluff.

As Becker was driving, a pair of tractor-trailers in front of him tried to move over, presumably to stay out of Crank's way, but one braked quickly in front of Becker, Walsh said.

Crank pulled Becker over, telling him he was following the truck too closely and had almost hit it, Walsh said.

He said Crank then told Becker, "You reek of alcohol."

But Walsh said in court that Crank testified he could not smell alcohol coming from Becker's mouth and that Becker did not appear physically or mentally impaired.

According to the lawsuit, Crank took Becker to his patrol car, where Becker declined to participate in field sobriety tests.

Walsh said an "incredulous" Becker told Crank he had just left work and asked Crank to call his supervisors and then to give him a portable breath test, which Crank refused to do, instead handcuffing Becker and taking him to the New Madrid County Jail.

About 30 minutes later, Becker was given a breath test, which returned a blood alcohol level of zero, the lawsuit stated.

In the suit, Becker alleged Crank arrested him without probable cause, violating his Fourth Amendment right to be free from unreasonable search and seizure.

The suit also claimed Crank misused the handcuffs, causing pain to Becker's wrist and shoulder; caused emotional harm and distress; and damaged his professional reputation.

The jury verdict was not immediately available on the federal court website, pacer.gov.

Former Scranton area police officer charged with drug trafficking

Former Scranton area police officer charged with drug trafficking 0 comments

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced this week that Robert F. Evans, Jr., 38, Moosic, Pa., is charged with distributing oxycodone on numerous occasions between August 2012 and July 29, 2013. At the time of the offense, Evans was employed as a police officer with the Hughestown Borough Police Department.

U.S. Attorney Peter Smith stated that the charge is the result of an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Pennsylvania State Police. Prosecution is assigned to Assistant U.S. Attorney John Gurganus.

Devils Lake jail officer charged with sex assault

DEVILS LAKE, N.D. (AP) - Authorities have charged correctional officer with sexual assault for allegedly having sexual contact with an inmate at the Lake Region Law Enforcement Center in Devils Lake.

Jonathan Defoe has been charged with one count of sexual assault, a Class C felony.

Ramsey County State’s Attorney Lonnie Olson says Defoe allegedly had sexual contact with a female inmate. Court documents show the incident occurred on July 3.

The maximum penalty for Defoe’s charge is five years.

Springfield police officer charged with misdemeanor in panhandler shooting

SPRINGFIELD, Missouri — A Springfield police officer faces a misdemeanor assault charge after shooting a fleeing panhandler in early May near a grocery store.

Greene County Prosecuting Attorney Dan Patterson announced Thursday a charge of third-degree assault against Jason Shuck, 35. Shuck faces up to one year in jail if convicted.

A probable cause statement shows that Springfield resident Eric Butts, 27, was standing outside the store with a cardboard sign saying he had lost his job, had a pregnant wife and was "in need of help." Police were called because Butts had an outstanding arrest warrant for failing to appear in court on a parole violation.

Shuck told investigators he instead meant to shoot Butts with a stun gun, but the probable cause statement notes that the right-handed officer had to reach across his body for the much lighter Taser attached to the left side of his belt. Butts was wounded in the lower back and suffered serious intestinal injuries that require him to use a colostomy bag, the Springfield News-Leader (sgfnow.co/1kIOBwp) reported.

Police Chief Paul Williams that Shuck is on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of the case. He added that Shuck could keep his job even if convicted, subject to the department's own inquiry.

"The internal investigation is separate from the criminal investigation, and it is in process," he said.

Shuck's attorney did not immediately respond to a request for comment Friday. Butts has hired a lawyer to pursue a possible civil lawsuit against the city.

The officer told a Springfield police detective that "the best explanation that I have is that my ... brain was saying Taser ... but my body moved faster than my brain," according to the probable cause statement.

Former Greene County prosecutor Darrell Moore said he can't recall another case in the past three decades where a police officer in the county was criminally charged for an officer-involved shooting.

"I think it sends a good message to the public that law enforcement and prosecutors believe that law enforcement officers should be held to the same standard as civilians when it comes to deadly force — that it should be justified," he said.

Patterson, the current prosecutor, said Shuck was charged with a misdemeanor rather than a felony because the investigation pointed toward criminal negligence.

Police officer charged with murder out on bail

TAMPA, FLA. — A retired Florida police officer charged with murder in the shooting death of a fellow moviegoer during a dispute over texting was expected to go home last night after being released from jail on bond, his lawyer said.

Bail was set at $150,000 for Curtis Reeves, 71, who has been in jail without bond since the January shooting at a Tampa-area movie theater. A judge ordered Reeves under house arrest, and he is only to leave home to shop for groceries, seek medical care or attend religious services.

As a condition of his bond, Reeves must surrender any personal firearms.

Cleveland officer charged with unlawful sexual conduct with minor

CLEVELAND – Police Chief Calvin Williams said Internal Affairs Unit investigators arrested Cleveland Police Officer Charles Locke, 43, last night on two counts of unlawful sexual conduct with a minor and four counts of illegal use of a minor in nudity oriented material.

Locke was hired in October, 2007 and arrested at the Fourth District police station.

Internal Affairs investigators will seek additional charges at the grand jury.

Locke will be suspended from duty without pay pending the outcome of the criminal case against him.

He will be afforded a pre-disciplinary hearing in front of Director of Public Safety Michael McGrath.

Village's new cop fired in 1st week on job, then Arrested

By Dan Hinkel, Tribune reporter

In the days after he started work as a police officer in a small McHenry County village, Ryszard Kopacz was fired, investigated by the state police, arrested and charged with several felonies.

Kopacz had been on the job less than a week when a resident of Richmond, a village of about 2,000 near the Wisconsin border, complained to the department that the new hire went door to door in uniform on the night of July 4, asking people for prescription narcotics, authorities said. The part-time officer didn't show up for work the next day and he was fired July 6, the department said.

The department notified the Illinois State Police of the officer's alleged solicitation of prescription drugs, authorities said, but Kopacz now faces separate charges that he burglarized his previous employer, the nearby Hebron Police Department, and possessed two stolen rifles.

Kopacz, 30, of Wauconda, was arrested Wednesday morning on charges of official misconduct, burglary and possessing stolen guns. A judge set bond at $10,000 and Kopacz was freed Thursday.

The investigation into the prescription drug-related matter is ongoing, Richmond police Chief Ciro Cetrangolo said in a statement. Illinois State Police spokeswoman Monique Bond declined to comment, citing a pending investigation.

Kopacz's lawyer, Steven Goldman, declined to comment on the details of the allegations, though he said his client denies the accusations. Goldman said Kopacz served in the Army, including in Iraq and Afghanistan, and was honorably discharged.

Kopacz could not be reached for comment.

Before joining the Richmond department, Kopacz was a Hebron police officer for several years. That department is now conducting an internal investigation to determine whether anything else needs to be reported to state police, said Chief Scott Annen. Kopacz, the chief said, "had his hands in a lot of facets of the Police Department."

Annen acknowledged that Kopacz had disciplinary and performance-related issues at the department, though he declined to give details. Kopacz was fired in mid-June for budgetary reasons, the chief said.

Asked whether Kopacz had been a good officer during his time in Hebron, Annen said he "didn't expect anything like this."

After residents complained to the Richmond police about the alleged July 4 incident, the department started investigating and notified McHenry County prosecutors and state police, Richmond department officials wrote in a statement.

Officers undergo a psychological evaluation and background check, the chief said.

"I have a zero-tolerance policy towards officer misconduct when alleged," Cetrangolo said in the statement. "I credit the strong working relationship and bond we have built with the citizens of our community for bringing this to my attention so quickly."

The rifles Kopacz allegedly possessed had been removed from the Hebron police station, authorities said.

Federal court records suggest Kopacz has faced financial troubles recently. He filed for bankruptcy in April 2013, declaring about $21,000 in assets against almost $90,000 in liabilities, court records show. At the time, he listed his income from the Hebron Police Department as roughly $43,000 per year.

NOPD: Suspended Officer Faces Attempted Murder Charge

Friday, the NOPD announced ten-year veteran officer Robert Hurst had been placed on emergency suspension without pay.

According to a statement, the move was based on an investigation by the department’s Public Integrity Bureau involving allegations of domestic abuse.  The investigation began in April, according to the statement.

The department also says the district attorney’s office filed a bill of information including charges of attempted murder and battery.

PG officer suspended after assault charge in DC

UPPER MARLBORO, Md. (AP) — The head of the Prince George's County Police Department says one of his officers has been suspended after being arrested and charged with assault with a dangerous weapon in Washington.

Prince George's County Police Chief Mark Magaw made the announcement Friday. Cpl. Michael Brown, a 12-year veteran assigned to the aviation unit, was arrested Thursday when he was off duty

Magaw did not detail the circumstances of Brown's arrest but said he has been suspended without pay pending an administrative hearing.

Brown is scheduled to return to court in Washington on July 23.

Security Officer Reportedly Fired For Reporting Shoplifter

A Target store security officer has reportedly been fired for reporting a shoplifter to police.

Dallas Northington, 29, was an assets-protection specialist at Target for nearly eight years.

At the Leesburg Target store in May he encountered what was a typical occurrence for his position in loss prevention: a shoplifting caught-on-camera.

Northington claims he did what he always had in the past. He contacted the Leesburg police, made a report, and provided videos of the two incidents where the suspect was found shoplifting, reports The Washington Post.

One small detail was unknown to Northington, and that small detail would be the cause of what happened next.

The shoplifter may have been a Fairfax County sheriff’s deputy.

Northington was allegedly fired from his position shortly after his report.

The alleged shoplifting deputy reportedly retired from the sheriff’s office around the same time.

According to Northington, Target officials told him he was fired for violating procedure. The company claims he did not fill out the proper paperwork before contacting the police. Target also reportedly cited him with insubordination, claiming he did not seek the proper approvals.

Northington claims he followed the same procedure as had always been done by his office and that standard practice was for him to “act as needed” in these matters.

“In my eight years, I’ve never had to call anyone to give out the video or to call police,” Northington said. “I have never seen any policy about contacting law enforcement.”

At this time, no arrest has been made against the alleged shoplifting deputy, even though Northington provided the man’s name and two color videos showing him shoplifting with his face clearly visible.

Northington says the man was recognized on video by a Leesburg police sergeant investigating the case, and store supervisor’s knew the man by name.

The investigation by the Leesburg police is ongoing, and a spokesman said they are still trying to confirm the suspect’s identity.

Legal action is being considered by Northington.

“I’m confused and don’t understand why,” Northington said. “I’ve been there for eight years, no issues. I’m just trying to provide for my family, and I just really want to get back to work.”

Target corporate spokeswoman, Molly Snyder, declined to comment on the shoplifting incident due to privacy reasons.

Snyder did make the following comment in regards to Northington’s case: “We have conducted a full investigation and don’t believe there is any merit to this individual’s claims.”

Declan Leonard, Northington’s attorney, said his client “intends to fight Target on this for as long as it takes.”

Former Fort Smith Cop Sentenced To Five Years For Sexual Assault

Billy Rowe

A former Fort Smith police officer was sentenced Monday to five years in prison on five counts of sexual assault. Prosecuting Attorney Dan Shue said Billy W. Rowe Jr., 32, of Bonanza was sentenced to five years in the Arkansas Department of Correction with an additional suspension of 15 years on each count. Rowe faced five to 20 years on each count. Shue said Rowe also paid $2,500 in restitution for future counseling for the victim. Rowe was charged under a section of the sexual-assault statute that makes it unlawful for someone who is a mandated reporter and in a position of trust or authority to engage in sexual intercourse or deviate sexual activity with a minor, according to a report. Fort Smith Police Chief Kevin Lindsey ordered an investigation into Rowe on Sept. 11, after the department received multiple anonymous calls reporting Rowe had a relationship with a minor female. The girl said she met Rowe through church about a year previously, and they became close at church camp where Rowe was “somewhat of a youth leader.” They started communicating on Facebook, and they ended up exchanging text messages daily after he gave her his cell phone number, according to a police report. A Sebastian County Sheriff’s Office report alleges their first sexual encounter occurred when the girl went on a ride-along with Rowe. They stopped at her house where no one else was home and engaged in oral sex, according to the report. They subsequently had sexual intercourse three times at a pond near Bonanza and once at Rowe’s Bonanza home, and they exchanged nude pictures of themselves via cellphone before the relationship ended prior to the school year, according to a police report. Rowe told investigators, “I can’t answer any questions like that” when asked if he had sex with the girl. But he did say he did “bad things,” according to a police report. Rowe resigned from the police department shortly before he was arrested Sept. 17. After his arrest, investigators with the police department and sheriff’s office spoke with Rowe’s father, Billy Rowe Sr., his brother, Shane Rowe, and his pastor, who confirmed Rowe told them he had sex with the girl twice, according to police and sheriff’s office reports. Rowe began serving his sentence Monday, and was placed into custody at the Sebastian County Adult Detention Center to await transfer to the state, Shue said.

Billy Rowe

A former Fort Smith police officer was sentenced Monday to five years in prison on five counts of sexual assault. Prosecuting Attorney Dan Shue said Billy W. Rowe Jr., 32, of Bonanza was sentenced to five years in the Arkansas Department of Correction with an additional suspension of 15 years on each count. Rowe faced five to 20 years on each count. Shue said Rowe also paid $2,500 in restitution for future counseling for the victim. Rowe was charged under a section of the sexual-assault statute that makes it unlawful for someone who is a mandated reporter and in a position of trust or authority to engage in sexual intercourse or deviate sexual activity with a minor, according to a report. Fort Smith Police Chief Kevin Lindsey ordered an investigation into Rowe on Sept. 11, after the department received multiple anonymous calls reporting Rowe had a relationship with a minor female. The girl said she met Rowe through church about a year previously, and they became close at church camp where Rowe was “somewhat of a youth leader.” They started communicating on Facebook, and they ended up exchanging text messages daily after he gave her his cell phone number, according to a police report. A Sebastian County Sheriff’s Office report alleges their first sexual encounter occurred when the girl went on a ride-along with Rowe. They stopped at her house where no one else was home and engaged in oral sex, according to the report. They subsequently had sexual intercourse three times at a pond near Bonanza and once at Rowe’s Bonanza home, and they exchanged nude pictures of themselves via cellphone before the relationship ended prior to the school year, according to a police report. Rowe told investigators, “I can’t answer any questions like that” when asked if he had sex with the girl. But he did say he did “bad things,” according to a police report. Rowe resigned from the police department shortly before he was arrested Sept. 17. After his arrest, investigators with the police department and sheriff’s office spoke with Rowe’s father, Billy Rowe Sr., his brother, Shane Rowe, and his pastor, who confirmed Rowe told them he had sex with the girl twice, according to police and sheriff’s office reports. Rowe began serving his sentence Monday, and was placed into custody at the Sebastian County Adult Detention Center to await transfer to the state, Shue said.

Cop Sentenced for Gun Incident

A retired NYPD officer residing in Brewster, who was found guilty of menacing for scuffling with a quadriplegic man while brandishing a handgun over loud music being played in his car, learns his fate July 22 in Southeast Town Court. Mario Zeoli, 50, was found guilty of menacing and harassment—two misdemeanors— following a trial in Southeast Town Court in May. 

Judge orders former New Hampshire cop in hit-and-run back to jail

BY TED SIEFER

 (Reuters) - A former New Hampshire police officer released from prison in June after serving only 72 days of a year-long sentence for a felony hit-and-run conviction was ordered back to jail on Thursday.

The officer, Stephen Coco, was accused of running down two teenagers while driving an unmarked police vehicle in March 2013, when he was a Manchester police detective. He was accused of leaving the pair in a snowbank and then misleading investigators about the incident. The teenagers sustained non-life threatening injuries.

Coco was sentenced to a year in jail earlier this year, after Hillsborough County Superior Court Judge Gillian Abramson rejected a plea deal that would have reduced the charges to misdemeanors.

Earlier this week, local media reported that the county jail superintendent had allowed Coco to return home a month ago on work release. The superintendent argued he had the authority do so under a 2013 state law.

That news prompted Governor Maggie Hassan and other officials to call for a review of the law.

County prosecutors petitioned Abramson to return Coco to jail, arguing that the jail superintendent had violated the statute by not informing them or the victims of his intent to release Coco.

Abramson agreed with the prosecutors in her ruling Thursday.

"This is a defendant who requires punishment and deterrence, goals not served or met by release after just 72 days in jail," she wrote. "His conduct merits nothing less than the original sentence imposed."

District judge sentences former Houston cop to probation, home confinement in drug case

HOUSTON — A former Houston police officer was sentenced Thursday for his role in protecting a load of cocaine for a drug trafficker.

The Houston Chronicle reports (http://bit.ly/1qoFPaC ) that former policeman Michael Miceli was spared prison time despite a request by a prosecutor that he serve about four years.

Miceli was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Gary Miller to one year of probation, six months of home confinement and 100 hours of community service.

Court papers indicate that Miceli and an accomplice, who was also a Houston policeman, were arrested in uniform in 2013. They were set up by an informant working with a Drug Enforcement Agency task force.

The former officers were convicted of using their patrol car to protect a cocaine shipment for a drug trafficker. The newspaper reports that the men each accepted $500 for the escort.