Metro
officer charged with tipping off drug dealers expected in court
Malik Khaalis
SAVANNAH, GA (WTOC) - A former
Metro Police officer charged with tipping off drug dealers is scheduled to
appear in court Monday morning.
It is all part of the fallout
after investigations into the conduct of several former officers, including the
former Savannah-Chatham Metro Police chief.
Malik Khaalis has gone from a
man sworn to protect the law, to someone trying to protect himself and prove he
did not break any laws.
Khaalis had worked as a Metro
officer assigned to CNT for years before his fellow agents began to believe he
was tipping off drug dealers, telling them that they were being watched.
Investigators say Khaalis
likely lied to his supervisors and put a sensitive investigation at risk.
The former Metro officer is now
facing nine felony counts of false statements and violation of oath. He is one
of several officers that have resigned, retired, or been taken off the force
under questionable circumstances, including former Police Chief Willie Lovett,
who was found guilty of several federal corruption charges.
Sheriff
moves to fire cop over DUI arrest
Bill Dolan bill
Lake County officer charged
with DUI, causing crash
CROWN POINT | A Lake County
Sheriff's Department officer has been charged with driving drunk and causing a
three-car collision Sunday night at… Read more
Crown Point man sues officer
for injury in alleged DUI crash
CROWN POINT | A Lake County Sheriff's Department
officer demoted and facing termination for allegations of drunken driving is
being named in a… Read more
CROWN POINT | Lake County
Sheriff John Buncich said Thursday he has demoted and wants to fire a once
high-ranking county policeman for being arrested last weekend for drunken
driving that injured two people.
"I had termination papers
served on him today," Buncich said Thursday morning of Lt. David Britton,
46, of Cedar Lake. Buncich said he demoted Britton from his previous rank of
police commander.
John Bushemi, an attorney for
the sheriff, said the final decision on whether Britton is removed from the
police force must be made by the Lake County Police Merit Board, a panel of
civilians appointed by the sheriff and police officers who oversee the
discipline of county officers.
Family members of a Griffith
woman killed in a 2002 crash involving Britton are speaking out against him
remaining on the county force and expressed relief that no one died in the
Sunday night wreck at 97th and Main Street in Crown Point.
Crown Point police allege
Britton was intoxicated and driving at a high rate of speed southbound on Main
Street in his pick-up truck despite a snow-packed pavement.
Christopher Crepeau, 39, of
Crown Point, told police he was slowing for the traffic light at 97th in the
southbound lanes when he saw Britton's truck approaching too fast to stop in
time.
Crepeau tried to move out of
the way, but Britton struck the left rear of Crepeau's car, careened through
the intersection and struck the front of a car driven by Serena Yester, 24, of
Dyer, that was stopped at the red light on the northbound side of Main.
Police said Britton stopped,
looked into both cars and drove away. Crepeau and Yester were later taken from
the scene in ambulances for treatment of back and ankle injuries.
A witness to the wreck called
police with a description of Britton's vehicle. Police located it in a business
parking lot nearly a mile south from the accident scene. Police said a breath
test showed Britton's blood alcohol content 0.24 percent, three times the legal
limit.
Police said they arrested
Britton on suspicion of misdemeanor driving while intoxicated, endangering a
person and leaving the accident scene.
Britton, who has been with the
department since 1996, has been involved in a number of mishaps but hasn't
previously been charged with any criminal wrongdoing.
Buncich briefly suspended
Britton in 2012 for striking and damaging a guardhouse at Cedar Lake's
Havenwood Subdivision and failing to report the crash until two months later.
The county also had to pay a
Gary man $221,000 in 2005 to settle a police brutality suit involving Britton
and a second county police officer.
In 2002, Britton was driving an
unmarked squad car when he crashed into the car of Marga Gniffke, who died
eight days later of her injuries. The family sued, took the county to trial,
but reached a $750,000 settlement with the county shortly before a jury
returned with a verdict finding Britton responsible for that wreck.
Kate Domsic, whose family was
related by marriage to Gniffke, said the report of Britton's latest crash
"has reopened old wounds." Pete Domsic said, "I can't believe
how many times this guy has gotten a pass, evidently because he is a Lake
County (deputy) sheriff."
Mary Domsic told The Times in
an email, "There are many amazing officers who are dedicated to their job
and the people they serve. However, David Britton seems to be the type of
officer who has been able to live by his own rules. ... Somehow Britton needs
to learn that he has to be accountable, as well as learn that he must change
his life before someone else dies."
