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Group calls penalty for Brooklyn Park cop too light

A Brooklyn Park police officer received a five-day unpaid suspension last month after an investigation of his activities, most while he was a member of the Metro Gang Strike Force, which was disbanded in 2009.

Sgt. Greg Burstad, who has returned to duty, had been on a paid leave since September while the Brooklyn Park department conducted the investigation, which stemmed from claims made in the settlement of a lawsuit against the Strike Force. They involved allegations from 2007-08.

The activist group Communities United Against Police Brutality, which submitted about 30 complaints against Burstad, held a news conference Monday in Brooklyn Park to protest his suspension as too light and to call for Chief Michael Davis’ resignation.

Three Brooklyn Park police officials spent nine months reviewing the complaints and found evidence to support eight allegations of policy violations, for which Burstad was suspended June 1-5, said Deputy Chief Jeff Ankerfelt. The policies involved conduct, use of physical force, filing reports and use of search warrants, Ankerfelt said. He said he couldn’t release details until the city’s attorney reviewed what data is public information.

He said Burstad, who resumed work the next day, is a decorated officer with the department since 2001, and had no previous disciplinary history.

Communities United President Michelle Gross said a week’s suspension “was nowhere near adequate.” She said that Chief Davis should resign and that her group has filed a complaint about him with city officials and the Minnesota Peace Officers Standards and Training Board.

Burstad, 38, couldn’t be reached for comment. Davis was out of town, but Ankerfelt said asking for his resignation “was unreasonable and unresponsible. … To suggest he didn’t take this seriously is inaccurate.”

He noted that the department interviewed all 30 complainants with Gross and attorney Phil Johnson present. He said investigators collected both the complainants’ version of events and all evidence available from the Strike Force civil case.

Ankerfelt said Burstad has done a great job of supervising the city’s community response unit. A department release said: “Several years have passed since Burstad was involved in the failures outlined in this investigation. He has since helped our department develop gang reduction and youth violence prevention efforts that have been progressive, well managed and professionally competent.”

Burstad has never been charged but was cited in the settlement of the civil class action against Strike Force officers. The state Public Safety Department disbanded the Strike Force in May 2009.

St. Pete Police Officer Fired, Two More Suspended

A St. Petersburg Police Officer has been fired and two more suspended following a shooting during the investigation of an occupied stolen car on April 15.

Officers Disciplined:

•           Officer George Graves, 30, was fired. He had been with the department since November 2008.

•           Officer Brandon Bill, 32, received an 80-hour unpaid suspension. He has been with the department since November 2008.

•           Officer Richard Bishop, 31, also received an 80-hour unpaid suspension. He has been a police officer since May 2011.

An internal investigation found Bill and Bishop were at fault for walking in front of the vehicle while leaving a position of safety and shooting at the moving vehicle.

Graves had several violations, including "serious neglect, incompetence, or inefficiency in the performance of assigned duties."

How It Happened?

According to police, Bill and Bishop approached the stolen vehicle unaware it was occupied. Once they realized it was, they drew their firearms and shouted commands at the occupants.

Police said the driver of the stolen car opened the door but then began to drive away. Bishop then walked in front of the moving vehicle and fired his gun at the driver while he was stumbling backward.

The vehicle then tried to turn north in the alley, located between 26th Street South and Auburn Street, but struck a tree. Bill moved toward the vehicle but as he approached, the vehicle backed up and hit Bill on the holster of his right hip.

After being hit, Bill was now stuck between the fence and the car. Bill said fearing he would be crushed, he began shooting at the driver's side of the car. Thinking Bill was in danger, officials said Bishop fired his gun a second time.

The vehicle continued to back out and left the alley.

Graves, who police said has taken a perimeter in the alley, heard multiple gunshots and left his vehicle. He saw the car leaving the scene and he fired his gun twice, police said.

According to police, the car stopped in another alley and the female passenger of the car was taken into custody and treated for a non-life threatening gunshot wound. The driver fled but was later captured.

Graves was cited for carrying two firearms, telling an inconsistent story to the department and carelessly shooting at a moving vehicle.

According to the police shooting review board, Graves "heard the initial rounds being discharged in the alley, but had no information of what had actually occurred. He was aware they were working a stolen vehicle as he had helped with the surveillance.

"His testimony was very inconsistent with the evidence of the case," the police report continued. "He fired two rounds at the vehicle, which was over 90 ft. away when he discharged his firearm, and the vehicle was traveling away from him in a 90-degree direction. No one was being threatened with death or great bodily harm at the time he discharged his weapon

Albuquerque officer accidentally shoots fellow cop

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Authorities say an Albuquerque police officer is recovering after another officer accidentally shot him when the fellow officer bumped into a wall.

Albuquerque police said the officer was shot Monday evening during an investigation into a possible gunman on the roof of a business.

Albuquerque police spokesman Robert Gibbs says when officers arrived to the scene they found people playing with a BB gun.

But as officers later searched the area, police say one officer bumped up against a wall and accidentally fired a shot, hitting another officer in the calf.

The officer was taken to University of New Mexico Hospital with a non-life-threatening injury. The injured officer is expected to make a full recovery.

Another San Marcos Police Officer Charged

A second San Marcos police officer has been charged with a crime this week -- this time the officer is accused of obtaining fraudulent prescriptions.

The San Marcos Police Department says Officer David Amerson turned himself in early Wednesday morning on two arrest warrants for obtaining controlled substances by fraud. The charges are second and third degree felonies.

Amerson surrendered at the Hays County Law Enforcement Center shortly before 6 a.m. and was released under $10,000 bond around 9 a.m., according to San Marcos police.

Officials say the charges stem from an investigation by the Hays County Drug Task Force in conjunction with the Texas Department of Public Safety.

Amerson was relieved of duty May 23 and placed on administrative leave pending the internal and criminal investigations, officials say.

Another San Marcos police officer -- Cpl. James Palermo -- was arrested Tuesday afternoon. He is accused of beating a suspect on May 29.

Officer accused of grabbing teen's crotch to appear before Police Merit Commission

EVANSVILLE, Ind. - Cpl. Mike Winters -- the Evansville Police Department officer accused of grabbing an Evansville student’s crotch -- will appear before the Police Merit Commission on Monday to appeal his suspension and Police Chief Billy Bolin’s recommendation that he be fired.

The incident reportedly happened in May at the Academy of Innovative Studies.

In a June interview with the Courier & Press , the 16-year-old student, whose name will be made public during today’s hearing, said Winters, who was working off-duty at the school, approached him and a group of other students who were sharing stories about fights.

At some point in the conversation, the student, who was seated, said Winters got into his face and asked, “Well, what would you do if somebody did this?” The student said Winters then thrust his hand into his crotch aggressively.

The student said he did not feel the action was sexual in nature.

The Evansville Vanderburgh School Corp. alerted the Evansville Police Department of the matter on May 17. A criminal investigation was launched, but dropped after the family -- at the suggestion of the student -- didn’t pursue criminal charges.

However, an internal investigation was launched after the mother of the student filed a complaint with the department.

Winters was placed on leave and, after the investigation, Bolin suspended Winters for 21 days without pay and recommended that the Merit Commission fire Winters.

Winters is still suspended, but his pay was reinstated on June 14 because of contractual obligations that say an officer can be suspended without pay for only 21 days without a hearing.

The commissioners will review the testimony from both sides during the hearing and information gathered during the department’s internal investigation in determining whether to follow the chief’s recommendation or administer some other punishment.

Winters first joined the police department on Sept. 10, 1982.

During Winters’ 30-year career, he has received two written reprimands and has been suspended a total of eight days, excluding his recent suspension, according to his personnel file obtained by the Courier & Press.

In May 2000, Winters was suspended five days for neglect of duty after failing to file a report or notify an investigator about a 12-year-old girl Winters spoke with who said she was raped.

According the personnel file, Winters advised the girl and her mother to call back with more information about the suspect. A year later, they returned to a file a report.

Arkansas Cop Kills Wrongfully Suspected Man In Car Theft, Claims Self-Defense

This time last summer, Jonesboro, Ark. police were under fire for the case of Chavis Carter --a man authorities claimed shot himself while handcuffed in the back of a squad car-- and now comes a similarly confusing officer-involved incident.

A man, suspected of stealing a car was gunned down by Little Rock Police Department Officer Terry McDaniel, but there's speculation that he didn't actually have to shoot the suspect.

Also, the vehicle wasn't even stolen.

McDaniel, 25, shot 26-year-old Deon Williams during a foot pursuit. He and five-year veteran  Officer Grant Humphries were patrolling a neighborhood Monday (July 15) and were passed up by a vehicle believed to have an expired plate number. The cops thought the SUV might be stolen (it actually belonged to friend Shemedia Shelton, who made clear: "It was not stolen.") when Williams pulled over got out, and started walking away.

Cops noticed a bulge in Williams' waistband and asked him to walk towards their car. He began to flee but lost his footing, and the gun fell out. According to the LRPD, the officer had a Taser yet opted for his weapon once he saw Williams attempt to grab the firearm, and get back on his feet. McDaniel allegedly shot out of self-defense and arrested Williams.

Police later admitted that Williams never actually shot at authorities.

Below is the recount according to a LRPD police report:

On July 15, 2013, at approximately 11:40 a.m. officers of the Little Rock Police Department were on patrol in the area of 12th and Jonesboro Street when they observed a black Chevy Suburban that they thought matched the description of one they had seen on the LRPD stolen vehicle alert sheet. According to officers, the marked police vehicle passed the Suburban and the officers observed that it had what they thought was an expired license plate. The officers pulled over to let the vehicle pass them, however the vehicle had pulled over and stopped on the side of the street. After waiting for a short period of time the officers decided to turn around and make contact with the driver since the vehicle was not moving. As the officers were turning their vehicle around they observed the driver exit the driver's side of the Suburban.

The subject began walking away and one of the officers observed a bulge in his waistband and he thought the subject was trying to conceal something. Officers asked the subject to walk over to their vehicle and at that point the subject began to flee. One officer began a foot pursuit and the other officer got in the patrol vehicle and attempted to cut the subject off. The officer on foot pursued the subject to the back yard of a house in the 1100 block of Adams Street. As the officer came around the corner of this yard he saw a handgun fall out of the subject's waistband. The officer had his Taser out at the time and dropped it when he saw the handgun. He drew his service weapon and saw the subject pick up the handgun, look towards him, and start to get to his feet. At that point the officer feared for his life and fired his service weapon approximately three times. The subject fell to the ground and was taken into custody.

The suspect's weapon was recovered at the scene as was an unknown amount of narcotics. The suspect was transported to UAMS where he died from his wound(s). He was pronounced dead at 12:17 p.m.  The subject was identified by fingerprints as Deon Williams (B/M 11/12/86).

 For three hours demonstrators held "a peaceful little protest" at the crime scene while police were present. "People have a right to express their opinions and ideas and we're going to protect that right," said Police Chief Stuart Thomas. "By the same token, we have an obligation to follow through with what we have to do at the scene."

Authorities have opened an investigation into Williams death, while McDaniel is on paid administrative leave. Last year he shot and killed another suspect who police say shot two men after a home invasion.

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Ronan police chief suspended, stripped of certification

HELENA - In a ruling handed down by the Public Safety Officer Standards and Training (POST) Council in Helena on Tuesday, Ronan police chief Dan Wadsworth was stripped of certification and given a 15-year suspension from service for falsifying information about officers from his department.

On Wednesday morning the ruling was confirmed by Allen Horsfall, the interim executive director of POST, who clarified that the vote by the Council revokes certificates “from intermediate and above” that Wadsworth had earned throughout his career. Wadsworth’s basic certificate remains in place, but has been suspended for 15 years.

“He can’t serve as a peace officer in Montana for 15 years, effective immediately,” Horsfall clarified.

Horsfall, who became involved with the matter in the middle of the case, said that Wadsworth was charged with lying about the credentials of various personnel from the Ronan Police Department.

“According to my attorneys, Dan Wadsworth was suspended because he falsified the Montana Law Enforcement Academy (MLEA) application of his son, Trevor Wadsworth, by certifying that Trevor was a sworn law enforcement officer and employee of the Ronan Police Department, when in fact he was not,” said Horsfall.

“Wadsworth repeatedly disregarded statutes and regulations regarding attendance at MLEA when he sent other officers from Ronan to the academy,” Horsfall continued.

As of Wednesday morning, Wadsworth could not be reached for comment. It is not yet clear whether Wadsworth intends to appeal the Council’s decision or not. More information will be added to this story as it becomes available.

Top Henderson police officers charged in ticket quota system

ST. MARTINVILLE — Prosecutors have filed formal charges against Henderson’s police chief and his assistant in an alleged illegal quota system that offered officers $15 per traffic ticket along Interstate 10 as long as the officers issued two tickets an hour.

Chief Leroy Guidry, 64, and Deputy Chief Oliver Mack Lloyd, 61, each face charges of public payroll fraud, malfeasance in office and filing false public records, St. Martin Parish Assistant District Attorney Chester Cedars said Thursday.

Guidry and Lloyd, both of whom remain in their jobs, were arrested last year following a state Office of Inspector General investigation into the alleged quota system — an investigation prompted by a complaint from a former Henderson officer.

Cedars said his office has been reviewing the investigation for several months and filed formal criminal charges this week, meaning the prosecution will move forward.

The police chief did not return a message left at his office Thursday, but attorney Warren Ashy, who is representing Guidry and Lloyd, said his clients did nothing wrong.

“These are both career law enforcement guys who have never been in trouble,” Ashy said.

The defense attorney also said that the chief and his assistant did not profit from the traffic tickets.

“Neither one of those guys got a nickel,” Ashy said.

The inspector general’s report on the investigation noted that the town of Henderson benefitted to the tune of about $2.4 million between 2009 and 2011 in fines and forfeitures, mostly from traffic stops.

That figure represents about 80 percent of the town’s annual revenue for that period, according to the report.

Louisiana law forbids formal or informal quota systems under which officers receive compensation based on how many citations they issue.

Henderson officers were not directly paid $15 per ticket but rather the payment was allegedly reflected in enhanced hourly wages, with officers expected to issue at least two tickets per hour in order to get paid $30 per hour, according to an affidavit filed to support the criminal charges against Guidry.

Officers could make even more money if they issued more than two tickets an hour, but would be paid only $12.50 an hour if they issued fewer than two tickets per hour, according to the allegations in the affidavit.

The affidavit states that Guidry allegedly told Inspector General’s Office investigators that the enhanced payments served as a “productivity” system to ensure officers were active while working under a traffic safety program funded through a state-administered grant.

Despite the alleged statements that Guidry made to the Inspector General’s Office investigators, Henderson Mayor Sherbin Collette said Thursday that officers were encouraged but not required to write two tickets per hour.

“It was never pay-per-ticket,” said Collette, who added that he fully supports the chief and deputy chief and believes they are innocent.

Ashy said a certain number of traffic tickets were needed under the terms of the grant that was funding the enhanced traffic details, and the chief was trying to meet those goals.

The pending charges do not affect Guidry’s position as chief because is elected and cannot be forced to step down unless convicted, and Guidry has the say over Lloyd’s employment.

If convicted, Guidry and Lloyd face up to two years on the charge of payroll fraud and up to five years in prison on the charges of filing false records and malfeasance.

Officer charged with assaulting RI man in custody

SCITUATE, R.I. (AP) — An East Greenwich police lieutenant was charged this week with assaulting a man who was in custody at the police station.

Lt. Paul C. Nahrgang was arrested and charged Tuesday with disorderly conduct and simple assault for allegedly using excessive force May 22 with a 44-year-old malicious mischief suspect, state police said Wednesday.

Nahrgang's lawyer, Gerard Cobleigh, did not immediately return a phone message seeking comment.

Many details of the alleged assault were not released. State Police Maj. Todd Catlow would not release the alleged victim's name and East Greenwich Police Chief Thomas Coyle said he could not discuss what happened due to the pending investigation.

Catlow said Nahrgang had alerted the chief "that an incident occurred" on the evening of May 22 involving an East Greenwich man arrested earlier in the evening. Coyle then watched a video that showed what happened and informed state police, according to Catlow.

The chief said the alleged assault happened in a cell block processing area, and that Nahrgang was suspended with pay the day after it happened. He has been on the police force for 10 years and was promoted to lieutenant about a year and a half ago, Coyle said.

Nahrgang was free on personal recognizance and was due for an appearance in district court next Tuesday.

Former Autauga Metro Jail officer charged with theft

PRATTVILLE — A former Autauga Metro Jail officer and another woman each face four counts of theft of property by deception for an alleged check-cashing scheme.

Tara Lynette Woodfin, 41, of 653 Osborne Road in Tallassee was arrested Wednesday, said Chief Deputy Joe Sedinger. She resigned from her jail post following her arrest and was released Wednesday afternoon after posting bonds totaling $20,000, said Capt. Larry Nixon, jail warden.

Also charged is Billie Lynn Phillips, 42, of the same address, Sedinger said. Phillips remained in the metro jail Thursday afternoon on bonds totaling $20,000, Nixon said. Phillips also faces a probation violation due to the arrest, courthouse records show. She was on probation out of Autauga County District Court on a conviction of writing bad checks, the records reflect.

Woodfin could not be reached for comment Thursday afternoon. Court and arrest records do not list a viable telephone number for her home. Court records show she does not have an attorney.

Phillips could not be reached for comment Thursday afternoon. Court records show she does not have an attorney on the most recent charges.

The two women allegedly made copies of Woodfin’s payroll check and deposited the scanned copy online, Sedinger said. The actual payroll check was then cashed at a business, he said. The four checks totaled $2,674.20, sheriff’s office reports show

The scheme came to light when the county commission office reviewed payroll records and spotted the double dipping, Nixon said. The practice allegedly began in late May and was done for the past four pay periods, he said.

Woodfin turned herself into authorities Wednesday. She was treated the same as anyone being booked into the facility, Nixon said.

“She was never put in a cell,” he said. “She knew what her bond amount was and came in with a good bond. She was processed, photographed and fingerprinted and then was released on bond.

“It’s not unusual for people turning themselves in to come in with a bond. We make sure the bond is in order, approve the bond, then process and release them.”

PG police officer charged with interfering with drug-dealing investigation; among 17 indicted

WASHINGTON — A Prince George’s County police officer and more than a dozen other people have been indicted in the District of Columbia as part of a broad drug-dealing investigation.

Prosecutors say Vanessa Edwards-Hamm tampered with an investigation by tipping off a person to a wiretap. She was arrested Monday and made her first appearance in federal court on Wednesday, when a pair of indictments charging a total of 17 people were unsealed.

A lawyer for Edwards-Hamm didn’t immediately return a phone call seeking comment Wednesday. Prosecutors say her brother, Mark Edwards, of Capitol Heights, Md., is among those arrested.

The investigation by local and federal authorities targeted a drug-dealing network that authorities say sold heroin, cocaine, marijuana and prescription pills throughout the region.

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Police officer charged in illegal gun sale

SALISBURY, Md. -- A former Ocean City police officer and candidate for Worcester County Sheriff has been charged with illegally selling an AK-47.

Maryland State Police say David Catrino also provided an unidentified buyer with four loaded 30-round magazines for the weapon last month and paperwork was never filed.

Wicomico County Sheriff Mike Lewis says the gun was sold in the parking lot of Sherwood Ford in Salisbury, where the 45-year-old West Ocean City resident was employed as a salesman. Lewis calls it "a very reckless act."

Catrino was charged this week with unlawful sale or transfer of a regulated firearm and four counts of assault weapons violations and was released on bond.

Catrino worked as an Ocean City police officer from 1994 to 2007. He ran unsuccessfully for sheriff in 2010. 

Internal Affairs Investigator Caught In iPhone Sting

A sergeant in the department responsible for investigating NYPD corruption was busted earlier this month for buying a $15 iPhone off the street. The Daily News reports that Internal Affairs Bureau Sgt. Victor Leandry, 38, was charged with possession of stolen property after buying the gadget, which was being peddled by an undercover police officer. The sale was made as part of an investigation into bodega owners suspected of paying teenagers to steal iPhones for resale on the black market.

Leandry's attorney, John D’Alessandro, insists his client did nothing wrong when he bought the suspiciously inexpensive iPhone on a Washington Heights sidewalk. “He absolutely denies it was offered as stolen property,” D’Alessandro tells the Daily News. “It was a poorly planned operation. There’s no video... and we end up with a sergeant who has his reputation dragged through the mud.”

According to Leandry, the undercover officer "badgered him until he agreed to buy the phone" and he had no way of knowing it may have been stolen... which, actually, it wasn't. But no matter, even if the charges get dropped, at least some cops got to enjoy hassling an Internal Affairs officer for a change. 

Newark Police To Release "Most Comprehensive" Stop & Frisk Data In The US

Facing the results of a federal investigation of misconduct, the Newark Police Department announced that they will release detailed stop-and-frisk data every month. "The totality really makes this the most comprehensive policy of its kind, as far as we know, in the nation," New Jersey ACLU executive director Udi Ofer told the Star-Ledger.

The federal review began after the ACLU revealed that Newark's Internal Affairs Bureau appeared to be blithely dismissing complaints of police misconduct. Newark's Police Director Samuel DeMaio denied the connection between the federal review and the announcement of the policy.

I don't know how anybody can say what the federal government is going to make us do…This will allow the public to have a more vigorous conversation in a quicker manner. The monthly reporting is exactly the way to go.

The Newark PD will release 12 different facets for each stop, including the names and badge numbers of the officers involved, the English proficiency of the person stopped, and detailed information regarding instances where force is used.

Newark's voluntary release of monthly data stands in stark contrast to the NYPD, which had to be forced by the City Council to release stop-and-frisk data on a quarterly basis.

But as the NYPD has felt pressure from politicians, community and civil liberties groups, and a landmark federal trial, they too have been edging ever-so-slightly towards transparency.

Shortly before the trial began, the NYPD issued a memo mandating what had previously been a "suggestion": police must write a detailed narrative of the stop and a thorough description of why the officer stopped a suspect in their log books. The form police use to record stops, called a UF250, was also expanded to require more detail.

The NYPD also decreased the number of stops made in the first quarter of this year by 51% compared to the same period in 2012. 

Former suburban NY police official sentenced to 60 days following misconduct conviction

MINEOLA, New York — A former suburban New York police official convicted of pulling strings to help the son of a wealthy department benefactor was sentenced Monday to 60 days in jail and three months community service.

William Flanagan, a former Nassau County deputy police commissioner, plans to appeal the official misconduct conviction and sentence, his attorney told reporters following a court hearing that was jammed with dozens of his relatives and supporters, including U.S. Rep. Peter King.

"We fully expect him to be exonerated of these charges," attorney Bruce Barket said. Flanagan, who was cheered by supporters following the sentencing proceeding, thanked his backers but did not speak with reporters.

After the proceeding, King called Flanagan "one of the most honest people I've ever met."

Prosecutors said Flanagan and two others arranged the dropping of an investigation into the theft of about $10,000 in electronics from a Long Island high school because the suspected thief was the son of a businessman who had wined and dined police brass and made generous donations to a police foundation.

Police never charged the teen, Zachary Parker, but he was later indicted by a grand jury after the district attorney's office took over the investigation. Parker pleaded guilty and is serving up to three years in prison.

Flanagan, 55, and the others took the extraordinary steps as a favor to Parker's father, Gary, a partner in a Manhattan accounting firm, prosecutors said. The elder Parker, a longtime supporter of police causes, was not charged with any crime.

Flanagan, who was a Nassau officer for nearly 30 years, helped broker the return of the electronics, prosecutors said, and afterward he received a thank-you card from the Parkers that included several hundred dollars of gift cards to a steakhouse.

Barket argued at trial that his client was merely trying to help arrange the return of the stolen property to the school.

"He's never disputed that he engaged in the conduct of inquiring about the return of stolen property to its owner," Barket said. "Such conduct is not criminal."

Barket also reacted to Judge Mark Cohen's comments that Flanagan had shown no remorse that would merit a lenient sentence.

"He's shown no remorse because he's done nothing wrong," Barket said

One of the other police officials charged in the case, former Chief of Patrol John Hunter, pleaded guilty in May to official misconduct and conspiracy charges. He was sentenced to three years' probation and 500 hours of community service.

A third officer, Seventh Precinct Squad Deputy Supervisor Alan Sharpe, has pleaded not guilty and is awaiting trial.

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Fired Ark. trooper accused in drug evidence theft

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — An Arkansas State Police lieutenant arrested on federal drug charges is accused of stealing drugs from the agency's evidence room.

Court documents released Friday allege that Sedrick Reed had been stealing "large quantities of cocaine" from the evidence vault at state police headquarters in Little Rock.

A probable cause affidavit says investigators worked with a confidential informant and tapped Reed's phone to build a case against him.

The affidavit says the informant bought 9 ounces of cocaine from Reed on July 12.

The document further states that a 6-pound parcel of cocaine in evidence had only about a pound left after Reed twice handled the package. Reed was arrested Thursday afternoon and fired later in the day.

Former police officer arrested for drugs, stolen property

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – A former police officer has been arrested on charges relating to drugs and stolen property.

Richard Edward Erickson, 60, of Lakeport was arrested at 9 a.m. Friday, according to Lake County Jail records.

He was arrested on four felony counts – manufacturing a controlled substance, possession of marijuana for sale, planting or cultivating marijuana or hashish and receiving stolen property, based on his booking sheet.

Erickson's bail was set at $150,000.

Sheriff's officials on Friday were not prepared to release additional details relating to Erickson's arrest.

Erickson served as an officer with the Lakeport Police officer until he was terminated in 2006, the same year that he was charged with felony misappropriation of government funds and embezzlement of government funds or property for using things like his patrol car and other department equipment for personal use, including an affair with an 18-year old woman.

He also was charged with stalking and making terrorist threats against the woman, with misdemeanor charges of violating a restraining order and domestic battery also lodged in 2006.

He was acquitted by a jury in May 2007, according to court records.

Erickson's booking sheet indicated he's due to appear in court on Tuesday, July 23.

Former WVC officer charged with taking pills from dead cancer patient

A former West Valley police officer accused of taking a deceased cancer patient's pain pills has been charged.

West Valley officer accused of taking morphine from dead cancer patient

SALT LAKE CITY — A former West Valley police officer accused of taking a deceased cancer patient's pain pills has been charged.

Ryan Michael Humphrey, 34, was charged late Thursday in 3rd District Court with possession of a controlled substance, a third-degree felony, and theft, a class B misdemeanor.

On June 5, West Valley police were called to a house where a cancer patient had died. Humphrey and officer Davor Halulic "were counting the deceased's medication that was on the kitchen counter top. This medication included morphine pills," according to charging documents.

Halulic observed a pill in Humphrey's hand as he was counting, and then spotted his hand moving toward his pocket, said Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill. Halulic immediately notified his sergeant and told him they all needed to go outside "and have a discussion," according to the charges.

After some talk, Humphrey took out 22 morphine pills from his pocket. Gill commended the other two officers for their integrity for addressing the issue immediately.

As soon as the group returned to the West Valley Police Department, the 10-year veteran was placed on administrative leave. He resigned from the department the next day.

Last week, when it was revealed that a West Valley officer was under investigation, Humphrey's lawyer, Lindsay Jarvis, attempted to explain what was going on with her client while not making any excuses for what he did.

She said Humphrey had spent the last five years investigating child sex crimes. He was also going through personal issues at home. He eventually took six months off to try and clear his head. But Jarvis believed he was allowed to go back to patrol duty too soon.

"He's not a criminal, he's not a corrupt cop, he's not dirty," Jarvis said. "He was really just a human being who was struggling with some pretty intense stuff. I don't want to say 'snapped,' but he was definitely at his breaking point, I would say. That was definitely rock bottom for him.

"He just wasn't thinking clearly. He probably shouldn't have been at work. It's that simple. This is probably someone who shouldn't have been there. To even say he rationally thought through what he was doing, I can't even say that," she said. "I don't know if he could even formulate a thought process as to what he was actually doing (when he took the pills)."

Jarvis said her client was not addicted to pain pills and had not taken them before. She said he was currently seeking treatment for his other issues.

Judge releases evidence that convinced him to jail Indy police officer charged in crash

FORT WAYNE, Indiana — A photo of a half-empty vodka bottle that was in a pickup truck was part of the evidence that persuaded a judge to order an Indianapolis police officer held until his trial on drunken driving charges in a fatal accident.

Allen County Judge John Surbeck, Jr. released about 100 pages of evidence Friday that influenced his decision to revoke bond for David Bisard in May.

Bisard was charged with reckless homicide, drunken driving and other counts in August 2010 after his cruiser slammed into two motorcycles stopped at an intersection, killing 30-year-old motorcyclist Eric Wells and injured two other people.

Two hours after the crash, a blood test showed that Bisard's blood-alcohol level was more than twice Indiana's legal limit, though officers at the crash scene said they did not suspect he was drunk. An internal probe in 2011 concluded that the investigation had been botched and riddled with errors, but some critics suspected police were covering for one of their own.

Bisard was free on bond until he was arrested again and charged with drunken driving in an April 27 crash in Indianapolis.

The evidence related to that second crash included dozens of documents submitted by both sides.

Allen County Superior Court Executive Jerry Noble said he did not believe the release of the evidence to the public prior Bisard's trial would complicate any future appeal. The trial is set to begin Oct. 14 and is expected to take up to a month.

"Our emphasis is to balance the importance and need for a fair and impartial trial for the defendant against the need for the media to know and provide information for the public," he said.

The trial in the 2010 crash was moved from Indianapolis to Fort Wayne due to heavy media coverage in central Indiana. If convicted, he could face 20 or more years in prison.

The evidence released Friday included two 911 calls involving the April crash, in which a pickup truck driven by Bisard crashed into a guardrail. Authorities said he had blood-alcohol level of 0.22 percent, nearly 3 times the legal limit.

One caller said the truck was swerving, and the other said Bisard appeared to be drunk after the crash.

Former Mpls. Cop Now in State Prison

A former Minneapolis cop who was sentenced to more than three years in prison for punching a man at an Andover bar is now in state prison.

Forty-eight-year-old David Clifford’s punch caused the man to have severe and permanent injuries.

Clifford arrived Thursday at the Minnesota Correctional Facility in St. Cloud, according to the Minnesota Department of Correction’s online offender locator.

His release date is listed as Nov. 30, 2015, and his supervised released date is listed as Feb. 7, 2017.

Crooked Chicago cop pleads guilty to stealing $5,000

A crooked Chicago cop on Friday admitted stealing more than $5,000 of what he thought was drug money, just days before he was due to stand trial.

Former Sgt. Ronald Watts, 50, faces up to 10 years behind bars after his last-minute guilty plea in federal court, but is more likely to receive two years or less under sentencing guidelines.

The disgraced officer admitted to Judge Sharon Coleman that he directed a fellow officer, Kallat Mohammed — who previously pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 18 months in prison — to take a bag containing $5,200 from a homeless man in Bronzeville on Nov. 21, 2011. The homeless man was posing as a drug courier but was actually working as an informant for the FBI.

Watts later met with the homeless man at a Walgreens parking lot in Chinatown and gave him back $400 of the stolen loot, telling him “Who takes care of you?”

Watts spoke during the hearing only to indicate that he understood his rights and was changing his plea to guilty. He declined to comment after the hearing.

Though Watts was charged with just one count of stealing government funds, a pending civil lawsuit filed by two fellow Chicago cops alleges he was suspected of corruption for more than a decade.

Officers Shannon Spalding and Daniel Echeverria say in their suit that they were told by supervisors to “disregard” their concerns about Watts, and were later retaliated against by CPD brass when they contacted the FBI.

She said at the time that the crime was all the worse because it affected residents of the Ida B. Wells housing projects, people who have “already suffered enough.”

The projects’ residents would have seen that Chicago cops were working with the drug dealers, she said, adding that the fact that “not only a police officer but an African-American police officer who violated that trust is very upsetting to me.”

Sentencing delayed for ex-N.O. cop who burned body

NEW ORLEANS —A federal judge has agreed to postpone a resentencing hearing for a former New Orleans police officer who was convicted of burning the body of a man who was shot and killed by another officer following Hurricane Katrina.

Two former New Orleans police officers have asked a federal appeals court to throw out their convictions on charges stemming from the fatal shooting of a man whose burned body turned up in Hurricane Katrina's aftermath.

A federal appeals court has scheduled a hearing for the case against three former New Orleans police officers convicted of charges stemming from a man's fatal shooting and the burning of his body in Hurricane Katrina's aftermath.

Gregory McRae's July 25 sentencing was moved Wednesday to Jan. 9, 2014, at the request of his attorney, Frank DeSalvo. The lawyer argued McRae should be sentenced after the December 2013 retrial of former officer David Warren, who shot and killed 31-year-old Henry Glover outside a police substation less than a week after the 2005 storm.

U.S. District Judge Lance Africk sentenced McRae to more than 17 years in prison before an appeals court reversed one of his convictions last year and ordered him to be resentenced for his remaining convictions.

City settles lawsuit for $20,000 in case of cop convicted of sex with minor

City settles lawsuit for $20,000 in case of cop convicted of sex with minor Nogales International  | 0 comments

A federal judge dismissed a lawsuit against the City of Nogales after it agreed to pay $20,000 to the victim of a sex crime by former Nogales Police Office Mariano Garibay.

Garibay was sentenced to 2.25 years in state prison in February 2011 after pleading guilty to three of 11 counts of sexual conduct with a minor. The conviction stemmed from a sexual relationship he had with a 16-year-old member of NPD’s Explorer program. He was 28 at the time.

The lawsuit filed by attorneys James D’Antonio and Luis Parra in November 2012 alleged negligence and intentional harm, and said the girl had sustained and would continue to sustain healthcare expenses as a result of Garibay’s actions. The complaint also alleged that she had suffered physical injury, pain, suffering, emotional distress and a loss of enjoyment of life.

City Attorney Jose Luis Machado confirmed that the city had agreed to settle the lawsuit for $20,000, and that the sum would be covered by the city’s insurance.

Department of Correction records show that Garibay was released from prison on Jan. 14, 2013.

top cop to serve jail time

Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice announced Monday that a county Police Department deputy commissioner has been sentenced to jail after he was convicted on charges in connection with his role in preventing the arrest of a Merrick teenager whose father was a personal friend and financial benefactor of the police.

William Flanagan, 55, was convicted of conspiracy and official misconduct in February. Rice said he took part in the alleged cover-up of now 21-year-old Zachary Parker’s break-in at John F. Kennedy High School in Bellmore four years ago.

Acting Supreme Court Judge Mark Cohen sentenced him to five months in jail on each of the two counts of official misconduct and 60 days in jail for the conspiracy charge. Rice noted that three of the five months of the Flanagan’s jail sentence on official misconduct can be satisfied if he serves 60 days of jail time and completes 420 hours of non-law-enforcement-related community service.

The sentences are to run concurrently. In addition, Rice said, Flanagan must pay a $1,000 fine. Pursuant to a defense application to the Appellate Division, Flanagan will remain free pending an appeal.

“Today’s sentence is the culmination of a case that sent a clear message to those who mistakenly think they can abuse the public trust without consequence,” Rice said. “This defendant violated his oath as a police officer and let down not just the public, but the hard-working men and women of the Nassau County Police Department who put their lives on the line every day.”

Clarksburg Police Officials Resign, Avoid Federal Prosecution

U.S. Attorney’s Office July 09, 2013        •           Northern District of West Virginia (304) 234-0100

CLARKSBURG, WV—The chief of the Clarksburg Police Department and one of his lieutenants have resigned in order to avoid being prosecuted for federal criminal charges.

United States Attorney William J. Ihlenfeld, II announced today that former Chief Marshall Goff and former Lieutenant Tim Smith have quit the Clarksburg Police Department and thus will avoid being charged with civil rights violations and for making false statements to federal agents. The actions of Goff and Smith occurred after officers from their department responded to a report of an alleged domestic battery in Clarksburg in April 2013 involving a city councilman. Goff and Smith became involved in the response, and the actions that they took led to a separate investigation into their handling of the case.

The resignations of Goff and Smith are effective immediately, and both men are barred from ever seeking or accepting employment as police officers again. Both men have also agreed to be cooperative and truthful in the ongoing investigation into the handling of the response to the alleged domestic battery.

A charge has been filed in the underlying domestic battery case, and that matter is being handled in state court by a special prosecuting attorney.

The case involving Goff and Smith was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the West Virginia State Police, BCI, both of which are members of the West Virginia Public Corruption Task Force. If the public has any information regarding this matter or other similar matters they ma ycall the public corruption hotline at 1-855-WVA-FEDS(1-855-982-3337) or send an e-mail to wvafeds@usdoj.gov.

Arbiter rules cop firing justified

A Warren police officer with a history of domestic violence complaints and who once accidentally shot a fellow police officer will not get his job back after being fired in December, an arbiter ruled Thursday.

Arbitrator Mark I. Luried ruled Thursday that Jeffrey Miller, a 17-year police veteran, was justly fired Dec. 5 after he skipped a probation violation hearing on a reckless operation conviction that stemmed from a drunken driving arrest and was jailed for five days.

Miller was charged with drunken driving following a Sept. 22, 2011 accident in which he refused a breath test and initially lied about drinking. Miller initially denied drinking to Ohio State Highway Patrol Troopers but then supplied troopers with a written statement he drank two 24-ounce beers before driving.

He told then-Police Chief Tim Bowers he “shouldn’t have been driving” during a pre-disciplinary hearing. He violated probation and never showed up to court. He also never attended mandatory treatment programs ordered by Mahoning County Boardman Area Court Judge Joseph Houser.

Miller was never disciplined for the drunken driving charge and ensuing reckless operation conviction, the arbiter’s ruling says. He also was never officially reprimanded for multiple domestic violence arrests at his Weathersfield Township home in 2010 and 2011, according to the arbiter’s report.

In one instance, the report said, Miller threatened to kill himself and officers found pistols, empty beer cans and bottles and several prescription medication bottles.

None of the charges were ever prosecuted and he was never disciplined.

Miller, in 2002, accidentally shot fellow police officer Benny Harrell twice in the leg when the two responded to a burglary report. A police internal investigation revealed he was not criminally negligent.

 

 

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 Authorities discovered four grenades, explosive detonation cords, blasting caps and a form of TNT explosive, according to Boston.com.

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Idiots at work

City cop pleads guilty to assault charges

A Russellville police officer accused of having inappropriate relations with city inmates pleaded guilty to assault charges on June 27, officials said.

Jeremy Shane Hall, 35, 1372 Franklin 89, Phil Campbell, pleaded guilty to three counts of third-degree assault and was sentenced to six months on each count to run concurrently but suspended for two years based on good behavior.

As a condition of the sentence, Hall will also have to surrender his certification to be a police officer and is barred from ever being a police officer in the state of Alabama.

Retired prosecutor Gary Alverson from Colbert County handled the case for Franklin County District Attorney Joey Rushing, who recused from the case.

Alverson said he believed the plea was good considering the circumstances.

“I’m not thrilled with having to resolve the case this way, but in a circumstance like this where there is a civil suit and a criminal case occurring at the same time, it makes the case more difficult,” Alverson said.

“We obtained depositions from the civil suit that was filed by some of the alleged victims, and there were substantial inconsistencies from some of the witnesses in their statements.

“In a criminal case, especially one where a more definitive statement has been given, the facts have to match up, so we felt it would be best to resolve the case.”

According to records, Hall was originally arrested on March 25, 2011, for three counts of custodial sexual misconduct following an investigation by the Alabama Bureau of Investigation.

The investigation was promoted after Police Chief Chris Hargett received a complaint from a female inmate at the city jail who alleged Hall touched her inappropriately.

After other women came forward alleging Hall had also had inappropriate relationships with them as well, Hall was indicted on seven counts of custodial sexual misconduct by the September 2011 grand jury and was terminated from his position as a city police sergeant by the Russellville City Council that same month.

According to witness testimony at Hall’s preliminary hearing at the end of June 2011, ABI criminal investigator Cpl. Brian Faulkner said the first female inmate accused Hall of making her perform a strip search when he let her out to get a snack at the snack machine inside the police department.

Faulkner confirmed that he had received other complaints during the course of the investigation from women who said Hall had inappropriate interactions with them while they were housed at the city jail.

Testimony during the hearing also revealed that Hall was accused of offering female inmates privileges and an “easier time in jail” in exchange for sexual favors.

In addition to the criminal charges, a notice of claim was filed in March 2011 with the city of Russellville by four former inmates who intend to sue the city based on events involving Hall that allegedly took place inside the city jail.

City attorney Danny McDowell said the civil suit had also been resolved.

McDowell said the settlement figures could not be disclosed, but the city’s insurance company did pay a nominal fee to settle the case with the city paying a small deductible cost.

“We didn’t believe there was any merit to the claims made against the city or city employees, but sometimes you have to look at the situation from an economic standpoint,” McDowell said.

“We had to do what would be in the best economic interest of the city and a settlement was the best option.”

  

W-B police officer accused of brutality returns to job

A suspended Wilkes-Barre police officer is back on the job after being investigated for using a Taser on a suspect in the back of a patrol car earlier this year, city officials confirmed Monday.

Ken Jones, 37, who was suspended with pay year while under investigation by state police for what city officials deemed an "alleged excessive force incident," has returned to full duty, city Municipal Affairs Manager Drew McLaughlin said.

McLaughlin declined to comment on the findings of the investigation, which did not lead to criminal charges. He said he could not disclose whether Jones was subjected to internal disciplinary action as a result of the probe.

Dennis Fisher, a spokesman for state Attorney General Kathleen Kane, also declined comment, saying the agency's policy is to neither confirm nor deny any investigation.

Luzerne County District Attorney Stefanie Salavantis referred the case to state police for investigation, citing a potential conflict of interest because of the close working relationship between her office and city police.

The man who accused Jones of using excessive force, Matthew Phillips, 32, of 148 S. Maple Ave., Kingston, was cited with harassment, disorderly conduct and public drunkenness in February in connection with an incident at the Hardware Bar, 12 S. Main St., Wilkes-Barre.

According to court records, a drunken Phillips took a swing at a bouncer, Curtis Mathis, and fought with officers. Jones alleged in a citation that Phillips, "engaged in fighting at Hardware Bar, made unreasonable noise, obscene language and created a hazardously physical offensive condition."

Phillips is scheduled for trial July 15 in Luzerne County Court.

Jones was cited while on leave for harassment, a low-level, summary offense, in an unrelated scuffle with his father-in-law on March 23. The charge was withdrawn on April 8, according to court records.

Report details East Haven police misconduct

EAST HAVEN, Conn. (AP) — An East Haven police internal investigation has found police officers abused their power in investigating a misdemeanor purse snatching from an officer's mother.

The report, obtained by the New Haven Register (http://bit.ly/1bbNAKX ) through a freedom of information request, found problems with the conduct of five officers during the Jan. 17 incident.

The report says police pursued a pregnant woman they believed might have knowledge of the purse snatching into New Haven where her car collided with a cruiser. It says the officers improperly interrogated her and illegally seized items, including her purse, from her car before releasing her in a strange neighborhood with no way to get home.

The investigation into the incident is ongoing, and none of those involved has been placed on leave.

Lawnside police officer charged with misconduct

A Lawnside police lieutenant was charged Tuesday with official misconduct after he allegedly failed to notify authorities of a suspect's confession  about   his role in a Salem County homicide, the Camden County Prosecutor's Office said.

Lloyd Lewis, 44, the highest- ranking member of department, also was charged with tampering with evidence and public records.

The accusation stems from an alleged  exchange five years ago between Lewis and Lee Williams Jr., who was then wanted in connection with the homicide. 

Reached Tuesday evening, Lewis, a 23-year law enforcement veteran, declined to comment about the charges. His attorney, Jeffrey C. Garrigan of Jersey City, could not be reached.

Authorities said that on Aug. 20, 2008, Lewis was contacted by a longtime friend who was related to Williams. The friend asked Lewis to help facilitate Williams' surrender.

Williams and Lewis waited for Salem County investigators at the Lawnside Police Department.

The Prosecutor's Office said: "In that time, Lewis claimed Williams insisted on making a statement."

Lewis allegedly read Williams his Miranda rights and took the statement with audio and video equipment. Williams acknowledged being an accomplice in the homicide, authorities said.

Lewis then wrote a report on the incident that failed to mention Williams' statement, the Prosecutor's Office said.

Lewis also never told Salem County authorities about the statement and failed to preserve a recording of it, authorities said.

Police videos in Lawnside are saved 45 days before being copied over, and Lewis made no attempt to preserve the confession, authorities said.

Authorities last night did not disclose the name of the homicide victim or whether Williams had been tried in the case.

 Torrance police deny misconduct in mistaken identity shooting during Dorner manhunt

 LOS ANGELES — The city of Torrance has filed documents denying misconduct by police officers who shot at a white surfer during a manhunt for a rogue Los Angeles former officer.

Attorneys for the city asked for a trial in the damage lawsuit brought by David Perdue who was on his way to pick up a friend to go surfing when he was stopped by officers looking for Dorner. He says police rammed his pickup truck, deploying air bags, then shot into the driver's window with bullets whizzing past Perdue's head. The 38-year-old man says he was held on the ground with a gun to his head.

Mediation efforts between Purdue and the city failed, and Torrance filed a 34-page answer to his federal suit Friday saying the officers acted lawfully and used only reasonable force. They also argued that public employees "are immune from liability for discharging their mandatory duties with reasonable diligence."

"Defendants are immune from liability under the Federal Civil Rights Act because they acted in good faith with an honest and reasonable belief that their actions were necessary and appropriate," the city said in its filing.

Authorities say Dorner killed four people, including two law enforcement officers, during a weeklong rampage that involved a massive manhunt and ended with his apparent suicide in a mountain cabin following a gunbattle with police.

He was still at large when police stopped Perdue. Authorities believed Dorner was driving a pickup, although it was a different make and color than Perdue's truck.

Perdue is claiming he suffered head and spinal injuries and lost his job as an LAX baggage handler because of the incident. According to his lawyers, he remains unable to work. His speech and his gait are impaired and he requires regular medical attention. Once a gifted athlete, he now has difficulty even playing with his two small children, they said.

The Perdue shooting was not the only case of mistaken identity on Feb. 7. Two women delivering newspapers in Torrance were also shot at by Los Angeles police officers; the city reached a $4.2 million settlement with the women in April in addition to the $40,000 settlement for the loss of their pickup truck.

  

Report: Two N.J. men use surveillance video to support police brutality allegations

(CBS/AP) PATERSON, N.J. - Two northern New Jersey men are reportedly using footage from a surveillance camera to help support their allegations of police brutality in 2011. Alexis Aponte and Miguel Rivera claim that Paterson police used undue force against them when they were arrested, according to CBS New York.

The video appears to show Aponte being kicked by Paterson officers and then dragged down the street during a 2011 arrest.

A federal lawsuit filed Friday in Newark claims Aponte, of Paterson, and Rivera, of Prospect Park, were beaten while on the ground handcuffed. Aponte was a passenger in a truck driven by Rivera when police stopped them.

Their attorney, Darren Del Sardo, says the video was from a camera outside the Rivera family's home. It mostly captured what happened on the passenger side.

The lawsuit names Paterson police and specific officers.

The suit claims authorities punched and kicked Aponte and Rivera, nearly knocking them unconscious. It also claims that neither man resisted arrest and that officers took their money, jewelry and other personal items that were never returned.

Police declined to comment, saying the case has been referred to the Passaic County prosecutor.

Aponte and Rivera allegedly got into a fight with off-duty police officers at a sports bar hours before they were arrested, reported the station.

Aponte is currently in prison for charges related to a weapon he was carrying during the altercation at the sports bar.

Police Officer Charged With Burglary

A former Lexington police officer has been arrested on a warrant charging him with burglary, criminal trespass and official misconduct.

Lexington radio station KRVN-FM reports that 49-year-old Terrance Smith was arrested at his home Wednesday. His bond was set at $500. The case was investigated by Nebraska State Patrol and is being prosecuted by the Nebraska Attorney General's Office.

Smith is accused of entering Landmark Implement near Lexington after business hours on May 19, while on duty and without a law enforcement purpose. Landmark is just outside of the Lexington patrol jurisdiction. Landmark officials reported Smith's actions to the police department on June 7, and Smith was fired three days later.

A public phone listing for Smith could not be found.