The thin line between cop and criminals

Stillwater police officer charged with stealing from department's Drug Take-Back bin
STILLWATER, Okla. - Felony charges have been filed against a former Stillwater police sergeant accused of stealing prescription medications from his department's drug supply.
The Payne County District Attorney filed the charge of larceny of controlled dangerous substance Monday against Sgt. Tom McConaghy.
The officer resigned from his post July 4 after amid internal and criminal investigations. According to Stillwater police Capt. Randy Dickerson, investigators discovered McConaghy had removed "several" prescription drugs, including Hydrocodone and Promethazine from the department's Drug Take-Back bin around May 25.
A story by the Stillwater News Press dates the take-back program to 2011. McConaghy, whom the paper interviewed on the initiative's success, encouraged residents to turn in pills instead of flushing them down a toilet or letting them sit in medicine cabinets.
If convicted, McConaghy could face up to 10 years in jail and a $10,000 fine.


Berks County police officer suspended, charged with shoplifting
An Amity Township police officer charged with twice stealing items from a Montgomery County grocery store has been suspended, authorities confirmed Tuesday.
Cpl. Glenn J. Oesterling, 35, of Amity Township, was suspended indefinitely without pay last week by Amity Police Chief Kent Shubrook, according to township Supervisor Robert Yanos.
Oesterling has been a township officer for 12 years, Yanos said.
Since 2011, Oesterling also was a member of the Berks County District Attorney's major crimes task force, a group of select detectives from various departments who investigate major crimes in Berks. District Attorney John T. Adams said Oesterling has been suspended from that role as well.
He was charged with retail theft and receiving stolen property for the incidents, which took place June 12 and June 18 at the Giant Food Store in West Pottsgrove Township, court records showed.
According to court documents:
On June 12, a Giant loss prevention officer saw Oesterling placing several items totaling about $38 into reusable shopping bags in his cart and then walking out of the store without going through a checkout line.
A security photo of Oesterling was posted in the store so staff could look out for him.
He returned June 18 and placed about 50 items totaling approximately $300 into reusable bags in his cart and left the store without going through a checkout line. A loss prevention officer stopped him in the store vestibule, where Oesterling described himself as a "cop."
Oesterling had three young children with him during at least one of the incidents.
Giant passed the information on to West Pottsgrove police, who charged Oesterling on July 1. Oesterling was arraigned by District Judge Scott Palladino in Pottstown and is free awaiting further court action.
Oesterling is represented by Pottstown attorney Adam Sager.
"My client is anxiously looking forward to his July 25 (preliminary hearing) date to have the opportunity to defend himself and clear his good name," Sager said.
The Amity supervisors met in executive session during their July 3 meeting and supported the suspension handed down by the chief, Yanos said.
The supervisors did not vote on the suspension, though, or announce it during the meeting.
Yanos wanted to make the public aware of the situation, saying residents deserved to know what happened, but said he was overruled by the three other supervisors.
"I'm very puzzled by the secrecy," Yanos said. "Why keep it a secret?"
The state's Sunshine Law allows the supervisors to release such information, but does not compel them to do so, said Melissa Melewsky, media law counsel for the Pennsylvania Newspaper Association.
"It's their choice," she said.
But Melewsky said the supervisors should have been more specific about the reason for the executive session than simply saying it was for personnel reasons.